Half a Boy/Half a Man | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 13, 1999 | |||
Recorded | 1999 | |||
Studio | Compass Point Studios | |||
Genre | Blues rock, boogie rock | |||
Length | 43:08 | |||
Label | CMC International [1] | |||
Producer | Terry Manning the Delaware Destroyers | |||
George Thorogood and the Destroyers chronology | ||||
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Singles from Half a Boy/Half a Man | ||||
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Half a Boy/Half a Man is the eleventh studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. [2] [3] It was released on April 13, 1999, on the CMC International label. [4] [5] The album failed to chart in any capacity. The band supported the album with a world tour. [6]
In 1997, the Destroyers released Rockin' My Life Away , [7] which failed to chart on the Billboard 200. The next year EMI America dropped them, [8] so they signed with CMC International. [6]
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. [9] "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, while "Just Passin' Thru", and the album's closer, "Not Tonight", were both written by Thorogood. [10] "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. [11]
CMC International released Half a Boy/Half a Man on April 13, 1999. [4] [5] [8] Two singles were released from the album, "I Don't Trust Nobody", [9] 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]
Half A Boy/Half A Man received mixed reviews from critics.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Daily Vault | A [18] |
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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." [8] 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." [10]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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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. Weaver | 3:53 |
4. | "Half a Boy, Half a Man" | Nick Lowe | 3:27 |
5. | "As Long as I Have You" | Willie Dixon | 4:04 |
6. | "B.I.G.T.I.M.E." | Keith Sykes | 3:07 |
7. | "Be Bop Grandma" | Solomon Burke, Delores Burke | 3:58 |
8. | "Nothing New" | Dave Bartholomew, Fats Domino, Jack Jessup, Murphy Maddux | 3:24 |
9. | "Just Passin' Thru" | George Thorogood | 4:43 |
10. | "Hellbound Train (Downbound Train)" | Chuck Berry | 4:56 |
11. | "Not Tonight, I Have a Heartache" | George Thorogood | 4:43 |
Total length: | 43:08 |
The following personnel were credited in the album liner notes:
Musicians
Technical