Head Games (album)
| Head Games | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Foreigner | ||||
| Released | September 10, 1979 | |||
| Recorded | June - July 1979 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | Hard rock | |||
| Length | 38:12 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Foreigner chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Head Games | ||||
| ||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | C[2] |
| Rolling Stone | [3] |
Head Games is the third studio album by the British-American rock band Foreigner, released on 10 September 1979 by Atlantic Records. Recorded at Atlantic Studios in New York, with additional recording and whole mixing taking place at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, it was the only Foreigner album co-produced by Roy Thomas Baker, best known for working on Queen's classic albums. It marked the first appearance of new bass guitarist Rick Wills who replaced Ed Gagliardi, and was the last album with founding members Ian McDonald and Al Greenwood who would leave the band after the recording.
Cover art
The scantily clad girl portrayed on the front cover is American actress and film producer Lisanne Falk.
Release
In August 1979, the release of the album was preceded by its first single, the thunderous hard rock song "Dirty White Boy", which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[4] The album itself continued Foreigner's popularity, climbing to number 5 on the Billboard 200 chart[5] and receiving a Platinum certification four months after it hit the stores. By now, Head Games has gained a 5x Multi-Platinum status for selling at least 5 million copies in the United States.[6] The next singles were the title track and "Women", which reached number 14 and 41, respectively.[4]
Track listing
| Side one | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Dirty White Boy" | Mick Jones, Lou Gramm | 3:38 |
| 2. | "Love on the Telephone" | Jones, Gramm | 3:18 |
| 3. | "Women" | Jones | 3:24 |
| 4. | "I'll Get Even with You" | Jones | 3:40 [7] |
| 5. | "Seventeen" | Jones, Gramm | 4:36 |
| Side two | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 6. | "Head Games" | Gramm, Jones | 3:37 [8] |
| 7. | "The Modern Day" | Jones | 3:26 |
| 8. | "Blinded by Science" | Jones | 4:55 |
| 9. | "Do What You Like" | Ian McDonald, Gramm | 3:59 |
| 10. | "Rev on the Red Line" | Al Greenwood, Gramm | 3:35 |
| Total length: | 38:12 | ||
| 2002 Rhino Records remastered edition bonus track | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 11. | "Zalia" | McDonald, Gramm | 2:34 |
| Total length: | 40:50 | ||
Personnel
Foreigner
- Lou Gramm – lead vocals
- Mick Jones – lead guitar, piano, backing vocals, lead vocals (on "The Modern Day"); producer
- Ian McDonald – guitars, keyboards, vocals; producer
- Al Greenwood – keyboards, synthesizer
- Dennis Elliott – drums
- Rick Wills – bass guitar, vocals
Technical personnel
- Roy Thomas Baker – producer
- Geoff Workman – engineer
- George Marino – mastering (at Sterling Sound, New York)
- Ted Jensen – 1995 digital remastering (at Sterling Sound, New York)
- Dan Hersch – 2002 digital remastering
- Shawn R. Britton – 2013 MFSL mastering (at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, Sebastopol, California)
- Sandi Young – art direction
- Chris Callis – front cover photo
- David Alexander – back cover photo
- William Coupon – booklet photos
Charts
| Chart (1979-1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[9] | 5 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[10] | 39 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[11] | 38 |
| US Billboard 200[5] | 5 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/Sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[6] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000^ |
|
*sales figures based on certification alone | ||
References
- ↑ Hinds, Andy. Foreigner: "Head Games" > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
- ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Review: Foreigner". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
- ↑ Evans, Paul (2004). "Foreigner". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (Completely Revised and Updated 4th ed.). New York: Fireside. p. 307. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- 1 2 "Foreigner – Chart history". Billboard Hot 100 for Foreigner. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
- 1 2 "Foreigner – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Foreigner. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
- 1 2 "American album certifications – Foreigner – Head Games". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 13 January 2017. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
- ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Foreigner-Head-Games/release/1325889
- ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Foreigner-Head-Games/release/1325889
- ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 7866a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
- ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Foreigner – Head Games" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Foreigner – Head Games". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
