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Album is the third studio album by Joan Jett and the second to feature her backing band the Blackhearts. It was released in July 1983.
| Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 1983 | |||
| Recorded | 1983 | |||
| Studio | Kingdom Sound (Syosset, New York) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 34:59 (LP) 39:01 (cassette) | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
| |||
| Joan Jett and the Blackhearts chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Album | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Metal Forces | 4/10[2] |
| Rolling Stone |  [3] |
| The Village Voice | B+[4] |
Background and recording
editUnlike Joan Jett's two previous albums, only three tracks are cover songs, "Everyday People," "Tossin' and Turnin'," and a re-recording of the Runaways "I Love Playing With Fire", though this had not been the original plan. During the recording of the album, Jett commented, "I know what's going to happen. When we included lots of covers, people would call us on it. If we don't they'd say, 'Where's the covers?'"[5]
Release
editThe cassette tape version had 2 different issues, one issued in a regular black plastic case (MCA MCAC-5437) and one issued in a red plastic case (MCA MCAC-5445). The initial version contained The Rolling Stones song "Star Star" on it as a hidden track at the end of side one. The second version deleted the song and was designated as "Album Version Only". The album was re-released in 1992 with six more bonus tracks.
The first single released from the album was the lead track "Fake Friends". The U.S. 7-inch vinyl featured "Nitetime" on the reverse side, with a locked groove at the end of the song. This meant that jukeboxes playing the track would have to be manually ejected. The CD bonus track "Locked Groove" is an actual recording of the end of the single. A second issue with "Handyman" as the B-side was sent to distributors. A video was shot for "Fake Friends" where Joan and the Blackhearts are continually mobbed by 'fans' and hangers-on who quickly turn into cardboard cut-outs and fall over. It received heavy airplay on MTV, though the song was a relative disappointment on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 35. Kenny Laguna later told Creem magazine that he had objected to "Fake Friends" being the first single, as it wasn't a natural fit for rock radio, but was rebuffed by the label.
The second single, "Everyday People" (backed with "Why Can't We Be Happy") fared no better, peaking at number 37. The release was accompanied by a slapstick video in which Jett is plagued by calamity, including a smoking hair-dryer, a defective alarm clock, and a collapsing bed. Promotional 7-inch and 12-inch records of the song were sent to radio stations featuring the longer "Dance Mix."; and the commercial 12-inch record featured the notorious "Star Star" on the B-side.
A third video was filmed for "The French Song", but MTV gave it scant airtime and a single was only released in Canada, where it was backed with "Coney Island Whitefish".
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fake Friends" | Joan Jett, Kenny Laguna | 3:23 |
| 2. | "Handyman" | Jett, Laguna | 3:23 |
| 3. | "Everyday People" (Sly and the Family Stone cover) | Sylvester Stewart | 2:40 |
| 4. | "A Hundred Feet Away" | Jett, Laguna, Peter Anders | 2:33 |
| 5. | "Secret Love" | Jett, Laguna | 4:03 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "The French Song" | Jett, Laguna, Ricky Byrd, Mike Winter Jr. | 3:35 |
| 7. | "Tossin' and Turnin'" (Bobby Lewis cover) | Ritchie Adams, Malou Rene | 2:25 |
| 8. | "Why Can't We Be Happy" | Jett, Laguna | 3:53 |
| 9. | "I Love Playing with Fire" (the Runaways Re-Recording) | Jett | 3:03 |
| 10. | "Coney Island Whitefish" | Jett, Laguna | 3:35 |
| 11. | "Had Enough" | Jett, Laguna, Byrd | 2:26 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Star Star" | Jagger/Richards | 4:00 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Nitetime" | Jett, Laguna | 4:52 |
| 14. | "Everyday People" (Dance Mix) | Sylvester Stewart | 4:19 |
| 15. | "Wait for Me" (The Runaways cover) | Jett | 4:33 |
| 16. | "Who Can You Trust" | Jett, Laguna, Stephen Lunt | 2:51 |
| 17. | "Scratch My Back" | Jett, Laguna, Lunt | 4:13 |
| 18. | "Locked Groove" | 3:47 |
Personnel
editThe Blackhearts
edit- Joan Jett – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Ricky Byrd – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Gary Ryan – bass, backing vocals
- Lee Crystal – drums, backing vocals
Additional musicians
edit- The Uptown Horns:
- Crispin Choe – baritone sax
- Robert Funk – trombone
- Arno Hecht – tenor sax
- Paul Litteral – trumpet
- The Ross Levinson Strings directed by Ross Levinson
- Kenny Laguna – keyboards, backing vocals
Production
edit- Ritchie Cordell, Kenny Laguna – production
- Greg Kolotkin – associate production
- Ron Cote – engineering
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
Design
edit- Album design – Spencer Drate, Judith Salavetz
- Art direction – Meryl Laguna, Joan Jett
- Photography – Dieter Zill
Charts
edit| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[6] | 85 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[7] | 48 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[8] | 19 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[9] | 29 |
| US Billboard 200[10] | 20 |
| US Rock Albums (Billboard)[11] | 15 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[12] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Huey, Steve. "Joan Jett / Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - Album review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- ^ Ling, David (August 1983). "Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - Album". Metal Forces (1): 23. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- ^ Considine, J. D. (September 1, 1983). "Album Reviews: Joan Jett - Album". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 9, 2007. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (July 26, 1983). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
- ^ Gross, Jonathan (June 1983). "Joan Jett: The Road Goes On Forever". Record. 2 (8): 1, 10–11, 30.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6289a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Joan Jett – Album". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Joan Jett – Album". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ "Joan Jett the Blackhearts Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ "Rock Albums" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 95, no. 31. July 30, 1983. p. 22. ISSN 0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "American album certifications – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – Joan Jett & the Blackhearts Album". Recording Industry Association of America. August 23, 1983. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
