The Birthday Party (The Idle Race album)
| The Birthday Party | ||||
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| Studio album by The Idle Race | ||||
| Released |
1968 Re-Issues 1976, 2014 | |||
| Recorded | 1967-68 Advision Studios London, UK | |||
| Genre | Psychedelic pop | |||
| Length | 31:36 | |||
| Label |
Liberty Records Sunset (Re-Issue)Parlophone (Re-Issue) | |||
| Producer | Eddie Offord & Gerald Chevin | |||
| The Idle Race chronology | ||||
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| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   link |
The Birthday Party was the first album by The Idle Race, a psychedelic pop band, released in 1968 (see 1968 in music).
This quasi-concept album was the first to be composed almost entirely of songs by a young Birmingham guitarist/singer named Jeff Lynne. The LP came in a gatefold sleeve, the first of its kind since the Beatles' Sgt Pepper and the Rolling Stones' Their Satanic Majesties Request albums. The inside sleeve art included a mock birthday feast attended by many British Celebrities, including most of the Radio 1 disc jockeys, the Beatles, the Duke of Windsor, actor Warren Mitchell in his role as Alf Garnett, and group leader Jeff Lynne as an eight-year-old schoolboy. In the U.S. the cover art was different with a rather psychedelic-styled paisley pattern behind the band.
While warmly received by critics, the record failed to chart in the U.K. or the U.S.
The album was re-issued in 1976 by Liberty on their budget-price label Sunset, although in a non-gatefold sleeve with different design, to capitalise on Electric Light Orchestra's success. A further re-issue came in 2014 by Parlophone, as the Liberty back catalogue had long since been acquired by EMI Records, for National Record Shop Day, a limited edition on gold vinyl.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Jeff Lynne; except where indicated
- "Skeleton and the Roundabout" – 2:26
- "Happy Birthday" (Patty Hill, Mildred J. Hill) – 0:23
- "The Birthday" – 3:00
- "I Like My Toys" – 2:12
- "Morning Sunshine" – 1:48
- "Follow Me, Follow" – 2:48
- "Sitting in My Tree" – 1:59 (mono)
- "On With the Show" – 2:22
- "Lucky Man" – 2:38
- "(Don't Put Your Boys In The Army) Mrs. Ward" – 2:14
- "Pie in the Sky" (Dave Pritchard) – 2:23
- "The Lady Who Said She Could Fly" – 2:22
- "End of the Road" – 2:09
Personnel
- Jeff Lynne - vocals, guitar, piano
- Dave Pritchard - guitar, vocals
- Greg Masters - bass guitar, vocals
- Roger Spencer - drums, vocals
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