Learning English, Lesson One

tamorshahkarimi
Compilation album by Die Toten Hosen
Released November 11, 1991
October 18, 1994 (USA import version)
2007 (jubilee edition)[1]
Recorded 1991
Genre Punk rock, protopunk
Length 49:10
77:18 (re-release)
Label ToT
Virgin Records
Producer Jon Caffery & Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen chronology

125 Jahre die Toten Hosen: Auf dem Kreuzzug ins Glück
(1990)		 Learning English, Lesson One
(1991)		 The Nightmare Continues E.P.
(1991)
Alternative cover
USA import cover

Learning English, Lesson One or Learning English, Lesson 1 (other punctuation variations possible) is the second cover album by the German punk band Die Toten Hosen. The album includes covers of mostly British bands, which were big influences for the band.

This is also the first all-English album for Die Toten Hosen; the first English language studio album came out 3 years later. This is also the album that made the band known outside German-speaking countries.

The album is notable for a large number of guest stars, including Johnny Thunders, who died after recording "Born to Lose" for this album.[2] According to band members, he already wasn't looking very good when he came to record his part.

The album has a central parody theme of an independent language-learning tape, where "Janet and John" are the teachers. Janet and John are heard in short humorous introductions.

Track listing

  1. Learning English • Step One − 0:31
  2. "Blitzkrieg Bop" − 1:50 (Ramones)
  3. "Brickfield Nights" − 3:34 (The Boys)
  4. Step Two − 0:11
  5. "Just Thirteen" − 2:30 (The Lurkers)
  6. "If the Kids Are United" − 3:08 (Sham 69)
  7. "Nasty Nasty" − 2:06 (999)
  8. Step Three − 0:17
  9. "Dirty Pictures" − 2:15 (Radio Stars)
  10. "Baby Baby" − 3:13 (The Vibrators)
  11. "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" − 2:15 (The Adverts)
  12. "Born to Lose" − 3:21 (The Heartbreakers)
  13. How the Rockafellas Went to Hollywood − 0:18
  14. "Do You Remember" − 3:25 (The Rockafellas)
  15. "Carnival in Rio (Punk Was)" − 3:08 (Campino, von Holst/Ronald Biggs)
  16. Step Four − 0:18
  17. "Right to Work" − 3:03 (Chelsea)
  18. "Whole Wide World" − 3:19 (Wreckless Eric)
  19. "Smash It Up" − 2:57 (The Damned)
  20. "Stranglehold" − 2:11 (UK Subs)
  21. Step Five − 0:22
  22. "Love and a Molotov Cocktail" − 2:30 (The Flys)
  23. "Do Anything You Wanna Do" − 4:27 (Eddie and the Hot Rods)
  24. Goodbye from Janet & John − 1:01

2007 remastered anniversary edition bonus tracks

  1. "No One Is Innocent" (Steve Jones/Biggs) – 3:03 (from "Carnival in Rio (Punk Was)"; Sex Pistols cover)
  2. "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" (Mick Jones/Joe Strummer) – 2:43 (from "Warum werde ich nicht satt?"; The Clash cover)
  3. "Rockaway Beach" (Colvin, Cummings, Erdelyi, Hyman) – 1:59 (from "Alles wird vorübergehen"; Ramones cover)
  4. "Eddie & Sheena" (Rogers) – 4:24 (Wayne County & the Electric Chairs cover; recorded for Jürgen Krause's birthday, who is a good friend of the band)
  5. "Richmond" (Billingsley, Allen, Griffiths) – 2:39 (from the US version of Learning English Lesson 1; Pin Point cover)
  6. "In Still of the Night" (Frege, Plain) – 4:11 (Learning English Lesson 1 demo)
  7. "Anything but Love" (Frege, Dangerfield) – 3:58 (Learning English Lesson 1 demo)
  8. "I Met Her at the Jet Grill" (Meurer/Frege, Plain) – 1:56 (Learning English Lesson 1 demo)

Singles

1991: "Carnival in Rio (Punk Was)"
1991: "Baby Baby"
1992: "Whole Wide World"
1992: "If the Kids Are United

Personnel

Charts

Year Country Position
1992 Germany 30
1991 Switzerland 23
1991 Austria 38

References

  1. ↑ "Learning English, Lesson One - Die Toten Hosen: Releases". allmusic.com. Allmusic. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  2. ↑ Deming, Mark. "Die Toten Hosen - Biography". Billboard. Retrieved 13 November 2014.