Chipmunk Punk
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| Chipmunk Punk | |||||
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| Studio album by The Chipmunks | |||||
| Released | August 23, 1980 (US) | ||||
| Recorded | September 1979-April 1980 | ||||
| Genre | New Wave | ||||
| Length | 29:27 | ||||
| Label | Mercury Records (UK) Excelsior Records (later Intersound International) (US) | ||||
| Producer | Steve Vining | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| The Chipmunks chronology | |||||
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Chipmunk Punk is a music new wave album by The Chipmunks. Despite the title, none of the songs covered were considered in their original form to be punk rock songs. The album was released on August 23, 1980 (see 1980 in music). The album peaked at #34 on the Billboard 200 (which was actually known as the Pop Albums Chart prior to the album's release). It eventually was certified Gold by the RIAA on October 14, 1980, becoming the Chipmunks' first gold record. In 2005 it was re-released on CD, although the CD is only available through the official Chipmunks website.
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[edit] History
The inspiration for the album came when KMET DJ Chuck Taylor played the 12" version of the Blondie song "Call Me" at double speed and announced, in jest, that it was the Chipmunks' latest single. So many requests came for this "new" Chipmunks release, that Ross Bagdasarian Jr. and his collaborator Steve Vining rushed to record this album, which became the first new Chipmunks album since The Chipmunks Go To The Movies in 1969, and the first of the "second generation" Chipmunks following the death of original producer Ross Bagdasarian Sr. (who also had voiced the characters) in 1972. Though this release followed a long dormancy record-wise, the characters had returned to public view via Saturday morning repeats of the cartoon series The Alvin Show on NBC in 1979. The album sparked a second run of the characters and led to another Saturday morning cartoon series, Alvin and the Chipmunks, which began in 1983 and also aired on NBC.
[edit] Critical reception
Upon this release, the album met mixed critical reviews. The All Music Guide gives it three out of five stars, calling it "good clean fun" which "If nothing else...provides a portrait of a prime period in radio," but Rolling Stone roundly panned it, describing the album as a symptom of corporate greed in the world of television animation.
[edit] Band lineup
- Alvin Chipmunk: lead guitar and vocals
- Simon Chipmunk: bass and vocals
- Theodore Chipmunk: drums and vocals
[edit] Production
- Steve Vining: Producer
- Bob McNabb: Engineer
- Ross Bagdasarian, Jr.: Production Consultant
- Doug Oudekerk: Cover Art
[edit] 2005 CD Edition credits
- Janice Karman: Reissue producer
- Spencer Chrislu: Digital remastering
[edit] Track listing
[edit] Vinyl
[edit] Side one
- "Let's Go" (R. Ocasek) – 3:35
- "Good Girls Don't" (D. Fieger) – 3:13
- "How Do I Make You...?" (B. Steinberg) – 2:23
- "Refugee" (T. Petty/M. Campbell) – 3:07
- "Frustrated" (D. Fieger/B. Averre) – 2:54
- contains an unlisted excerpt from "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (M. Jagger/K. Richards).
[edit] Side two
- "Call Me" (D. Harry/G. Moroder) – 3:11
- "You May Be Right" (W. M. Joel) – 4:03
- "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (F. Mercury) – 2:39
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- —this track was extended to – 2:47 on the CD
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- "My Sharona" (D. Fieger/B. Averre) – 4:03
[edit] CD
- "Call Me" (D. Harry/G. Moroder) – 3:11
- "Refugee" (T. Petty/M. Campbell) – 3:07
- "Frustrated" (D. Fieger/B. Averre) – 2:54
- "You May Be Right" (W. M. Joel) – 4:03
- "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (F. Mercury) – 2:47
- "My Sharona" (D. Fieger/B. Averre) – 4:03
- "How Do I Make You...?" (B. Steinberg) – 2:23
- "Good Girls Don't" (D. Fieger) – 3:13
- "Let's Go" (R. Ocasek) – 3:35
