Originally released in 1992, the double compilation LP Some Girls Wander By Mistake retraces The Sisters Of Mercy’s formative years and their rise to cult acclaim. It includes three songs the group originally issued on 45rpm on their own Merciful Release imprint in 1980: “The Damage Done,” “Watch,” and “Home Of The Hit-Men.” Also included in this set is the band’s 1982 follow-up single: “Body Electric” and “Adrenochrome.”
Arranged in non-chronological order, Some Girls Wander By Mistake begins with all four songs from The Sisters of Mercy’s first 12” EP Alice, which was originally released in 1983. The music – produced by Psychedelic Furs’ guitarist John Ashton – includes the EP’s title track, a cover of the Stooges “1969” and more.
The first LP’s flipside collects music that originally appeared on The Sisters Of Mercy’s second EP, The Reptile House (1983). Among tracks are “Kiss The Carpet,” “Burn,” and the haunting “Lights.” Later that year the band released the single “Temple of Love” backed with “Heartland” and a cover the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter,” all of which are included here.
Some Girls Wander By Mistake also includes music from two 12” singles. The first is a re-recorded version of “Temple of Love” from 1992 that features Israeli vocalist Ofra Haza, and remains the Sisters’ biggest international hit, peaking at #3 on the UK charts. The second is “Under The Gun,” their final release, from 1993, which includes an updated version of “Alice.”
This collection’s title comes from a lyric in the Leonard Cohen song “Teachers,” a track the Sisters cover frequently in concert. In fact, “Teachers” appears on the same album as the song “Sisters of Mercy,” which inspired the band’s name.