I'm the Man (album)

I'm the Man
Studio album by Joe Jackson
Released 5 October 1979
Recorded March 1979
TW Studios, Fulham, London
Genre New wave
Length 38:03 (original)
41:35 (2001 reissue)
Label A&M
AMLH 64794[1]
A&M/PolyGram Records
214 794
A&M/Universal Records
493 089 (2001 reissue)
Producer David Kershenbaum
Joe Jackson chronology
Look Sharp!
(1979)		 I'm the Man
(1979)		 Beat Crazy
(1980)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [2]
Robert Christgau (C+)[3]

I'm the Man is Joe Jackson's second album, released in October 1979.[1] Critically, the album was considered a continuation of Look Sharp!, an opinion shared by Jackson himself.[4] Like other punk and new wave acts, Jackson used reggae rhythms on occasion, notably on "Fools in Love" on Look Sharp!, and as here with "Geraldine and John".[4]

Taken from the album, "It's Different for Girls", was his biggest UK chart single, peaking at number five in the UK Singles Chart.[5]

I'm the Man was re-released in 2001 with one bonus track, a live version of "Come On". "Come On" was originally released as the b-side to Jackson's single "I'm the Man", also issued in October 1979.[1]

On the album cover, Jackson appears in the guise of a particular type of petty criminal known in the United Kingdom as a spiv, a character who, in Jackson's own words, "always wears a gross polka-dot tie and a pencil-thin mustache, and he's always trying to sell you a watch or something like that real cheap. I think people always want to put a label on what you do, so I thought I'd be one step ahead of them and invent one myself - spiv rock."[6]

I'm the Man was also released as a 7" album (5 - 7" singles) in a package as 'The 7" Album' and included a poster.

Contents

Track listing

All songs written by Jackson, except where noted.

  1. "On Your Radio" – 4:01
  2. "Geraldine and John" – 3:14
  3. "Kinda Kute" – 3:33
  4. "It's Different for Girls" – 3:42
  5. "I'm the Man" – 3:58
  6. "The Band Wore Blue Shirts" – 5:07
  7. "Don't Wanna Be Like That" – 3:41
  8. "Amateur Hour" – 4:05
  9. "Get That Girl" – 3:03
  10. "Friday" – 3:36

[1]

Bonus track (2001 reissue)

  1. "Come On" (Live) (Chuck Berry) – 3:29

Personnel

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1979 UK Albums Chart #12
1979 U.S. Billboard 200 #22
Year Song Chart Position
1979 "It's Different for Girls" UK Singles Chart[1] #5
1979 "It's Different for Girls" U.S. Billboard Hot 100[1] #101

Certifications

Organization Level Date
CRIA – Canada Gold 1 November 1979
CRIA – Canada Gold 1 January 1980
BPI – UK Gold 29 April 1980

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 485–486. ISBN 1-84195-017-3. 
  2. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r10058
  3. ^ http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=joe+jackson
  4. ^ a b "Biography by William Ruhlmann". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p4574/biography. Retrieved 4 May 2009. 
  5. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 274. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
  6. ^ Henke, James (May 17, 1979). "Joe Jackson Puts His Best Shoe Forward". Rolling Stone (Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc.) (291): 22. 

External links

Joe Jackson
Main albums
EPs
The Harder They Come
Live albums
Classical albums
Soundtracks
Singles
Compilations