Then: The Earlier Years

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Then: The Earlier Years Collection by They Might Be Giants
First released	US: March 25, 1997 UK: August 4, 2003	Tracks	72
Label	US: Restless UK: Restless/Rykodisc	Length	138:05

This compilation combines the band's first two albums (They Might Be Giants and Lincoln) with the b-side/remix collection Miscellaneous T, with the omission of two tracks. The missing tracks are (She Was A) Hotel Detective (Single Mix) and the album mix of Don't Let's Start. Added to this were 19 bonus tracks, the majority of which had not been previously released.

Track breakdown:

1-3, 5-19: They Might Be Giants (1986)
- Track 4, Don't Let's Start, was replaced by Don't Let's Start (Single Mix)
4, 20-22: Don't Let's Start (EP) (1987)
23-27: (She Was A) Hotel Detective (EP) (1988)
- Different track order, missing (She Was A) Hotel Detective (Single Mix)
28-36: Previously unreleased or limited to Dial-A-Song, except track 34, I'm Def, from The Statue Got Me High (EP), and track 35, Don't Let's Start (Demo Version), from 1985 Demo Tape

Track breakdown:

1-18: Lincoln (1988)
19: Lincoln Sampler (1988)
20-22: They'll Need A Crane (EP) (1989)
- Missing They'll Need A Crane (included earlier on the disc)
23: Miscellaneous T (1991)
24-26: Purple Toupee (EP) (1989)
- Missing Purple Toupee (included earlier on the disc)
27-36: Previously unreleased or limited to Dial-A-Song, except track 31, Become A Robot, and track 32, Which Describes How You're Feeling (Demo Version), both from 1985 Demo Tape

Illustrations by Tony Millionaire
The bonus tracks from this set are sometimes referred to, and sold on the TMBG Download Store, as Giants Jubilee (Disc 1) and Mightathon (Disc 2).
A hugely scaled-back version of this release, titled Best Of The Early Years, was released under BMG Special Products in 1999. Also, an instore promo version Selections From The 2-CD Retrospective Then: The Earlier Years was released and contained a different set of tracks.
Curiously, the single mix of Don't Let's Start is the one included here, as opposed to the fuller mix on the original album.

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