Anthem (Toyah album)

Anthem
Studio album by Toyah
Released	22 May 1981
Recorded	Marquee Studio
Genre	New wave, punk rock
Label	Safari Records
Producer	Nick Tauber
Toyah chronology
Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! (1980) Anthem (1981) The Changeling (1982)

Anthem was Toyah's most successful album to date, propelling them into both the UK Album Charts as well as the singles charts with releases of "It's a Mystery" and "I Want to Be Free". The album reached number #2 in the UK albums chart as well as charting in several countries including Norway, where it charted at number #20.

Original vinyl issues of the album came complete with a colour insert featuring photographs of the band wrapped in bandages, with various exposed body parts sprayed gold, and Egyptian themed drawings across the lyrics pages. A picture disc variation, featuring the albums front and back artwork and no sleeve, was also issued at the time.

Track listing

Original LP

Side One

1. "I Want to Be Free" (Willcox/Bogen)
2. "Obsolete" (Willcox/Bogen/Glockler)
3. "Pop Star" (Willcox/Lee/Glockler)
4. "Elocution Lesson" (Willcox/Bogen)
5. "Jungles of Jupiter" (Willcox/Bogen/Spalding)
6. "I Am" (Willcox/Bogen)

Side Two

1. "It's a Mystery" (Keith Hale)
2. "Masai Boy" (Willcox/Lee/Willcox)
3. "Marionette" (Willcox/Bogen)
4. "Demolition Men" (Willcox/Lee)
5. "We Are" (Willcox/Bogen)

Original CD bonus tracks

12. "Revelations" (Bogen/Willcox)
13. "War Boys" (Willcox)
14. "Angels & Demons" (Willcox/Hale)
15. "Thunder In The Mountains" (Willcox/Lee/Glockler)

1999 CD bonus tracks

12. "Walkie Talkie" (Willcox/Bogen)
13. "Alien" (Willcox/Bogen/Glockler)
14. "Revelations" (Willcox/Bogen)
15. "For You" (Willcox/Bogen)
16. "War Boys" (Willcox)
17. "Angels & Demons" (Willcox/Hale)
18. "I Want To Be Free" (video) (Willcox/Bogen)

Toyah's comments on songs

• Pop Star. "Of all the songs, 'Blue Meanings' and 'Pop Star' are the most exciting to sing because they are both stunning and haven't aged, so when I sing them today I experience them today. I really enjoy them and they make my hair stand on end. 'Pop Star' is hard to sing because I need complete silence to perform it and that isn't going to happen, but practice on stage will help my confidence with the timing... It is thrilling that a 30 year old song can hold me spellbound and I can be very proud of it." (2011)^[1]
• It's A Mystery. "'It's A Mystery' was never a favourite of mine but it has given me 30 years in the business, on many levels, as a singer, actress and writer. If I'd just stuck with the indie sound I'd probably never have surfaced above cult popularity. Street cred always sounds nice but in practice it doesn't open the doors my name opens today, and has done for the past 30 years." (2011)^[1]

Personnel

• Toyah Willcox - vocals
• Joel Bogen - guitar
• Nigel Glockler - drums
• Phil Spalding - bass
• Adrian Lee - keyboards

Production

• Producer: Nick Tauber
• Arrangements: Toyah Willcox
• Engineer: Phil Harding

References