Half a Boy/Half a Man

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Half a Boy/Half a Man
Half a BoyHalf a Man.jpeg
Studio album by
George Thorogood and the Destroyers
ReleasedApril 13, 1999
Recorded1999
Studio Compass Point Studios
Genre Blues rock, boogie rock
Length43:08
Label CMC International [1]
Producer Terry Manning
the Delaware Destroyers
George Thorogood and the Destroyers chronology
Rockin' My Life Away
(1997)		Half a Boy/Half a Man
(1999)		 Ride 'Til I Die
(2003)
Singles from Half a Boy/Half a Man
  1. "I Don't Trust Nobody"
    Released: 1999
  2. "Be Bop Grandma"
    Released: 1999

Half a Boy/Half a Man is the eleventh studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. [2] It was released in 1999, on the CMC International label. The band supported the album with a world tour. [3]

Contents

After being dropped by EMI America, the Destroyers signed with CMC International and released the album on April 13, 1999. The album received mixed reviews from critics, and failed to chart in any capacity

Background

In 1997, the Destroyers released Rockin' My Life Away , [4] which failed to chart on the Billboard 200. The next year EMI America dropped them, [5] so they signed with CMC International. [3] [6]

Songs

The album consists of eleven songs, nine covers and two originals.

"I Don't Trust Nobody" is the album's opening track, written by Eddie Shaw, and also the lead single. [7] "Double Shot" was written by Don Smith and Cyril Vetter. This song, and many others, feature Hank "Hurricane" Carter on keyboards, alongside saxophone. "Half a Boy, Half a Man" was written by Nick Lowe, [6] while "Just Passin' Thru", and the album's closer, "Not Tonight", were both written by Thorogood. [8] "Not Tonight" was written by Thorogood almost 15 years earlier, but no record company wanted to record it. The song is more of a slower country ballad, compared to the rest of the album. [9]

Release

CMC International released Half a Boy/Half a Man on April 13, 1999. [10] [11] [5] Two singles were released from the album, "I Don't Trust Nobody", [7] debuted at No. 35, [12] and peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts. [13] [14] "Be Bop Grandma" was also released as a single, [15] but it failed to chart. "I Don't Trust Nobody" was the band's final single to chart. [16]

Critical reception

Half A Boy/Half A Man received mixed reviews from critics.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [17]
Daily VaultA [18]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [19]

AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote, "Unfortunately, the album isn't blessed with the strong material that characterized Rockin' My Life Away , but that album didn't have the raw, visceral edge that this album does. And when it comes to rockin' blues, sometimes it's better to have better sound than better songs." [5] Daily Vault critic Christopher Thelen wrote "Half A Boy / Half A Man is an album that reaffirms Thorogood and the Destroyers' ability to work the blues into a frenzy that you hope will never stop. It's an album that must be experienced - but good luck getting it out of your CD player." [8]

Track listing

Half a Boy/Half a Man track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Don't Trust Nobody" Eddie Shaw 5:02
2."Double Shot"Don Smith, Cyril Vetter 3:12
3."99 Days in Jail" Willie Dixon, L. P. Weaver3:53
4."Half a Boy, Half a Man" Nick Lowe 3:27
5."As Long as I Have You"Willie Dixon4:04
6."B.I.G.T.I.M.E." Keith Sykes 3:07
7."Be Bop Grandma" Solomon Burke, Delores Burke3:58
8."Nothing New" Dave Bartholomew, Fats Domino, Jack Jessup, Murphy Maddux3:24
9."Just Passin' Thru"George Thorogood4:43
10."Hellbound Train (Downbound Train)" Chuck Berry 4:56
11."Not Tonight, I Have a Heartache"George Thorogood4:43
Total length:43:08

Personnel

The following personnel were credited in the album liner notes:

Musicians

Technical

References

  1. ↑ Ccatlin, Roger (April 11, 1999). "SPRINGSTEEN MAKES MORE NEW TRACKS FROM OLD". courant.com.
  2. ↑ Piccoli, Sean (April 23, 1999). "BASK IN A STRONG, HOT SUNFEST MUSICAL LINEUP". Sun-Sentinel.
  3. 1 2 "Billboard - August 29, 1998" (PDF). Billboard . August 29, 1998. p. 10 – via World Radio History.
  4. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "George Thorogood Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic .
  5. 1 2 3 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Half a Boy/Half a Man Review". AllMusic.
  6. 1 2 uDiscover Team (March 8, 2020). "George Thorogood - Prodigiously-Talented Boogie Blues Guitarist". uDiscover Music.
  7. 1 2 "Radio & Records - March 26, 1999" (PDF). Radio & Records. March 26, 1999. p. 85 – via World Radio History.
  8. 1 2 Thelen, Christopher. "George Thorogood And The Destroyers | Daily Vault". Daily Vault.
  9. ↑ Ross, Mike (November 15, 1999). "Still bad to the bone". Edmonton Sun . Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2025– via DelawareDestroyers.com.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  10. ↑ "Upcoming Releases". CMJ New Music Report. CMJ Network, Inc. April 12, 1999 – via Google Books.
  11. ↑ "Billboard Radio Monitor - April 9, 1999" (PDF). Billboard Radio Monitor. April 9, 1999. p. 13 – via World Radio History.
  12. ↑ "Billboard - April 17, 1999" (PDF). Billboard . April 17, 1999. p. 81 – via World Radio History.
  13. ↑ "Billboard". Billboard. May 29, 1999. p. 89.
  14. ↑ Whitburn, Joel. Joel Whitburn's 1999 Billboard Music Yearbook. Record Research Incorporated. p. 110. ISBN   9780898201383.
  15. ↑ "Going For Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records . June 25, 1999. p. 103 – via World Radio History.
  16. ↑ "George Thorogood Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  17. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Half a Boy/Half a Man at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-09-30.
  18. ↑ Daily Vault Review
  19. ↑ Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings . Penguin. p. 653. ISBN   978-0-140-51384-4.
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