Crackers: The Christmas Party Album

Crackers - The Christmas Party Album
Studio album by Slade
Released 18 November 1985
Recorded 1985
Genre
Length 46:52
Label Telstar
Producer Jim Lea
John Punter (tracks 6, 9, 12-13)
Slade chronology
Rogues Gallery
(1985)Rogues Gallery1985		 Crackers - The Christmas Party Album
(1985)		 You Boyz Make Big Noize
(1987)You Boyz Make Big Noize1987

Crackers – The Christmas Party Album is a studio/compilation album by the British rock band Slade. It was released on 18 November 1985 and reached No. 34 in the UK charts. It was certified Gold by the BPI that same month.[1] The album was produced by bassist Jim Lea except "All Join Hands", "Do You Believe in Miracles", "My Oh My" and "Run Runaway", which were all produced by John Punter. The album contained a mix of the band's previous hits, some re-recorded songs and a selection of covers.

On Crackers, Slade tried to create an LP that had a party atmosphere to it. Since its original release, the album has had numerous re-issues over the years under various titles, including Slade's Crazee Christmas! (1999), The Party Album (2001) and Crackers: The Rockin' Party Album! (2006).

Background

Following the release of the band's 1985 studio album Rogues Gallery, the band were approached by Telstar to create a Christmas-related party album. The album included cover versions of "Let's Dance", "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", "Hi Ho Silver Lining", "Let's Have a Party!", "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and "Auld Lang Syne/You'll Never Walk Alone". The band re-recorded their own past hits "Cum On Feel the Noize" and "Get Down and Get with It". The remaining eight tracks were previously recorded songs from the band's catalogue, including the new single "Do You Believe in Miracles". The album was a success in the UK, where it reached No. 34 and was certified Gold. The later 1999 release Slade's Crazee Christmas would chart several times on the UK Budget Albums Chart between 2001-05.[2]

Although Slade's label RCA released "Do You Believe in Miracles" as a single, a deal was struck with Telstar to include the song on Crackers. After the single peaked at No. 54 in the UK, it was suggested that its inclusion on the album had caused it to fail to reach a higher charting. In a 1986 interview, drummer Don Powell said: "That could be a reason. Funnily enough, that was one of the bones of contention - Telstar said that they wanted it on the album, whereas we didn't because that would mean that it would split the sales between the single and the album. I know that if I personally like someone's single, and it's going to be on their latest album, then I'll wait and buy the album."

Recording

Speaking of recording the album in a 1986 interview, guitarist Dave Hill said: "I enjoyed making the tracks for Crackers a lot more than those for Rogues Gallery." In his own interview that year, Powell revealed his thoughts on the Crackers project: "Well, we were a bit dubious at first, we thought that it might have been another Black Lace type of thing. When we actually recorded the cover versions though, we had a great time doing them. We just went into the studio and put them down one after the other - it was like playing live on stage."[3][4]

While recording Crackers, Hill discovered Victor Herman, a busker, who was playing bagpipes in Oxford Street, London. As the band were due to record their own version of "Auld Lang Syne", Hill he invited Herman to add an authentic touch to the recording. Herman agreed, and when he'd finished recording his part, Slade gave him an envelope with a sizeable sum of money in it, along with their thanks and best wishes. Two days later, the envelope was returned by post, along with a letter from Herman, saying that he'd enjoyed himself so much in the studio that he didn't want the money. Slade later invited him to their Christmas party on 18 November 1985 - the release day of the album. At the party, Slade presented Herman with one of the band's Gold Discs as a keepsake.[5][3]

Track listing

Crackers: The Christmas Party Album - 1985

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Let's Dance"Jim Lee2:36
2."Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"John Frederick Coots, Haven Gillespie2:39
3."Hi Ho Silver Lining"Larry Weiss, Scott English3:24
4."We'll Bring the House Down"Noddy Holder, Jim Lea3:34
5."Cum On Feel the Noize"Holder, Lea2:57
6."All Join Hands"Holder, Lea4:16
7."Okey Cokey"Jimmy Kennedy3:25
8."Merry Xmas Everybody"Holder, Lea3:57
9."Do You Believe in Miracles"Holder, Lea4:12
10."Let's Have a Party"Cliff Friend, Joe Haynes, Phil Baxter1:47
11."Get Down and Get With It"Bobby Marchan3:28
12."My Oh My"Holder, Lea4:10
13."Run Runaway"Holder, Lea3:43
14."Here's To... (The New Year)"Holder, Lea3:10
15."Do They Know It's Christmas (Feed The World)"Bob Geldof, Midge Ure3:38
16."Auld Lang Syne/You'll Never Walk Alone"Rodgers and Hammerstein, Traditional3:28

Crackers: The Rockin' Party Album! - 2006

No.TitleLength
1."Let's Dance"2:36
2."Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"2:39
3."Hi Ho Silver Lining"3:24
5."Cum On Feel the Noize"2:57
7."Okey Cokey"3:25
8."Merry Xmas Everybody"3:57
10."Let's Have a Party"1:47
11."Get Down and Get With It"3:28
14."Here's To... (The New Year)"3:10
15."Do They Know It's Christmas (Feed The World)"3:38
16."Auld Lang Syne/You'll Never Walk Alone"3:28

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Classic Rockunfavourable

Dave Thompson of AllMusic retrospectively wrote: "Simultaneously the most joyously raucous, loud and singalong album in the entire Slade catalog, and the single most detestable record they ever made, the set was built around the seemingly annual success of "Merry Xmas Everybody," flushed out with a host more eternal party poppers. Crowd and party noises roar alongside the band, and the entire album is so buoyant and boisterous that even hermits could play it, and believe they're having fun. But is it a proper Slade album, to file alongside Slayed? and Rogues Gallery? That's another question entirely."[7]

In 2010, Classic Rock considered the album should be "avoided" and wrote: "Cunningly repackaged several times afterwards in no less excusable form, this turkey was very much a nadir for Slade. The combination of re-recorded hits and festive fare achieved its commercial goal, peaking at #34 in the UK, but the album's very existence slammed the credibility of HMS Slade amidships like some unforgiving German torpedo."

Chart performance

Original release

Chart (1985) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[8] 34

Reissue "Slade's Crazee Christmas"

Chart (2001) Peak
position
UK Budget Albums Chart[9] 31
Chart (2002) Peak
position
UK Budget Albums Chart[9] 23
Chart (2003) Peak
position
UK Budget Albums Chart[9] 21
Chart (2005) Peak
position
UK Budget Albums Chart[9] 37

Personnel

Slade

Additional credits

References

  1. ↑ "Home". BPI. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
  2. ↑ http://zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_S.HTM
  3. 1 2 Slade International Fan Club newsletter January - February 1986
  4. ↑ "Slade Fan Club Archive". Weebly. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
  5. ↑ "Slade Fan Club Archive". Weebly. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
  6. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/slades-crazee-christmas-mw0001446847
  7. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/slades-crazee-christmas-mw0001446847
  8. ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/30945/slade/
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Chart Log UK: DJ S - The System Of Life". Zobbel.de. Archived from the original on 22 March 2015. Retrieved 2011-08-10.

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