Head First (The Babys album)

Head First
Studio album by The Babys
Released January 1979
Recorded 1978
Genre Rock
Length 35:54
Label Chrysalis Records
Producer Ron Nevison
The Babys chronology
Broken Heart
(1977)		 Head First
(1979)		 Union Jacks
(1980)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

Head First is the title of the third album by the Babys. The tracks intended for the album were completed for a September 1978 release; this was canceled due to the dissatisfaction of group members John Waite, Tony Brock and Walter Stocker, who found the intended album overly bubblegum, reflecting the musical direction favored by Babys' founder Mike Corby over the rock and roll sound Waite, Brock and Stocker preferred. After Corby was abruptly dropped from the group on 28 March 1978, the remaining members of the Babys recorded some new tracks to replace those cut with Corby which Waite, Brock and Stocker had found objectionable and the album Head First was completed for a January 1979 release. [2] Interestingly, lead single status was afforded to "Every Time I Think of You," a track completed with Corby, who was friends with the tune's composers, Jack Conrad and Ray Kennedy, the team responsible for the Babys' previous Top 40 hit "Isn't It Time." "Every Time I Think of You" matched the Billboard Hot 100 #13 peak of "Isn't It Time" in April 1979, the same month that Head First became the Babys' highest charting album with a #22 peak on the Billboard albums chart. After serving as the B-side for "Every Time I Think of You," the title track "Head First" – also cut with Corby – was issued as the A-side of the follow-up single with another album track, "California" as B-side; this single reached #77 on the Hot 100.

Head First was reissued on May 26, 2009 under Rock Candy Records after being out of print for many years. There are no bonus tracks, but all of the tracks have been remastered.

Contents

Track listing

  1. "Love Don't Prove I'm Right" (John Waite/Wally Stocker/Tony Brock) - 2:47
  2. "Every Time I Think of You" (Jack Conrad/Ray Kennedy) - 4:00
  3. "I Was One" (Waite/Mike Japp) - 3:30
  4. "White Lightening" (Billy Nicholls) - 3:20
  5. "Run To Mexico" (Waite/Stocker/Mike Corby/Brock) - 4:35
  6. "Head First" (Waite/Stocker/Brock) - 3:57
  7. "You Got It" (Waite) - 4:39
  8. "Please Don't Leave Me" (Waite/Corby/Stocker) - 5:08
  9. "California" (Waite) - 4:00

Personnel

Band

Additional personnel

References

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ Anchorage Daily News 23 September 1978