Tommy provides an overview of the band's output before its first album George Best. The production is relatively low fidelity but the songs are high-energy. All tracks of their first four singles are included except for "You Should Always Keep in Touch with Your Friends", the double A-side with "This Boy Can Wait", as the radio version was deemed superior. Similarly, all tracks of their first John Peel session are included but for the radio version of "This Boy Can Wait", whose single version was considered better.
By the time of their fourth single, "My Favourite Dress", the band had started working with Chris Allison, who went on to produce the band's George Best and Bizarro albums.
Two of the songs on Tommy made a reappearance on George Best: "What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted?", re-recorded under its new title of "It's What You Want That Matters", and "My Favourite Dress" with an added new coda.
Track listing
All tracks written by David Gedge except for "Felicity"
Side A
"Go Out and Get 'Em Boy!" – 4:09
"(The Moment Before) Everything's Spoiled Again" – 3:19
"Once More" – 3:14
"At the Edge of the Sea" – 2:39
"Living and Learning" – 2:53
"This Boy Can Wait" – 4:01
Side B
"You Should Always Keep in Touch with Your Friends" – 3:01
^Colin Larkin The Encyclopedia of Popular Music 0857125958 2011 -Page 3851 COMPILATIONS: Tommy (Reception 1988), The BBC Sessions (Strange Fruit 1988), Hit Parade 1 (RCA 1992), Hit Parade 2 (RCA 1993), John Peel Sessions
^Peter Buckley The Rough Guide to Rock 1843531054 - 2003 "After an uneven compilation of singles and sessions, TOMMY (1988), there were further sessions for John Peel, which "
^The Trouser Press record guide Ira A. Robbins 0020363613 -- 1991 Page 726 "The archly titled Tommy summarizes the band's first two years, with singles ("This Boy Can Wait," "Once More," .."
