--- product_id: 381352128 title: "Essential Nik Kershaw" price: "$45.53" currency: USD in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/381352128-essential-nik-kershaw store_origin: US region: United States of America --- # Essential Nik Kershaw **Price:** $45.53 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Essential Nik Kershaw - **How much does it cost?** $45.53 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/381352128-essential-nik-kershaw) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Across 3CDs, 'Essential Nik Kershaw' brings together the very best works from one of the most popular pop stars and talented songwriters of the '80s. This excellent collection features original classic hits including 'Wouldn't It Be Good', 'I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me' and 'The Riddle', well-loved album tracks, b-sides, live recordings and various alternative versions. Review: Excellent Compilation - This triple CD set, which focuses on material from Kershaw's pop star heyday, consists of two disks of the hit singles, choice B-sides, a few select album tracks and a couple of live tracks. The third disk is a collection of extended mixes, some of which are new to CD and others relatively rare. The singles need little introduction, though those from the final MCA album, The Works, are less well known. These are: Wouldn't It Be Good I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me Don Quixote Radio Musicola Wide Boy Nobody Knows One Step Ahead Elisabeth's Eyes James Cagney Dancing Girls The Riddle Human Racing When A Heart Beats The included album tracks might be less familiar to the casual listener, but might encourage them to seek out the original albums. These are: Bogart (from Human Racing) Cloak and Dagger (from Human Racing) Save The Whale (from The Riddle) Wounded Knee (from The Works) Roses (from The Riddle) Cowboys and Indians (from The Works) Know How (from The Riddle) Burning at Both Ends (from The Works) Life Goes On (from Radio Musicola) Take My Place (from The Works) The non-album B-Sides are something for the fan who might have the original albums but only has the singles on 7" vinyl. These are: When I Grow Up (B-side of One Step Ahead, making its CD debut here) Monkey Business (B-side of Wouldn't It Be Good) One of Our Fruit Machines Is Missing (B side of Radio Musicola) My Friend John (B-side of Elisabeth's Eyes) Dark Glasses (B-side of I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me) Finally there are the two live tracks. These were both recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London in 1984. They originally appeared on the deluxe edition of The Riddle. There was a minor controversy when they were released, because Kershaw had re-recorded his vocals, thirty years after the concert, citing the poor quality of the radio microphone that he had been using that night. These re-recorded versions are what is included here, though as Kershaw pointed out, the originals are on YouTube for all and sundry to watch. Wild Horses City of Angels As for the extended mixes, there are a few surprises. Wouldn't It Be Good is the rare Simon Boswell mix, which drops into an entertaining but undanceable sample from The Twilight Zone. Drum Talk is a different mix from the one which appeared on the Human Racing Deluxe Edition (first time on CD, and this is the only one of the remixes which does not appear in it's standard form elsewhere on the album). The extended versions of Radio Musicola and One Step Ahead also make their CD debut here, and while the extended Elisabeth's Eyes was available on a long out of print CD single, it appears on a compilation album for the first time. So what's missing? I would have liked to have seen the Wide Boy B-side So Quiet make the track list. While it is available on The Riddle Deluxe Edition, it is one of Kershaw's best songs - one of those occasions when the B-side was better than the A-side - and it is a shame that it was omitted. As hinted above, there are a few extended mixes which have not yet had a digital release - both When A Heart Beats and its B-side Wild Horses were released in extended form on the 12" single of When A Heart Beats. Unfortunately, Kershaw has reserved particular disdain for the remix of Wild Horses, saying that it was remixed without his permission while he was out of the country on tour and lacks anything new. Although he is absolutely correct in his artistic assessment, it is still sought after by collectors. It might have to wait until a complete box set of his 80s work is released. Review: Essential by Nik Kershaw - Great album with so many memorable tracks a real bargain buy ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | ASIN | B09M2NG8T2 | | Best Sellers Rank | 29,712 in CDs & Vinyl ( See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl ) 3,044 in Box Sets (CDs & Vinyl) 12,639 in Pop | | Customer reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (286) | | Label | Spectrum | | Manufacturer | Spectrum | | Number of discs | 3 | | Package Dimensions | 13.9 x 12.5 x 0.9 cm; 80 g | ## Images ![Essential Nik Kershaw - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51O1IJxH+8L.jpg) ![Essential Nik Kershaw - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/612yAeuxMRL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent Compilation *by D***E on 19 January 2022* This triple CD set, which focuses on material from Kershaw's pop star heyday, consists of two disks of the hit singles, choice B-sides, a few select album tracks and a couple of live tracks. The third disk is a collection of extended mixes, some of which are new to CD and others relatively rare. The singles need little introduction, though those from the final MCA album, The Works, are less well known. These are: Wouldn't It Be Good I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me Don Quixote Radio Musicola Wide Boy Nobody Knows One Step Ahead Elisabeth's Eyes James Cagney Dancing Girls The Riddle Human Racing When A Heart Beats The included album tracks might be less familiar to the casual listener, but might encourage them to seek out the original albums. These are: Bogart (from Human Racing) Cloak and Dagger (from Human Racing) Save The Whale (from The Riddle) Wounded Knee (from The Works) Roses (from The Riddle) Cowboys and Indians (from The Works) Know How (from The Riddle) Burning at Both Ends (from The Works) Life Goes On (from Radio Musicola) Take My Place (from The Works) The non-album B-Sides are something for the fan who might have the original albums but only has the singles on 7" vinyl. These are: When I Grow Up (B-side of One Step Ahead, making its CD debut here) Monkey Business (B-side of Wouldn't It Be Good) One of Our Fruit Machines Is Missing (B side of Radio Musicola) My Friend John (B-side of Elisabeth's Eyes) Dark Glasses (B-side of I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me) Finally there are the two live tracks. These were both recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London in 1984. They originally appeared on the deluxe edition of The Riddle. There was a minor controversy when they were released, because Kershaw had re-recorded his vocals, thirty years after the concert, citing the poor quality of the radio microphone that he had been using that night. These re-recorded versions are what is included here, though as Kershaw pointed out, the originals are on YouTube for all and sundry to watch. Wild Horses City of Angels As for the extended mixes, there are a few surprises. Wouldn't It Be Good is the rare Simon Boswell mix, which drops into an entertaining but undanceable sample from The Twilight Zone. Drum Talk is a different mix from the one which appeared on the Human Racing Deluxe Edition (first time on CD, and this is the only one of the remixes which does not appear in it's standard form elsewhere on the album). The extended versions of Radio Musicola and One Step Ahead also make their CD debut here, and while the extended Elisabeth's Eyes was available on a long out of print CD single, it appears on a compilation album for the first time. So what's missing? I would have liked to have seen the Wide Boy B-side So Quiet make the track list. While it is available on The Riddle Deluxe Edition, it is one of Kershaw's best songs - one of those occasions when the B-side was better than the A-side - and it is a shame that it was omitted. As hinted above, there are a few extended mixes which have not yet had a digital release - both When A Heart Beats and its B-side Wild Horses were released in extended form on the 12" single of When A Heart Beats. Unfortunately, Kershaw has reserved particular disdain for the remix of Wild Horses, saying that it was remixed without his permission while he was out of the country on tour and lacks anything new. Although he is absolutely correct in his artistic assessment, it is still sought after by collectors. It might have to wait until a complete box set of his 80s work is released. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Essential by Nik Kershaw *by P***R on 23 November 2025* Great album with so many memorable tracks a real bargain buy ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Classic hits and more. *by R***N on 18 January 2022* Nik Kershaw is one of the best British singer-songwriters ever. He produces too and is a gifted multi-instrumentalist. Very underrated and underappreciated. This album collects tracks from his hugely successful 1980s era. Spanning from 1983, his debut solo single "I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" (later re-released in 1984) to the beautiful "Elisabeth's Eyes" in 1989. All the classic hits are here and most of these also appear here in extended mix form. This album is such a bargain and is definitely recommended for anyone who loves great music. Hopefully the record label will now re-release and remaster his albums "Radio Musicola" (1986) and "The Works" (1989) on CD. And his first four albums on vinyl. It's the least this great artist deserves. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.us/products/381352128-essential-nik-kershaw](https://www.desertcart.us/products/381352128-essential-nik-kershaw) --- *Product available on Desertcart United States of America* *Store origin: US* *Last updated: 2026-05-17*