Good thread. I think this is harder than doing OOTB, because, imho, OOTB has more filler that you can more easily get rid of. (I know....I know.....kill me now.) Plus, in the case of SM, some IDIOT did in fact make it into a single album, without several of the best songs available, and I never figured out if Jeff played a role in this selection, or not.
Anyway, if we look at the intended 18-track album, and get rid of 6 tracks in order to make a 12-track single album SM, which may be ELO's crowning achievement, ignoring what the IDIOT decided above, we may consider the following:
Getting rid of That Beatles Song is a no brainer. Because where is the official version anyway?
After All ain't no great loss.
Rock And Roll Is King is the most annoying ELO song ever. (Tie me up and play Battle Of Marston Moor endlessly. Go ahead.)
Letter From Spain can get lost in the mail without any great grief.
Now it gets hard: Train Of Gold and Mandalay are my very tough choices for taking the scissors to two more tracks, but I have tears in my eyes as I do so. Hey, a 12 track album is a 12 track album.
So, we begin with Secret Messages and we end with Hello My Old Friend. Even Donald Trump would agree with this. Ending side 1 with Time After Time seems right to me. It forshadows the end of side 2. I always thought those two songs had a similar feel. Here we go:
1. Secret Messages.
2. Loser Gone Wild.
3. Bluebird.
4. Take Me On And On.
5. Danger Ahead.
6. Time After Time.
7. Four Little Diamonds.
8. Stranger.
9. No Way Out.
10. Building Have Eyes.
11. Endless Lies.
12. Hello My Old Friend.
Questions?