Old New Borrowed and Blue

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Old New Borrowed and Blue
File:Old, New, Borrowed and Blue (Slade album - cover art).jpg
Studio album by Slade
Released 15 February 1974
Genre Glam rock
Length 37:32 (57:40 with bonus tracks)
Label Polydor (UK/Canada), Warner Bros. (US)
Producer Chas Chandler
Slade chronology
Sladest
(1973)Sladest1973		 Old New Borrowed and Blue
(1974)		 Slade in Flame
(1974)Slade in Flame1974
Singles from Old New Borrowed and Blue
  1. "My Friend Stan"
    Released: 28 September 1973
  2. "Good Time Gals (America only)"
    Released: 1974
  3. "Everyday"
    Released: 29 March 1974

Old New Borrowed and Blue is the fourth album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 15 February 1974 and reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart. It was certified gold by BPI the same month of release.

The album was released in the USA on the Warner Bros. label, under the title Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet, minus the tracks "My Town" and "My Friend Stan" (as they had been previously released there on Sladest).

The single, "Everyday", was their first not to have the standard "Slade" sound on it, which is probably why it failed to get higher than no. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. The previous single to this was "Merry Xmas Everybody", which was to be their final no. 1 hit single, although 1983's "My Oh My" would later reach the no. 2 spot.

On the "Slade Talk To 19 Readers" bonus track, Holder explains that the title came from its content.[1]

The album was certified gold by BPI in February 1974.[2]

Originally, the record was scheduled to be released in the first week of February.[3][4]

According to the Fan Club newsletter for January and February 1974, it was rewarded with a Gold Disc for pre-order sales, even before its release.[5][6]

Also, according to the same newsletter, two or three songs not typical of their style had been written a few years before the release. They had not fitted in with the Slade sound of the time.[6]

After the recording, for the fan club Don Powell wrote: "We've just finished recording our next album. It's got a lot of new things on it. Nothing very different or out of character, we've spent more time on arrangements and little ideas and effects."[7][8]

Background

Slade's fourth studio album was conceived and recorded amid various touring and promotional activities in late 1973, and also during the headline-making convalescence of Don Powell. The drummer was involved in a car crash in July, briefly throwing the band's existence into doubt. But with bassist Lea's brother Frank standing in, Slade were able to fulfil a festival obligation on the Isle of Man a few days after the accident.

Despite Powell's critical condition, he was able to make a quick recovery but even as Slade entered the studio to record the single "My Friend Stan", Powell was still walking with the aid of a stick, even having to be lifted onto his drum stool. In addition, his memory would never be the same again and his senses of smell and taste were all but numbed.

The band had already performed in America, as well as Australia and Japan. Arriving in Sydney, they were thrilled and astonished to learn they had three singles in the top three and were also occupying both top two spots in the album charts. By mid-August, Powell had recovered sufficiently to rejoin his band-mates for another American tour. However, their entourage flew home in disappointment after new US record label Warner Bros. witnessed a below-par showcase gig in Los Angeles that the band claim was sabotaged by headliners, the J Geils Band.

With the huge success of "Merry Xmas Everybody", Old New Borrowed and Blue continued the formula that had served Slade so well to date, but also there were surprises with the slight change in musical direction.[9]

Release

Upon release, Record Mirror magazine released an article based on the album's demand: "Orders for Slade's new album Old New Borrowed and Blue are becoming out of this world. Advanced sales just before releases were 170,000 which means 1,190,000 single record units. All the album songs are written by Jimmy Lea and Noddy Holder save for 'Just a Little Bit' and you had the Record Mirror magazine verdict last week on the tracks — hit all the way!"[10]

In a Record Mirror review, a Slade spokesman stated, "the album had sold twice as many cartridges and cassettes than their previous offerings: perhaps because Slade fans are getting older and probably use tapes in their cars."[11]

Track listing

  1. "Just Want a Little Bit" (Thornton/Bass/Washington/Brown/Thompson) — 4:02
  2. "When the Lights are Out" (Holder/Lea) — 3:06
  3. "My Town" (Holder/Lea) — 3:07
  4. "Find Yourself a Rainbow" (Holder/Lea) — 2:12
  5. "Miles Out to Sea" (Holder/Lea) — 3:50
  6. "We're Really Gonna Raise the Roof" (Holder/Lea) — 3:10
  7. "Do We Still Do It" (Holder/Lea) — 3:02
  8. "How Can It Be" (Holder/Lea) — 3:02
  9. "Don't Blame Me" (Holder/Lea) — 2:33
  10. "My Friend Stan" (Holder/Lea), UK no.2 — 2:42
  11. "Everyday" (Holder/Lea), UK no. 3 — 3:11
  12. "Good Time Gals" (Holder/Lea) — 3:34

Bonus tracks on the 2006 remaster

  1. "I'm Mee I'm Now and That's Orl" (B-side of "Cum on Feel the Noize") (Lea/Holder) — 3:42
  2. "Kill 'Em at the Hot Club Tonite" (B-side of "Skweeze Me Pleeze Me") (Lea/Holder) — 3:21
  3. "The Bangin' Man" (Lea/Holder) — 4:12
  4. "She Did It to Me" (B-side of "The Bangin' Man") (Lea/Holder) — 3:19
  5. "Slade Talk to 19 Readers" (single-sided flexi-disc) — 5:35

Song information

Just Want a Little Bit

"Just Want a Little Bit" is the opener from the album. The song was previously performed by The Animals, where the bassist was Slade's manager/producer Chas Chandler. It became part of Slade's live set around the time, and had first been released by Tiny Topsy as "Just a Little Bit" in 1959 (http://www.secondhandsongs.com/performance/26263).

Chris Ingham of Rock Backpages described the track as "raucous".[12] Allmusic wrote "'Just a Little Bit' cranks in with almost metallic dynamics, even retaining the in-concert ad-libbing that had long since made it a highlight of the live show."[13]

When the Lights Are Out

"When the Lights Are Out" is a mid-tempo pop-rock ballad, showing the band's sound evolving. This track was the first to feature Jim Lea on lead vocals instead of Noddy Holder, who would join in at the chorus. Lea wouldn't perform lead vocals on another Slade track until the 1987 B-side, "Don't Talk to Me About Love".

In an interview for the "19" readers, Holder commented, "There's nothing like a good singer and Jimmy's nothing like a good singer."[14] In an interview with Ken Sharpe, Lea stated that Holder approached him about Lea singing the lead vocals instead of Holder.

The song was performed live with Lea on lead vocals in New Orleans on 15 June 1974 whilst Slade were touring in America.[15]

In America it was released as a promotional single.[16]

It was later covered by American musician Bob Segarini in 1978 for the album, "Gotta Have Pop",[17] whilst popular American rock group Cheap Trick released their own version on the 2009 album, The Latest.[18] In 1980, Jim Lea released his own version of the song with his brother Frank Lea under the name, "The Dummies".[19] In 1994, American band Three Hour Tour released their version.[20]

Allmusic wrote, "'When the Lights Are Out' offers little that Slade wasn't already well renowned for and that, perhaps, was what the band members were thinking as well."[13]

The track is a recommended track by Allmusic.[13]

My Town

"My Town" is an up-tempo rock track that originally appeared as the B-side to Slade's 1973 single, "My Friend Stan", which also appeared on the album.[21]

Chris Ingham of Rock Backpages described the track as "raucous".[12] Allmusic wrote "My Town offers little that Slade wasn't already well renowned for and that, perhaps, was what the band members were thinking as well."[13]

Imgham also wrote "One of the standout tracks on 'Old New Borrowed and Blue', 'My Town' is the sort of punchy, confident rocker which Slade were turning out as a matter of course by now. From Don Powell's flam on the snare to bring the band in to the chromatic coda on guitars, this lean track represents Slade at their economic, no-nonsense peak."[22]

Find Yourself a Rainbow

"Find Yourself a Rainbow" is a novelty-themed song with honky-tonk piano as the main instrument.

The track featured Slade's local landlord, Tommy Burton, on piano. In a 1974 Slade fan club magazine, Powell stated: "Incidentally a pub piano is played on one track by a local landlord, Tommy Burton. He now owes us free booze for the rest of the year."[7][8]

Chris Ingham of Rock Backpages described the track in these terms: "The honky-tonk piano-led 'Find Yourself a Rainbow' was another pivotal melodic moment."[12] Allmusic wrote, "The vaudeville piano-led 'Find Yourself a Rainbow', was new territory altogether."[13]

In the lyric sheet for the album, an extra verse was printed although this extra section was not in the actual song's recording.[23]

The song was later covered by Max Bygraves.[24]

Miles Out to Sea

"Miles Out to Sea" is a mid-tempo rock ballad.

Chris Ingham of Rock Backpages described it as "understated".[12] Allmusic described the track as "decidedly pretty"[13]

The song was covered by German band Not Fragile whilst Jim Lea recorded his own version of the song as a B-side to the 1980 single, "Didn't You Use to Use to Be You?", with his brother Frank Lea and wife Louise Lea, under the name "The Dummies".[25]

The Dummies' version of the song was also performed on UK TV along with "Didn't You Use to Use to Be You?" to promote the single.[26]

It is a recommended track by allmusic.[13]

We're Really Gonna Raise the Roof

"We're Really Gonna Raise the Roof" is up-tempo rock.

Chris Ingham of Rock Backpages described it as "raucous" and "The fabulously titled 'We're Really Gonna Raise the Roof' were offset by the understated feel of 'Miles Out to Sea'.[12] Allmusic wrote "With tunes such as 'We're Really Gonna Raise the Roof' and 'Do We Still Do It', Slade fans can be assured that these guys hadn't lost the will to rock out."[27]

Allmusic also wrote: "'We're Really Gonna Raise the Roof' offers little that Slade wasn't already well renowned for and that, perhaps, was what the bandmembers were thinking as well."[13]

The song was later covered by Muska.[24]

Do We Still Do It

"Do We Still Do It" is one of the more rock-based tracks on the album with a large anthemic feel, similar to the band's previous singles "Cum On Feel the Noize" and "Mama Weer All Crazee Now".

Allmusic wrote "With tunes such as "Do We Still Do It," Slade fans can be assured that these guys hadn't lost the will to rock out."[27]

How Can It Be

"How Can It Be" is a country-flavoured rock track.

Chris Ingham of Rock Backpages wrote "How Can It Be saw the band venturing close to country-rock territory, an area that interested Holder in particular."[12] Allmusic wrote "The country-rock-inflected "How Can It Be" posited a direction that Holder himself admitted had long been a regular on his home turntable."[13]

The song was later covered by Canned Rock and Antonia Rojas.[24]

Don't Blame Me

"Don't Blame Me" in an up-tempo rock track, originally appearing as the b-side to the original 1973 release of "Merry Xmas Everybody".[28]

Chris Ingham of Rock Backpages wrote "It's somehow fitting that the b-side of Slade's most famous and best-selling song should be this raucous rocker which once more rejoices in Slade's success, albeit in a more extrovert way than Slade's b-side to "Cum On Feel the Noize", "I'm Mee I'm Now and That's Orl". Though once more a serviceable Slade rocker which also appeared on "Old New Borrowed and Blue", "Don't Blame Me" is notorious for having the most extreme vocal that Noddy Holder ever recorded. Gravelly at the best of times, with plenty of automatic double tracking and mixed by Chas Chandler as boldly upfront as it ever was, Holder's voice sounds less like a tool of singing and more like a weapon of mass destruction."[22]

For the fan club newsletter in 1979, Jim Lea spoke of the b-side "Don't Blame Me", "Don't Blame Me was a time-filler, I think that it was created as that. When it was used as a b-side, we didn't even know it was being used, it was chosen by the offices. We were in America recording the Christmas single, there was a rush to choose what to put on the back of it, and that track happened to be used."[29]

My Friend Stan

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Main article: My Friend Stan

"My Friend Stan" is the lead single from the album. The song itself has a novelty feel with piano as the leading instrument. The song peaked at #2 in the UK.[30]

At the time, Lea was persuaded to complete this song by manager Chas Chandler who'd heard him playing the melody on the piano at his home. During recording, drummer Don Powell was walking with the aid of a stick and had to be lifted on to his drum kit due to his near fatal car accident of the time.[31]

Everyday

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Main article: Everyday (Slade song)

"Everyday" is a piano based ballad which was released as the second and final single, peaking at #3 in the UK.[32]

Upon its release, the band knew they were taking a risk but Everyday had become a firm favourite on stage when the crowd would sing along - which they never expected.[33]

The song was born out of an evening at Lea's house when his friends asked how he wrote songs. Lea's wife promptly sang the opening of the verse which Lea later completed. This was a recording that guitarist Dave Hill didn't actually play on, as he was away on honeymoon and so he missed the recording sessions. Jim Lea did all the guitar parts.[31]

The track is a recommended track by allmusic.[13]

Good Time Gals

"Good Time Gals" is the album's closing track. It originally appeared as the B-side to the 1974 single, "Everyday", which also appeared on the record.

The song was the only track on the album to feature misspelling at all.

The song was included on the German compilations, Far Far Away and The Story of Slade Vol. 1.

In America, the song was released as a single with "We're Really Gonna Raise the Roof" as the B-side. This single was released via Warner Bros. Records.[34]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 3/5 stars[27]
Robert Christgau (B)[35]
BBC 4/5 stars[36]
Record Collector 4/5 stars[36]
The Times favourable
rockahead.net favourable
Classic Rock favourable

The album was voted tenth of "the best album of the year" in the Disc Music Awards 1974.[37]

Reviews for the Salvo remastered edition of the album were positive overall.

Bob Stanley of The Times wrote, "Slade are now known as the missing link between the Beatles and Oasis. This 1974 effort is the pick of their early albums: Noddy Holder’s girder-munching vocals are spread evenly between Black Country rock ("Just a Little Bit"), Macca-styled ballads (the hit, "Everyday"), and the odd music-hall blunder. This is joyous, unshackled and unpretentious stuff that reminds you how they rattled off six No. 1s."

rockahead.net stated, "The sleeve notes written by Dave Ling are informative and amusing and more importantly the sound quality is exceptional particularly when the volume is cranked up high something that is always a consideration when playing Slade albums."

Jez Burr for the BBC wrote, "At last the Wolverhampton boys get a decent overhaul."

Terry Staunton for Record Collector stated: "Each of these reissues is generously bolstered by B-sides never previously issued on CD, the best of which has to be the ONB&B bonus of 'Kill ‘Em at the Hot Club Tonite'; Nod and Jim airing their perhaps surprising fondness for the jazz stylings of Stephane Grapelli! That’s the thing about Slade: the sheer force and bombast of the hits has, in many ways, blinded listeners to their other myriad joys. They could have been an altogether different prospect once they’d unlaced the big boots."

In early 2010, Classic Rock magazine featured Slade as part of their The Hard Stuff Buyers Guide, where the magazine reviewed numerous Slade albums. As part of the "Superior: Reputation Cementing" section, a reviewer of Old New Borrowed and Blue wrote: "With this album (re-titled in America as Stomp Your Hand, Clap Your Feet) Slade capitalised on the opportunity opened up by the single 'Merry Xmas Everybody' to top the UK album for the third (and final) time. If the wistful ballads 'Everyday' and 'Miles out to Sea' were harbingers of the growth that would follow next time around, the album is crammed with mouth-watering commercial, hard rock nuggets including 'We’re Really Gonna Raise the Roof', 'My Friend Stan' and 'When the Lights are Out' (the latter recently covered by Cheap Trick)."

Allmusic also wrote of the American version of the album, "Full of trademark Slade rock & roll, Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet continues the band's arena style stomp. With tunes such as 'We're Really Gonna Raise the Roof' and 'Do We Still Do It', Slade fans can be assured that these guys hadn't lost the will to rock out. Although other cuts do find them falling into a formula of sound, Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet has enough going for it for most rock fans to come back for more. Dated, a bit, but still rockin' hard."

Chart performance

Chart (1974) Peak
position		 Total
weeks
Australian (ARIA) Albums Chart[38] 8 17
German Albums Chart[39] 20 ?
New Zealand Album Charts Albums Chart[citation needed] 12 ?
Norwegian Albums Chart[40] 3 17
UK Albums Chart[41] 1 16
U.S. Billboard 200[42] 168 5[43]

Personnel

Slade

Additional credits

  • Tommy Burton — piano on "Find Yourself a Rainbow"
  • Dave Ferrante — mixing
  • Gered Mankowitz — photography
  • Chas Chandler — producer
  • Ian Murray — art direction
  • Wade Wood Associates — design
  • Alan O'Duffy — engineer
  • George Chkiantz — engineer

References

  1. ↑ Slade Talk To 19 Readers interview
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ http://sladefanclub.weebly.com/uploads/7/6/6/0/7660950/8268120_orig.jpg
  4. ↑ Fan Club Newsletter December 1973
  5. ↑ Slade Fan Club Newsletter January - February 1974
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://sladefanclub.weebly.com/uploads/7/6/6/0/7660950/4890704_orig.jpg
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 http://sladefanclub.weebly.com/uploads/7/6/6/0/7660950/9529714_orig.jpg
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Slade Fan Club Newsletter October - November 1973
  9. ↑ Slade remastered album Old New Borrowed and Blue booklet
  10. ↑ Record Mirror magazine 9 February 1974
  11. ↑ Record Mirror magazine 9 March 1974
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Slade's remastered album Old New Borrowed and Blue booklet
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 13.9 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Slade Talk To "19" Readers - Track 17 on Salvo remaster
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Slade's remastered compilation B-Sides booklet
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/30945/slade/
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Slade's Greatest Hits compilation booklet
  32. ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/30945/slade/
  33. ↑ Slade's remastered album booklet Old New Borrowed and Blue
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ [1] Archived 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/30945/slade/
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Whitburn, Joel; Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums 1955-1996; p. 717. Published 1997 by Record Research Inc.
Preceded by UK number-one album
2 March 1974		 Succeeded by
The Singles: 1969-1973 by The Carpenters
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