The Libertines (album)

Untitled

The Libertines is the second, self-titled and final album by the British punk rock band The Libertines. Released on August 30, 2004, it is particularly biographical of the relationship between frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty. The album instantly reached #1 in the UK and is on its way to achieving platinum certification. It sold 72,189 copies in its first week. The album is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[1] The new edition of the book however does make explicit references to the album and names songs off of it.

The Libertines, like its 2002 predecessor, Up the Bracket, was re-released with a bonus DVD on November 22, 2004. The DVD, entitled Boys in the Band, is a collection of live shows, band interviews, and the "Can't Stand Me Now" promotional video.

Track listing

1. "Can't Stand Me Now" (Peter Doherty, Carl Barât, Hammerton) – 3:23
2. "Last Post on the Bugle" (Doherty, Barât, Michael Bower) – 2:32
3. "Don't Be Shy" (Doherty, Barât) – 3:03
4. "The Man Who Would Be King" (Doherty, Barât) – 3:59
5. "Music When the Lights Go Out" (Doherty, Barât) – 3:02
6. "Narcissist" (Barât) – 2:10
7. "The Ha Ha Wall" (Doherty, Barât) – 2:29
8. "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Doherty) – 1:13
9. "Campaign of Hate" (Doherty) – 2:10
10. "What Katie Did" (Doherty) – 3:49
11. "Tomblands" (Doherty, Barât) – 2:06
12. "The Saga" (Doherty, Bârat) – 1:53
13. "Road to Ruin" (Doherty, Barât) – 4:21
14. "What Became of the Likely Lads" (Doherty, Barât) / "France" (Barât) (Hidden track) – 5:54

Japanese bonus tracks

15. "Don't Look Back into the Sun" (New Version) (Doherty, Barât)
16. "Cyclops" (Doherty, Peter Wolfe)
17. "Dilly Boys" (Doherty, Barât)

Japanese and Mexican bonus DVD

1. "What a Waster" (Live at The Factory, Japan)
2. "Death on the Stairs" (Live at The Factory, Japan)
3. "Up the Bracket" (Live at The Factory, Japan)
4. "I Get Along" (Live at The Factory, Japan)
5. "The Boy Looked at Johnny" (Live at The Factory, Japan)
6. "The Boy Looked at Johnny" (Live at Moby Dick, Spain)
7. Busking for Beer + Assorted Covers and Song Segments (Live at Filthy McNasty's Pub, London)
8. "Can't Stand Me Now" (Video)
9. Photo Gallery
10. Extras (Footage of Band, Interviews and NME award footage)

As well as the songs listed above, there is a hidden track, titled "France", which starts at 3:28 of "What Became of the Likely Lads". A re-recording of an old Libertines song which originally appeared on one of their first demos, recorded at Odessa Studios, "France" was written and performed by Carl Barât. The final listed track is a nod to the British sitcom Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?.

Singles

• Can't Stand Me Now (9 August), (2004), (Rough Trade) #2
• What Became of the Likely Lads (25 October), (2004) (Rough Trade) #8

Freedom Gig

The album cover was taken by Roger Sargent during the emotional "Freedom Gig" at the Tap 'N' Tin club, Chatham, Kent, on October 8, 2003, when Pete Doherty reunited with the Libertines for a gig just hours after being released from jail. [2] Pete Doherty returned to the Tap 'N' Tin club on 20 December 2008 for a one-off gig with Chas & Dave

Press quotes

• "This record, produced by The Clash's Mick Jones, is brimming with character, easily surpassing their debut." and "...its energy ] like a battery charge..." – 'Q magazine (official site)
• "Forget the drugs, the bad vibes, the estrangements—The Libertines' second album is a masterpiece of life-changing rock 'n' roll." and "...an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime album..." – New Musical Express (official site)
• "...with this album you get an excitable sense that you're hearing the beginnings of a good band becoming a great band..." – King magazine (official site)
• "...Nice demos lads, when will the album be ready?..." – Planet Sound August 2004
• "...an explosion of dizzy pop and punk fury..." – The Guardian August 2004 [3]
• "...An extraordinary record..." Mojo Sep 2004, p.94

In pop culture

• The band Half Man Half Biscuit recorded a song called "Shit Arm, Bad Tattoo" about the picture on the cover of this album. It appears on their 2005 album Achtung Bono.
• The song "Arbeit Macht Frei" was featured in the dystopian 2006 film "Children of Men".

Trivia

• The song "Arbeit Macht Frei" takes its title from the phrase placed above the entrances to Nazi concentration camps. It means "Work sets you free"
• The song titled, The Saga was inspired by a letter sent to Pete Doherty by his associate Paul Roundhill, warning him of his growing drug problem. The share with Roundhill of the writing credits marked the first time that Doherty and Barat had not shared the writing credits equally and alone. Roundhill to this day believes and credits himself for co-writing the song, however has never been clarified and been dismissed by Barat in the past.
• Parts of the song "Last Post on The Bugle" bear a striking resemblance to the 60s song "War or Hands of Time" by The Masters Apprentices.
• Doherty and Barat apparently came to blows while recording the track "Music When the Lights Go Out", reportedly the only time they did so during the recording process, despite several near misses, and the underlying tension between the two frontmen.
• Mick Jones played the piano part on "The Man Who Would Be King".

Chart performance

Chart (2004)	Peak position
UK Albums Chart	1
Austrian Albums Chart	31
Belgian Albums Chart	24
Dutch Albums Chart	53
French Albums Chart	27
German Albums Chart	20
Irish Albums Chart	5
Norwegian Albums Chart	34
Swedish Albums Chart	18
Swiss Albums Chart	51
US Albums Chart	—