Early recordings

"I don't think you can compare then with now, really. We were much younger then, so obviously the [early songs] sound much different. Plus, the band has gone through so many lineup changes. But I also think that's been fun in a way, ‘cause it means we have a whole roster of stuff that sounds completely different. People might get into it all, or maybe just different periods."
- Jim James, talking about the early recordings
(Jonk Music interview, June 2005)


Early Recordings is a compilation album series that was released in 2004 on Darla Records. The two constituent albums, called chapters, are called The Sandworm Cometh and Learning respectively. The Sandworm Cometh was released on November 15th and Learning on November 23rd.

Track listing

The Sandworm Cometh
(All tracks by Jim James except were noted)
  1. "Weeks Go by Like Days" – 4:16
  2. "What Will I Do?" – 1:35
  3. White Rabbit (Grace Slick)– 2:29
  4. "Downtown" – 1:36
  5. "I Just Wanted to Be Your Friend" – 2:29
  6. "Time Never Gets" – 1:43
  7. "They Ran" (Acoustic) – 3:34
  8. "Evelyn" (Be-Mixed) – 2:31
  9. "Isobella" / "The White Umbrella" – 3:04
  10. "Josta Dreams and Bitter Hands" – 1:41
  11. " Sleep Walk" (Johnny Farina/Santo Farina)
  12. "Olde Sept. Blues" (Ga-Ed Out) – 5:44
  13. "When Will They Come?" – 2:17
  14. "Somebody Cares About the Maestro" – 2:01
  15. "Rocket Man" (Elton John/Bernie Taupin) – 4:59
Learning
  1. Tonite I Want 2 Celebrate W/ You!
  2. Just One Thing (Demo)
  3. Take My Breath Away (Giorgio Moroder/Tom Whitlock)
  4. West End Girls (Chris Lowe/Neil Tennant)
  5. Dream a Little Dream of Me (Fabian Andre/Gus Kahn/Wilbur Schwandt)
  6. Death is the Easy Way (Demo)
  7. Bermuda Hwy (Live)
  8. Nothing 2 Me
  9. I Won't Cry!
  10. Why Don't U Love Me (Hank Williams)
  11. That Someone Else Was You
  12. Tyrone (Erykah Badu/Norman Hurt)
  13. I Will Be There When You Die / Sunrides and the Girls Scream (Live)
  14. Good Nights and Happy Trails!!!!!
Danny Cash created the graphic design to both albums and played bass and keyboard on the second. J. Glenn performed drums for the series and Johnny Quaid played guitar. Tom Blankenship played bass for the first album, but Quaid took over for the second.