“Laughter” by Ian Dury and The Blockheads - album review

features in: Album Chart of 1980Album Chart of the Decade: 1980s

TJR says

His best song of the period, “I Want To Be Straight” wasn't on the album, a recurring trait in the Ian Dury story, which I always think seems a shame from the retrospective analysis point of view. Still, mustn't grumble, there's much to enjoy, and this despite him having fallen out with his main Blockhead, Chaz Jankel. His group were now: Wilko Johnson (guitars, backing vocals), Johnny Turnbull (guitars, backing vocals), Mick Gallagher (keyboards), Norman Watt-Roy (bass), Charley Charles (drums) and Davey Payne (saxophones, harmonica, flute). By all accounts, this wasn't a happy time for Ian, alcohol (referenced in “Uncoolohol”) and depression (referenced in “Manic Depression (Jimi)” and “Fucking Ada”) being two of the underlying obstacles to deal with. “I called it Laughter to cheer myself up” said Ian. Poor sales for this one wouldn't have helped his mood, the LP stalling at #48, surely a blow after the #2 success of the preceding “Do It Yourself”. You've got laugh, there's nothing else for it.

The Jukebox Rebel
14–Nov–2016

Tracklist
A1 [02:49] 6.8.png Ian Dury and The Blockheads - Sueperman’s Big Sister (Ian Dury, Wilko Johnson) Disco / Funk
A2 [02:39] 6.5.png Ian Dury and The Blockheads - Pardon (Ian Dury, Norman Watt-Roy) Cerebral Pop
A3 [02:51] 5.1.png Ian Dury and The Blockheads - Delusions Of Grandeur (Ian Dury, Mick Gallagher) Pop
A4 [03:06] 5.2.png Ian Dury and The Blockheads - Yes And No (Paula) (Ian Dury, Davey Payne) Disco / Funk
A5 [02:35] 5.7.png Ian Dury and The Blockheads - Dance Of The Crackpots (Ian Dury, Johnny Turnbull) Pop
A6 [04:08] 6.7.png Ian Dury and The Blockheads - Over The Points (Ian Dury, Johnny Turnbull) New Wave
B1 [02:34] 4.4.png Ian Dury and The Blockheads - (Take Your Elbow Out Of The Soup) You’re Sitting On The Chicken (Ian Dury, Mick Gallagher) Cerebral Pop
B2 [03:01] 7.4.png Ian Dury and The Blockheads - Uncoolohol (Ian Dury, Charley Charles) Disco / Funk
B3 [02:27] 7.2.png Ian Dury and The Blockheads - Hey, Hey, Take Me Away (Ian Dury, Mick Gallagher) New Wave
B4 [03:48] 6.3.png Ian Dury and The Blockheads - Manic Depression (Jimi) (Ian Dury, Mick Gallagher) Cerebral Pop
B5 [03:49] 5.7.png Ian Dury and The Blockheads - Oh Mr. Peanut (Ian Dury, Wilko Johnson) Blues Rock / Soul Rock
B6 [05:59] 7.5.png Ian Dury and The Blockheads - Fucking Ada (Ian Dury, Johnny Turnbull) Cerebral Pop

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