Birth, School, Work, Death
Birth, School, Work, Death | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 1988[1] | |||
Recorded | summer 1987 | |||
Studio | Elephant Studios, Wapping, London | |||
Genre | Alternative rock | |||
Length | 36:57 | |||
Label | Epic[2] | |||
Producer | Vic Maile | |||
the Godfathers chronology | ||||
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Singles from Birth, School, Work, Death | ||||
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Birth, School, Work, Death is the second studio album by the alternative rock band the Godfathers, released in February 1988 by Epic.[3][4] It peaked at number 80 in the UK Albums Chart in February 1988.[5]
Birth, School, Work, Death was reissued in 2011 by Cherry Red Records imprint label Lemon Recordings in an expanded edition.[6]
Critical reception
[edit]Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
New Musical Express | 5/10[8] |
Michael Sutton, writing for AllMusic, called the band's sound "tough," describing it as "brass-knuckled punches in the form of menacing, explosive riffs; venom-spewing, nihilistic vocals; body-slamming percussion." He added, "Yet the Godfathers never forget the importance of the hook."[7] Trouser Press concurred, feeling that the album "seethes with the anger and aggression that seems to have all but gone out of non-hardcore British post-punk rock."[2]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by the Godfathers, except where noted.
- "Birth, School, Work, Death" – 4:08
- "If I Only Had Time" – 2:29
- "Tell Me Why" – 2:50
- "It's So Hard" – 3:39
- "When Am I Coming Down" – 4:55
- "Cause I Said So" – 2:46
- "The Strangest Boy" – 3:58
- "S.T.B." – 2:32
- "Just Like You" – 3:10
- "Obsession" – 3:48
- "Love Is Dead" – 2:42
- Note
- "Love Is Dead" is a re-recording of the band's 1987 single.[9]
- 2011 expanded edition bonus tracks
- "Miss That Girl" (B-Side of "Birth, School, Work, Death") – 2:50
- "I Can Only Give You Everything" (Phil Coulter, Tommy Scott) (B-Side of "Cause I Said So") – 3:03
- "When Am I Coming Down" (live) (B-Side of "Cause I Said So") – 4:19
- "Cold Turkey" (John Lennon) (live) (B-Side of "Cause I Said So") – 4:28
- "Those Days Are Over" (live) (B-Side of "Love Is Dead") – 3:32
- "I'm Unsatisfied" (live) (B-Side of "Love Is Dead") – 3:18
- Tracks 14-17 recorded live at Cabaret Metro, Chicago, Illinois, March 26, 1988. Recorded and mixed by Timothy R. Powell,[10] except 16 and 17 mixed by Vic Maile.[11]
Personnel
[edit]- The Godfathers
- Chris Coyne – bass, vocals
- Peter Coyne – vocals
- Kris Dollimore – guitar, vocals
- Michael Gibson – guitar, vocals
- George Mazur – drums, percussion, vocals
- Additional musicians
- Bobby Valentino – violin (track 4)
- Technical
- Vic Maile – producer, mixing (track 5)
- Harold Burgon – recording engineer
- Ron St. Germain – mixing (tracks 2, 3, 5, 8, 10)
- Steve Brown – mixing (tracks 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11)
- Jean Luke Epstein – sleeve design
- Kevin Davies – back cover photography
Cover versions
[edit]The Serbian alternative rock band Supernaut covered the song "If I Only Had Time" with lyrics in Serbian language entitled "Zločin" ("Crime") on their 2006 album Eli.[12] Manhead covered the song "Birth, School, Work, Death" in 2004. Local H covered the song "Birth, School, Work, Death" in 2003 and it appears on The No Fun EP.[13][14]
Charts
[edit]- Chart performance for Birth, School, Work, Death
Chart (1988) | Peak Position |
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UK Albums Chart[5] | 80 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Birth, School, Work, Death". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
- ^ a b "TrouserPress.com :: Godfathers". www.trouserpress.com.
- ^ Popson, Tom. "Birth, School, Work, Death (The Godfathers, Epic..." chicagotribune.com.
- ^ Mills, Fred. "BIGGER AND BADDER: The Godfathers". Blurt Magazine.
- ^ a b "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
- ^ "The Godfathers - More Songs About Love & Hate". Discogs.
- ^ a b Allmusic review
- ^ Mead, Helen (6 February 1988). "Meaning of Life". New Musical Express. p. 26.
- ^ "The Godfathers Biography". thegodfathersofficial.com. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
- ^ ""Cause I Said So" label notes". Discogs. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
- ^ ""Love Is Dead" back cover notes". Discogs. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
- ^ "Supernaut (4) - Eli". Discogs.
- ^ "LOCAL H / NO FUN EP". Local H.
- ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Local H". www.robertchristgau.com.