Check Your Head

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Check Your Head
Check Your Head cover
Studio album by The Beastie Boys
Released April 21, 1992
Recorded 1990 - 1992
Genre Alternative hip hop, alternative rock, Funk, Hip hop
Length 53:29
Label Capitol Records
Producer Mario Caldato, Jr.
Professional reviews
The Beastie Boys chronology
Paul's Boutique
(1989)		 Check Your Head
(1992)		 Ill Communication
(1994)

Check Your Head is the third album by the Beastie Boys, released on April 21, 1992.

Three years elapsed between the release of the band's second album, Paul's Boutique and their recording of this album, which occurred at the G-Son Studios in Atwater Village, California in 1991. The album features the popular hits "So Whatcha Want" and "Pass the Mic"; the music videos for both songs are available on the Criterion Collection Beastie Boys Video Anthology DVD set.

Contents

[edit] Album information

In contrast to their previous album, Paul's Boutique, the Boys returned stylistically to their punk rock roots on Check Your Head, playing their own instruments for the first time on record since their early EPs. Hence photographer Glen E. Friedman's idea to shoot photos with their instrument cases (one of which became the cover). The album was their first collaboration with Mario Caldato Jr..

There's been some debate about the Dutch band Urban Dance Squad, who had toured America with Living Colour in early 1991, influencing the Beastie Boys to play live instruments again; as the Beastie's earlier hardcore style bears little resemblance to the style they play on Check Your Head. The Urban Dance Squad album, Life 'n Perspectives of a Genuine Crossover, was recorded at ICP, Brussels, in the spring of 1991 and released in the autumn; while the Beastie Boys recorded Check Your Head throughout 1991 and released it in spring 1992. This is of interest because the "Life 'N' Perspectives" interludes on the UDS album sample the same Jimi Hendrix song ("Happy Birthday") and overlay near identical live drums as the Beastie Boys would later use on the song "Jimmy James" from Check Your Head.

The Beastie Boys toured with the Rollins Band in the fall of 1992 to support Check Your Head.

[edit] Reception

Rolling Stone (6/25/92, p.41) - 3.5 Stars - Very Good - "...their most unconventional outing to date...Beneath the seeming chaos, the Beastie Boys have created a harmonious playground out of their musical fantasies..."

Spin (9/99, p.124) - Ranked #12 in Spin Magazine's "90 Greatest Albums of the '90s" - Spin (12/92, p.67) - Ranked #4 in Spin's list of the `20 Best Albums Of The Year'.

Alternative Press (7/95, p.81) - Ranked #23 in AP's list of the `Top 99 Of '85-'95'.

Village Voice (3/2/93, p.5) - Ranked #5 in the Village Voice's list of the 40 Best Albums Of 1992.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Jimmy James" – 3:14
  2. "Funky Boss" – 1:35
  3. "Pass the Mic" – 4:17
  4. "Gratitude" – 2:45
  5. "Lighten Up" – 2:41
  6. "Finger Lickin' Good" – 3:39
  7. "So What'cha Want" – 3:37
  8. "The Biz vs. The Nuge" – :33
  9. "Time for Livin'" – 1:48
  10. "Something's Got to Give" – 3:28
  11. "The Blue Nun" – :32
  12. "Stand Together"– 2:47
  13. "Pow" – 2:13
  14. "The Maestro" – 2:52
  15. "Groove Holmes" – 2:33
  16. "Live At P.J.'s" – 3:18
  17. "Mark on the Bus" – 1:05
  18. "Professor Booty" – 4:13
  19. "In 3's" – 2:23
  20. "Namasté" – 4:01

[edit] Japanese Bonus Tracks

  1. "Dub The Mic (Instrumental)"
  2. "Drunken Praying Mantis Style"
  3. "Skills to Pay the Bills (Pass the Mic, Pt. 2)"
  4. "Netty's Girl"

[edit] MCA vs. MC Serch

The last non-instrumental song on the album, "Professor Booty," features MCA delivering a diss rap aimed at MC Serch from 3rd Bass for insulting the Beastie Boys on The Cactus Album. For example:

“ But one big oaf who's faker than plastic

A dictionary definition of the word spastic
You should have never started something
That you couldn't finish
'Cause writin' rhymes to me
Is like Popeye to spinach

 ”

[edit] Partial List of Samples

 This article does not cite any references or sources. (May 2007)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

The following lists some songs and sounds sampled for Check Your Head.

Jimmy James

Funky Boss

Pass The Mic

Finger Lickin' Good

So What'cha Want

The Biz vs. The Nuge

The Blue Nun

  • "Hector" by The Village Callers

Stand Together

Live At P.J.'s

Mark On The Bus

Professor Booty

[edit] Chart positions

[edit] Album

Year Chart Position
1992 The Billboard 200 10
1992 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 37

[edit] Singles

Year Single Chart Position
1992 So What'cha Want The Billboard Hot 100 93
1992 So What'cha Want Hot Dance Music/Max-Singles Sales 26
1992 So What'cha Want Hot Rap Singles 18
1992 So What'cha Want Modern Rock Tracks 22
1992 Pass The Mic Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 38
1992 Jimmy James
1992 Gratitude

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ "Seven hundred bucks, but he asked for two thousand dollars. I thought it was kind of fly that he asked for $2000.00, and I bartered Bob Dylan down. That's my proudest sampling deal." BeastieMania.com - Song Spotlight: Finger Lickin' Good. Retrieved on 2007-02-14. This site has cited Boston Rock, June 1992, Issue 123 as the original source.
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