Songbook: The Singles, Vol. 1 collects all of the Super Furry Animals singles released between 1996 and 2004 as well as B-side "Blerwytirhwng?" (which can be found on their 1995 Welsh only debut EP Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (In Space)). Songbook... was released in the UK in October 2004, debuting at #18 on the UK album charts. The collection didn't see a U.S. release until January 2005.

According to bassist Guto Pryce the album was "something that the record company wanted to do, and we were fine with that, but we were in the middle of making ... Love Kraft [so that] was where our heads were at". Despite this they did pick the track listing, a process they found easy. The band performed just two gigs in support of the album as they considered a 'greatest hits tour' "wasn't really us".