[A Solid ALBUM] -- Forty years ago this week, Joan Jett released her third studio album with The Blackhearts. Of the 11 tracks on the 1983 vinyl release, two are covers ("Everyday People" and "Tossin' and Turnin'") and one is a re-recording of a Runaways song ("I Love Playing with Fire"). The record did not perform as well as the prior two releases, but it peaked at #20 on the US Billboard 200 and #15 on the US Rock Albums chart. And it was even certified Gold. That's pretty respectable. AllMusic's Steve Huey said that Album "is arguably Joan Jett's strongest non-compilation release" (AllMusic.com).
The first single, "Fake Friends," has a fantastic riff, and you feel that Jett knows this subject all too well as she sings "You got nothing to lose, you don't lose when you lose fake friends." I love that the music video represents these fake friends as cardboard people. That video got pretty constant play on MTV, but the single stalled at #35 on the Billboard Hot 100. Jett's cover of Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People" was released as the second single. The accompanying music video for "Everyday People" features cutaways to slapstick scenes in which things just keep going from bad to worse for Joan Jett. It's one of my favorite covers, but it barely dented the top 40, peaking at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Album is a good collection of songs, and the band plays the hell out of them. I guess there were too many other acts competing for the record buying public's attention, and radio requests, so this one couldn't get needed traction. If you like your rock and roll driven by fuzzy guitar and raspy vocals, then you'll like this record at least as much as I do.
Flashback: Album (July 1, 1983)
And ... that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.
I'll see you in seven!
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