A Little Ain't Enough

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A Little Ain't Enough
ALAE cover.jpg
Studio album by David Lee Roth
Released January 1991 (1991-01)
Recorded 1990
Genre Hard rock
Length 53:03
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Bob Rock
David Lee Roth chronology
Skyscraper
(1988)Skyscraper1988
A Little Ain't Enough
(1991)
Your Filthy Little Mouth
(1994)Your Filthy Little Mouth1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 2/5 stars[1]
Entertainment Weekly B+[2]
Los Angeles Times 2.5/5 stars[3]
Rolling Stone 2/5 stars[4]

A Little Ain't Enough is the third full-length studio album by David Lee Roth (at the time former, now current, singer of Van Halen), released in January 1991 through Warner Music Group. It was certified gold on April 11, 1991. Produced by Bob Rock, the album featured the lead guitar work of Jason Becker, a then up-and-coming guitarist who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's Disease) a week after joining the band. He managed to finish recording the album, but was unable to tour in support of the album, as his condition left him with little strength in his hands.

The profile of the album was initially increased by the controversy surrounding the promotional music video released for the album's first single, "A Lil' Ain't Enough"; featuring barely dressed women and oddly dressed little people, the video was banned from MTV shortly after its initial airing. A second single and video was released for the song "Sensible Shoes" but airplay on MTV was limited secondary to the provocative nature of the video.

The album is seen as the beginning of Roth's commercial decline, as there was a drop-off in sales from his prior two albums. Timing is seen as a factor in the album not selling as successfully as his prior works. Within a year of the album's release, the Seattle grunge movement had created a sea-change in rock, and Roth's brand of hard rock was considered, by mainstream audiences, as obsolete. Still, A Little Ain't Enough is something of a fan favorite and many view it as his most under appreciated album. Although the album went out of print on the Warner Bros. label in 1996, it was later reissued (in remastered form) in 2007 through the Friday Music label.

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "A Lil' Ain't Enough"   Robbie Nevil, David Lee Roth 4:42
2. "Shoot it"   Gregg Bissonette, Nevil, Roth, Brett Tuggle 4:13
3. "Lady Luck"   Craig Goldy, Roth 4:40
4. "Hammerhead Shark"   Eric Lowen, Roth, Preston Sturges 3:34
5. "Tell the Truth"   Steve Hunter, Roth, Tuggle 5:18
6. "Baby's on Fire"   Hunter, Roth, Tuggle 3:22
7. "40 Below"   Hunter, Roth, Tuggle 4:54
8. "Sensible Shoes"   Dennis Morgan, Roth, Sturges 5:09
9. "Last Call"   Matt Bissonette, G. Bissonette, Rocket Ritchotte, Roth, Tuggle 3:22
10. "The Dogtown Shuffle"   Hunter, Roth, Tuggle 4:58
11. "It's Showtime!"   Jason Becker, Roth 3:46
12. "Drop in the Bucket"   Becker, Roth 5:05
Total length:
53:03

Personnel

  • David Lee Roth – vocals, harmonica, concept
  • Jason Becker – lead guitar
  • Steve Hunter – guitar, rhythm guitar
  • Paul Baron – brass
  • Gregg Bissonette – percussion, drums
  • Matt Bissonette – bass, vocals
  • Derry Byrne – brass
  • Brian Dobbs – engineer
  • Tom Keenlyside – brass
  • Marc LaFrance – backing vocals
  • George Marino – mastering
  • Jim McGillveray – percussion
  • Ian Putz – brass
  • Bob Rock – producer, mixing
  • Randy Staub – engineer
  • David Steele – backing vocals
  • Chris Taylor – engineer
  • Brett Tuggle – keyboards, vocals
  • John Webster – keyboards
  • Pete Angelus – concept
  • Jim Pezzullo – art direction, design

Chart performance

Album – Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1991 Billboard 200 18

Singles – Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Single Position
1991 Mainstream Rock Tracks "Sensible Shoes" 6
1991 Mainstream Rock Tracks "Tell the Truth" 39
1991 Mainstream Rock Tracks "A Lil' Ain't Enough" 3

References

  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. A Little Ain't Enough at AllMusic
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