Cargo is the second studio album by Australian pop rock band Men at Work, which was released in April 1983. (see 1983 in music). It peaked at No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart, No. 2 in New Zealand, No. 3 on the United States Billboard 200, and No. 8 on the United Kingdom Albums Chart. Four singles were released from the album, with "Overkill" being an international top 10 hit in Canada, Ireland, Norway, and US Billboard Hot 100.
Background
Australian pop rock group, Men at Work, released their second album, Cargo, in April 1983, which peaked at No. 1 – for two weeks – on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart.[1] In New Zealand it reached No. 2.[2] The album was recorded and finished by mid-1982 with Peter McIan producing again, but its release was pushed back due to the continued success of their debut album, Business as Usual.[3][4][5] On the international market, where Business as Usual was still riding high, Cargo appeared at No. 3 on the Billboard 200,[6] and No. 8 in the UK.[7] The lead single, "Dr. Heckyll and Mr. Jive", was issued in Australia, ahead of the album, in October 1982; it reached No. 6[1] there in late 1982 and peaked at No. 28 in the US the following year.[6] The second single "Overkill" was released in March 1983 and made it to No. 5 in Australia,[1] and No. 3 in the US.[6] A third single "It's a Mistake" followed in June and only reached No. 34 in Australia,[1] but it did peak at No. 6 in the US.[6] The much less successful fourth and final single "High Wire" was released in late 1983 and only reached No. 89 in Australia,[1] but did reach No. 23 on the US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks.[6] The band toured the world extensively in 1983.[3]
Reception
Rolling Stone 's Christopher Connelly wrote that Cargo "may lack a track with the body-slamming intensity of 'Who Can It Be Now?' and 'Down Under', but song for song, it is a stronger overall effort than Business as Usual". He chiefly praised the album's dark, paranoid lyrics.[10] In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised "Overkill" and "It's a Mistake" as "demonstrating more depth than anything on the debut". However, he asserted that the album parallels their debut in that it focuses on two strong singles while it is "weighed down by filler".[8]
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Colin Hay except as noted.
|
1. |
"Dr. Heckyll and Mr. Jive" | |
4:38 |
2. |
"Overkill" | |
3:46 |
3. |
"Settle Down My Boy" | Ron Strykert |
3:30 |
4. |
"Upstairs in My House" | Hay, Strykert |
4:02 |
5. |
"No Sign of Yesterday" (extended to 6:37 on the 2003 remaster) | |
6:14 |
6. |
"It's a Mistake" | |
4:34 |
7. |
"High Wire" | |
3:02 |
8. |
"Blue for You" | |
3:54 |
9. |
"I Like To" | Strykert |
4:03 |
10. |
"No Restrictions" | |
4:30 |
|
|
11. |
"Shintaro" (B-side from "It's a Mistake" single) | Strykert |
2:52 |
12. |
"'Till the Money Runs Out" (B-side from "Overkill" single) | Hay, Strykert, Greg Ham, Jerry Speiser, Johnathan Rees |
3:06 |
13. |
"Upstairs in My House" (live; B-side from "Dr. Heckyl & Mr. Jive" 12" (Track listed as "Upstairs At My House" on the 2003 remaster) | Hay, Strykert |
3:13 |
14. |
"Fallin' Down" (live; B-side from "High Wire" Australian single) | Speiser, Rees |
7:55 |
15. |
"The Longest Night" (live) (previously unreleased) | Ham |
4:04 |
The live tracks on the 2003 Remastered edition are from a concert recorded 28 July 1983 at Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD (13, 14) and from a 1983 concert in Berkeley, CA (15).
Personnel
- Greg Ham - flute, keyboards, saxophone, background vocals, lead vocals on track 9
- Colin Hay - guitar, lead vocals (except on track 9), Synclavier
- John Rees - bass, background vocals
- Jerry Speiser - drums, background vocals
- Ron Strykert - guitar, background vocals, lead vocals on track 3
- Nathan D. Brenner - International Manager
Production
- Producer: Peter McIan
- Engineers: Peter McIan, Paul Ray
- Assistant Engineer: David Price
- Photography: Greg Noakes
- Artwork: Ron Strykert
Charts
Singles - Billboard (United States)
Year |
Single |
Chart |
Position |
1983 |
"Overkill" |
Adult Contemporary |
6 |
1983 |
"Overkill" |
Mainstream Rock |
3 |
1983 |
"Overkill" |
Billboard Hot 100 |
3 |
1983 |
"It's a Mistake" |
Adult Contemporary |
10 |
1983 |
"It's A Mistake" |
Mainstream Rock |
27 |
1983 |
"It's A Mistake" |
Billboard Hot 100 |
6 |
1983 |
"Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive" |
Mainstream Rock |
12 |
1983 |
"Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive" |
Billboard Hot 100 |
28 |
1983 |
"High Wire" |
Mainstream Rock |
23 |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hung, Steffen. "Men at Work – Cargo" (ASP). New Zealand Charts Portal (Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 McFarlane, 'Men at Work' entry. Archived from the original on 13 May 2003. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
- ↑ Nimmervoll, Ed. "Men at Work". Howlspace – The Living History of Our Music (Ed Nimmervoll). White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
- ↑ Holmgren, Magnus; Warnqvist, Stefan. "Men at Work". Australian Rock Database. Passagen (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 "Men at Work – Charts & Awards – Billboard Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Men at Work > Artists > Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Cargo – Men at Work". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
- ↑ Robert Christgau Consumer Guide
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Connelly, Christopher (28 April 1983). "Men at Work: Cargo : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 4 April 2008.
- ↑ "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 38, No. 12" (PHP). RPM. 21 May 1983. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
- ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Men at Work – Cargo" (ASP) (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
- ↑ "Gli album più venduti del 1983" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
- ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Men at Work – Cargo" (ASP) (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
- ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Men at Work – Cargo" (ASP) (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
- ↑ "Album Search: Men at Work – Cargo" (ASP) (in German). Media Control. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
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| | | Studio albums | |
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| Live albums | |
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| Singles | |
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| Compilations |
- The Works
- Puttin' in Overtime
- Contraband: The Best of Men at Work
- Simply The Best
- Definitive Collection
- Super Hits
- Essential Men at Work
- Hits (Only Brazil)
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| Related articles | |
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- Book:Men at Work
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