Album (Joan Jett album)

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Album
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts - Album.png
Studio album by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Released July 1983
Recorded 1983
Studio Kingdom Sound Studios, Syosset, New York
Genre Hard rock
Length 34:59
Label Blackheart/MCA (US)
Epic (Europe)
Warner (Japan)
Producer Joan Jett, Ritchie Cordell, Kenny Laguna, Greg Kolotkin
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts chronology
I Love Rock 'n Roll
(1981)I Love Rock 'n Roll1981		 Album
(1983)		 Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth
(1984)Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth1984
Singles from Album
  1. "Fake Friends"
    Released: July 1983
  2. "The French Song"
    Released: July 1983 (Canada only)
  3. "Everyday People"
    Released: 1983

Album is the third studio album by Joan Jett and the second to feature her backing band The Blackhearts. The album was originally released in July 1983.

Background and recording

As with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts's previous album, a considerable portion of Album is devoted to cover songs, though this had not been the original plan. During the recording of the album, Jett commented, "I know what's going to happen. When we included lots of covers, people would call us on it. If we don't they'd say, 'Where's the covers?'"[1]

Release

The cassette tape version had 2 different issues, one issued in a regular black plastic case MCA MCAC-5437] and one issued in a red plastic case [MCA MCAC-5445]. The initial version contained the The Rolling Stones song "Star Star" on it as a hidden track at the end of side one. The second version deleted the song and was designated as "Album Version Only." The album was re-released in 1992 with six more bonus tracks.

The first single released from the album was the kick-off track "Fake Friends." The U.S. 7-inch vinyl featured "Nitetime" on the reverse side, with a locked groove at the end of the song. This meant that jukeboxes playing the track would have to be manually rejected in order to reject the record. The CD bonus track "Locked Groove" is an actual recording of the end of the single. A second issue with "Handyman" as the B-side was sent to distributors. A video was shot for "Fake Friends" where Joan and the Blackhearts are continually mobbed by 'fans' and hangers-on who quickly turn into cardboard cut-outs and fall over. It received heavy airplay on MTV, though the song was a relative disappointment on the Billboard Hot 100. Kenny Laguna later told Creem magazine that he had objected to "Fake Friends" being the first single, as it wasn't a natural fit for rock radio, but was rebuffed by the label.

The second single, "Everyday People" (backed with "Why Can't We Be Happy") was somewhat better received, and came accompanied by a slapstick video in which Jett is plagued by a smoking hair-dryer, a defunct alarm clock, and a collapsing bed. A promotional 7-inch and 12-inch Dance Mix of the song was sent to radio stations; the commercial 12-inch record featured the notorious "Star Star" on the B-side.

A third video was filmed for "The French Song," but MTV gave it scant airtime and a single of the track was only released in Canada, where it was backed with "Coney Island Whitefish."

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 4.5/5 stars[2]
Metal Forces (4/10)[3]
Rolling Stone 3/5 stars[4]
The Village Voice B+[5]

Track listing

Side one
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Fake Friends"   Joan Jett, Kenny Laguna 3:23
2. "Handyman"   Jett, Laguna 3:23
3. "Everyday People"   Sylvester Stewart 2:40
4. "A Hundred Feet Away"   Jett, Laguna, Peter Anders 2:33
5. "Secret Love"   Jett, Laguna 4:03
Side two
No. Title Writer(s) Length
6. "The French Song"   Jett, Laguna, Ricky Byrd, Mike Winter Jr. 3:35
7. "Tossin' & Turnin'"   Ritchie Adams, Malou Rene 2:25
8. "Why Can't We Be Happy"   Jett, Laguna 3:53
9. "I Love Playing with Fire" (The Runaways cover) Jett 3:03
10. "Coney Island Whitefish"   Jett, Laguna 3:35
11. "Had Enough"   Jett, Laguna, Byrd 2:26

Personnel

The Blackhearts

  • Joan Jett – vocals, guitar
  • Ricky Byrd – guitar
  • Gary Ryan – bass
  • Lee Crystal – drums

Additional musicians

  • The Uptown Horns:
    • Crispin Choe - baritone sax
    • Robert Funk - trombone
    • Arno Hecht - tenor sax
    • Paul Litteral - trumpet
  • The Ross Levinson Strings directed by Ross Levinson
  • Kenny Laguna - keyboards

Production

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
United States (RIAA)[13] Gold 500,000

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

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  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
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