The Boomtown Rats is the debut album by Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats, released in September 1977.[1] It included the Rats' first hit single, "Lookin' After No. 1", as well as the subsequent single, "Mary of the 4th Form".[1] The album peaked at No. 18 in the UK Albums Chart in 1977.[5]
| The Boomtown Rats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 1977 | |||
| Studio | Dierks (Stommeln) | |||
| Genre | Pop punk, punk rock[1] | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Robert John "Mutt" Lange | |||
| The Boomtown Rats chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B+[2] |
| The Irish Times | [3] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [4] |
Track listings
edit1977 LP
editAll lyrics written by Bob Geldof, all music arranged by The Boomtown Rats
- "Lookin' After No. 1"
- "Neon Heart"
- "Joey's on the Street Again"
- "Never Bite the Hand That Feeds"
- "Mary of the 4th Form"
- "(She's Gonna) Do You In"
- "Close As You'll Ever Be"
- "I Can Make It If You Can"
- "Kicks"[1]
2005 CD reissue
edit- "Lookin' After No. 1"
- "Mary of the 4th Form"
- "Close As You'll Ever Be"
- "Neon Heart"
- "Joey's On the Streets Again"
- "I Can Make It If You Can"
- "Never Bite the Hand That Feeds"
- "(She's Gonna) Do You In"
- "Kicks"
Bonus tracks
- "Doin' It Right" – 1975 live demo
- "My Blues Away" – 1975 live demo
- "A Second Time" – 1975 live demo
- "Fanzine Hero" – 1975 live demo
- "Barefootin'" – Live at Moran's Hotel, Dublin, 1975
- "Mary of the 4th Form" – single version
Personnel
editCredits adapted from album liner notes.[6]
The Boomtown Rats
- Bob Geldof – lead vocals, harmonica
- Garry Roberts – guitar, backing vocals
- Gerry Cott – guitar
- Johnnie Fingers – keyboards, backing vocals
- Pete Briquette – bass, backing vocals
- Simon Crowe – drums, backing vocals
Additional musicians
- Albie Donnelly – saxophone
Technical
- Adrian Boot – photography
- Steve Brown – editing, engineering, mastering, mixing
- Sue Dubois – art direction, design
- Geoff Halpin – design
- Robert John "Mutt" Lange – mixing, production
- Hannah Sharn – photography
Charts
edit| Chart (1977) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC)[7] | 18 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[8] | Silver | 60,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Ruhlmann, William. "The Boomtown Rats – The Boomtown Rats". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor and Fields. ISBN 0-89919-026-X. Retrieved 22 February 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Boyd, Brian (11 February 2005). "Reissues". The Irish Times. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 75.
- ^ Roberts, David, ed. (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). Guinness World Records Limited. p. 71. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ The Boomtown Rats (liner notes). The Boomtown Rats. Ensign Records. 1977. ENVY 1.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
- ^ "British album certifications – The Boomtown Rats – The Boomtown Rats". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 7 November 2020.