Bad to the Bone (George Thorogood and the Destroyers album)

Last updated
Bad to the Bone
George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Bad To The Bone.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 9, 1982
Recorded1981–1982
StudioDimension Sound Studios, Boston, Massachusetts
Genre
Length41:38
33:55 (25th Anniversary Edition bonus tracks)
75:33 (25th Anniversary Edition)
Label EMI America
Producer The Delaware Destroyers
George Thorogood and the Destroyers chronology
More George Thorogood & The Destroyers
(1980)
Bad to the Bone
(1982)
Maverick
(1985)
Singles from Bad to the Bone
  1. "Nobody but Me"
    Released: July 1982
  2. "Bad to the Bone"
    Released: September 17, 1982

Bad to the Bone is the fifth studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released in 1982 by the label EMI America Records. The album contains the Destroyers best known song, "Bad to the Bone". The album also features Rolling Stones side-man Ian Stewart on piano.

Contents

A 25th anniversary edition of the album was released in 2007, featuring new bonus tracks. [1]

Release

EMI America released Bad To The Bone on August 9, 1982. The album eventually sold more than 550,000 copies, mostly in the United States.

Two tracks from the album were released as singles, "Nobody but Me" is a cover of the The Human Beinz song of the same name. The single was released in July, 1982. While the song did not enter the US Billboard Hot 100, it did peak at number six on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 extension chart. [2]

"Bad to the Bone" was released September 17, 1982. While the single did not chart, and was not popular upon release, its music video received recurrent appearances on MTV. The song's use in films, television, and commercials has since made it more popular.

2007 re-issue

In August 2007, a special edition of the album was released to mark the 25th anniversary of its original release. [1]

The re-issue featured the "Nobody but Me" Instrumental B-Side, "That Philly Thing", as well as new re-recordings of some of the songs from the album.

Critical reception

Bad to the Bone received positive reviews from critics. AllMusic's Tim Sendra says the album is "Thorogood's finest work and established him as one of the unsung heroes of the age of AOR". [3] Robert Christgau says "He's added true boogie macho to his persona, so he gets his rocks off complaining about the Mann Act." [4] The Music Box's John Metzger wrote "While Bad to the Bone still isn’t an essential album, it nonetheless is as enjoyable as ever." [5]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [6]
Robert Christgau B− [7]
The Music BoxStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]

Track listing

Original Release

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Back To Wentzville" George Thorogood 3:33
2."Blue Highway" Nick Gravenites, David Getz4:44
3."Nobody but Me" The Isley Brothers 3:28
4."It's a Sin" Jimmy Reed 3:32
5."New Boogie Chillen" John Lee Hooker 5:04
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Bad to the Bone"George Thorogood^4:52
2."Miss Luann"George Thorogood4:13
3."As the Years Go Passing By" Deadric Malone 5:03
4."No Particular Place to Go" Chuck Berry 4:00
5."Wanted Man" Bob Dylan 3:12
Total length:41:38

^ Musician James Pobiega (stage name "Little Howlin' Wolf"), has claimed that he wrote "Bad to the Bone" and that George Thorogood stole the song from him. [10]

25th Anniversary Edition (2007)

25th Anniversary Edition Bonus Tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."That Philly Thing"George Thorogood2:25
2."Blue Highway"Nick Gravenites, David Getz4:08
3."New Boogie Chillun"John Lee Hooker7:10
4."No Particular Place To Go"Chuck Berry4:26
5."As The Years Go Passing By"Deadric Malone4:44
6."Bad To The Bone"George Thorogood7:05
7."Wanted Man"Bob Dylan3:57
Total length:33:55 (75:33)

Personnel

Musicians

Additional musicians

Technical

Charts

Chart (1982/83)Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [11] 50
Canada (RPM)78
United States (Billboard 200)43

Certifications

Certifications for Bad To The Bone
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [12] Gold50,000^
United States (RIAA)Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Bad To The Bone 25th Anniversary Edition".
  2. "US Hot 100 Bubbling Under".
  3. "Tim Sendra - Bad to the Bone". AllMusic .
  4. Christgau, Robert. "Bad to the Bone [EMI America, 1982]".
  5. Metzger, John. "George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Bad to the Bone: 25th Anniversary Edition".
  6. AllMusic review
  7. Robert Christgau review
  8. Music Box review
  9. Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings . Penguin. p. 652. ISBN   978-0-140-51384-4.
  10. Mehr, Bob (10 November 2005). "Out of the Wilderness".
  11. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 309. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  12. "Canadian album certifications – George Thorogood – Bad To The Bone". Music Canada.