Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death

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Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death

Compilation album by the Dead Kennedys
Released	June 1987
Recorded	1979 - 1987
Genre	Punk
Length	51:26
Label	Alternative Tentacles
Producer(s)	various (see personnel list below)
All Music Guide link
the Dead Kennedys chronology
Bedtime for Democracy (1986)	Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death (1987)	Mutiny on the Bay (2001)

Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death is an album by the Dead Kennedys. Its title is a play on the famous quip by Patrick Henry, "Give me Liberty or Give Me Death!", and is intended as a commentary on American consumerism. The album is a compilation of several of their prior works. 15 of the 17 tracks were previously unreleased on any of their albums. The vinyl version had tracks 16 and 17 on an extra flexi disc.

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Biafra except when stated.

"Police Truck" – 2:25
"Too Drunk to Fuck" – 2:40
"California Über Alles" – 3:26 (Jello Biafra and John Greenway)
"The Man with the Dogs" – 3:02
"Insight" – 1:40
"Life Sentence" – 2:41
"A Child and His Lawnmower" – 0:55
"Holiday in Cambodia" – 3:45
"I Fought the Law" – 2:19 (Sonny Curtis)
"Saturday Night Holocaust" – 4:20
"Pull My Strings" – 5:52
"Short Songs" – 0:28 (6025)
"Straight A's" – 2:13 (6025)
"Kinky Sex (Makes the World Go 'Round)" – 4:17
"The Prey" – 3:48
"Night of the Living Rednecks" – 5:10
"Buzzbomb from Pasadena" – 2:22

[edit] Track Origins

Police Truck - originally appeared as the B-side to the Holiday in Cambodia single.
Too Drunk to Fuck - single released May 1981.
California Uber Alles - the single version, a different recording to the one which appears on the Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables album.
The Man With the Dogs - B-side to California Uber Alles single, June 1979.
Insight - B-side to Kill the Poor, October 1980.
Life Sentence - B-side to Bleed for Me, July 1982.
A Child and His Lawnmower - Unreleased.
Holiday in Cambodia - like California Uber Alles the single version appears here, and is a different recording to the one which appears on the Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables album.
I Fought the Law - Reworking of the song originally by The Crickets, made famous in the punk scene by The Clash. Unreleased.
Saturday Night Holocaust - B-side to the Halloween single, December 1982.
Pull My Strings - Recording of live performance at the Bay Area Music Awards. They band were asked to play California Uber Alles, but played this instead. The band were wearing white shirts with a black letter S printed on each one, and the audience can be heard applauding as they pulled black neckties around from the backs of their necks to form dollar symbols. This was the only performance of the song. March 25, 1980.
Short Songs - Live performance originally released on the compilation album Can You Hear Me? Music from the Deaf Club. March 3, 1979.
Straight A's - Live performance originally released on the compilation album Can You Hear Me? Music from the Deaf Club. March 3, 1979.
Kinky Sex Makes the World Go 'Round - Features the same backing track as Bleed for Me, with additional screaming, feedback and other sound effects. The vocals are supposedly a recording of a telephone conversation between the "Secretary of War at the U.S. State Department" and the British Prime Minister, most likely to be a parody of Margaret Thatcher. The American government aide outlines plans for a third World War, as the British Prime Minister reacts orgasmically. Originally released on the P.E.A.C.E. compilation. 1984.
The Prey - B-side to Too Drunk to Fuck, May 1981.
Night of the Living Rednecks - Live improvisation, featuring singer Jello Biafra recounting a story to the audience with a bebop style bass guitar and drum backing, as guitarist East Bay Ray fixes his "broken" guitar.
Buzzbomb from Pasadena - Cover of Buzzbomb, which appears on the album Plastic Surgery Disasters. This version features Biafra singing in the style of an elderly woman.