Complete Madness is the first greatest hits album by ska/pop group Madness

Madness (band)

In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...

. It was released in 1982 (see 1982 in music

1982 in music

This is a list of notable events in music from 1982. 1982 was a big year in music with Madonna making her debut as well as the year that Michael Jackson released Thriller which became the world's best selling album and it still holds that title today....

) and included Madness' biggest hits from their first three studio albums and all the stand-alone singles. Complete Madness spent 99 weeks on the UK charts peaking at number 1. A corresponding VHS video was also released, containing all thirteen of the group's music videos up to that point (the twelve singles plus "Bed and Breakfast Man").

The album was re-issued in 2010.

Track listing

1. "Embarrassment
   Embarrassment (song)
   "Embarrassment" is a song recorded by ska/pop band Madness, predominantly written by Lee Thompson, but partially credited to Mike Barson. The band first began performing the song at live shows in April 1980, and it was featured on their second studio album, Absolutely.The song was released as a...
   
   " (Mike Barson, Lee Thompson) – 3:13
2. "Shut Up
   Shut Up (Madness song)
   "Shut Up" is a pop song written by Suggs and Chris Foreman. It was recorded by British pop/ska band Madness, and was featured on the band's third album 7. It was released as a single on September 11, 1981, spending 10 weeks in the UK Singles Chart...
   
   " (Chris Foreman, Graham McPherson) – 2:53
3. "My Girl
   My Girl (Madness song)
   "My Girl" is a song by British ska/pop group Madness from their debut album, One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson. The song was released as a single on 21 December 1979 and spent 10 weeks on the UK Singles Chart peaking at number 3....
   
   " (Mike Barson) – 2:47
4. "Baggy Trousers
   Baggy Trousers
   "Baggy Trousers" is a song by English ska/pop band Madness from their 1980 album Absolutely. It was written by lead singer Suggs and guitarist Chris Foreman, and reminisces on school days....
   
   " (Foreman, McPherson) – 2:48
5. "It Must Be Love" (Labi Siffre) – 3:20
6. "The Prince
   The Prince (song)
   "The Prince" is a song by British ska/pop band Madness. It was written by Lee Thompson, and was the band's first single. On 10 August 1979 the single was released through 2 Tone Records and peaked at number 16 in the UK singles chart, spending a total of 11 weeks in the charts."The Prince" is a...
   
   " (Lee Thompson) – 2:29
7. "Bed & Breakfast Man" (Barson) – 2:34
8. "Night Boat to Cairo
   Night Boat to Cairo
   "Night Boat to Cairo" is a song by British ska/pop band Madness from their debut 1979 album One Step Beyond.... It was written by Mike Barson and Suggs , and was also included on the Work Rest and Play EP, which peaked at #6 in the UK music charts...
   
   " (Barson, McPherson) – 3:33
9. "House of Fun
   House of Fun
   "House of Fun" is a song by British ska/pop group Madness, credited to Mike Barson and Lee Thompson. It was released as a one-off single on April 30, 1982, and reached #1 in the UK charts, spending 9 weeks in the charts. The song was re-released in 1992, reaching #40...
   
   " (Barson, Thompson) – 2:51
10. "One Step Beyond
    One Step Beyond (song)
    12" vinyl-Chart performance:-Song appearances:* It is used in the episode "I'm with the Band" of the 2000-2001 show Freaks and Geeks when one of the characters, Sam Weir, streaks around the school while trying to avoid showering after PE....
    
    " (Cecil Campbell) – 2:21
11. "Cardiac Arrest
    Cardiac Arrest (song)
    "Cardiac Arrest" is a song by British band Madness from their third album 7 and other compilation album called Complete Madness . It spent 10 weeks in UK charts peaking at number 14....
    
    " (Foreman, Carl Smyth) – 2:59
12. "Grey Day
    Grey Day
    "Grey Day" is a pop song written by Mike Barson and recorded by British pop/ska band Madness. The song was the first single released from the band's third studio album 7...
    
    " (Barson) – 3:41
13. "Take It or Leave It" (Barson, Thompson) – 3:28
14. "In the City" (Barson, Crutchfield, Foreman, Inoue, McPherson, Smyth) – 3:01
15. "Madness" (Campbell) – 2:40
16. "The Return of the Los Palmas 7
    The Return of the Los Palmas 7
    "The Return of the Los Palmas 7" is a song by British ska/pop band Madness, written by Mike Barson, Mark Bedford and Daniel Woodgate. The song was Woodgate's first credit as a songwriter, and was released as the band's 7th single on . The single reached number 7 in the UK, and remained in the...
    
    " (Barson, Mark Bedford. Dan Woodgate) – 2:35

Personnel

• Mike Barson
  Mike Barson
  Michael "Mike" Barson is a British musician, best known as a founding member and keyboardist of the second wave ska band, Madness.-Biography:...
  
   – Keyboards, Harmonica, Percussion
• Mark Bedford
  Mark Bedford
  Mark Bedford , nicknamed 'Bedders', is a bass guitarist and former member of the band Madness....
  
   – Bass
• Chris Foreman
  Chris Foreman
  Chris Foreman , nicknamed Chrissy Boy, is an English guitarist, best known as a member of a second wave ska band, Madness.Foreman started Madness with Mike Barson and Lee Thompson in 1976...
  
   – Guitar
• Neill King – Engineer
• Clive Langer – Producer
• Graham "Suggs" McPherson
  Suggs (singer)
  Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an English singer, actor, former radio DJ, TV personality, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness.-Early life:...
  
   – Percussion, Vocals
• Chas Smash
  Chas Smash
  Cathal Smyth, also known as Chas Smash is an English musician, best known as the backing singer and dancer in the ska/pop band Madness. He also plays trumpet, acoustic guitar and various percussion instruments...
  
   – Trumpet, Vocals
• Lee Thompson – Saxophone, Vocals
• Alan Winstanley – Producer
• Dan Woodgate – Drums