| Only a Lad | ||||
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| Released | June 19, 1981 | |||
| Recorded | December 1980 – February 1981 | |||
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| Length | 38:12 | |||
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| Oingo Boingo chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Only a Lad | ||||
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Only a Lad is the debut studio album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1981, following their self-titled EP.
The album's musical arrangements, by vocalist Danny Elfman and guitarist Steve Bartek, completed the group's evolution into a new wave rock band (see Oingo Boingo – The Mystic Knights Years ). Only a Lad features complex and frequently changing time signatures and keys, often incorporating harmonies borrowed from jazz and 20th-century classical music, all hallmarks of Elfman's songwriting.[ citation needed ]
Elfman claimed that many of the songs were inspired by newspaper articles he had read at the time and were "written as in-your-face facetious jabs". [2] "Little Girls" courted controversy for its theme of underage relationships. At the time of release, Elfman described the song as being "about a character who has certain unacceptable inclinations" [3] and later commented, "Out here in Hollywood, you see so much of that; the older guy's in the car with some young girl who essentially asks no questions." [4] The music video features Elfman dancing inside a surreal, empty suburban house, joined by dwarves and teenage girls. The band members are later seen staring complacently in shop windows and drinking tea while Elfman's character walks down a street with an apparently underage girl. The video, directed by Elfman's brother Richard Elfman, was purportedly banned in Canada. [3]
The most explicitly political track, "Capitalism", takes aim at "middle class socialist brat" protestors who "whine about the revolution" while themselves appearing to live in comfort. Similarly, "Perfect System" satirizes a utopia where society is manipulated to achieve happiness through "uniformity" and "continuity."
Discussing the songs' themes in 1983, Elfman commented that the intention was "to be angry and keep a sense of humor at the same time", explaining "the songs themselves may not be delivered real seriously, but there is a point which I intend not to be taken lightly" and that people should not "be forced to believe" any social or political agenda. [5] In 2010, Elfman reflected, "I was always taking characters and singing from the point of view of a character. ... So it didn't necessarily reflect me". [6] In 2014, Elfman stated that he "just basically make(s) fun of everybody", and that he "didn't see anybody as being protected". He elaborated: "To me, all organized political groups have a sense of absurdity to them. It's open to be mocked or satirized. If anything, I consider myself part of nothing, and any organized group was fair game to mockery, from my vantage point." [2]
On the cover of the album, the drawing of a cat by Louis Wain that previously appeared on the cover of the Oingo Boingo EP is visible as a patch on the shirt of the Boy Scout. The cover is a parody of the Boy Scouts of America 1960 official handbook cover, illustrated by Norman Rockwell. [7]
Only a Lad was highly praised upon release, though its success was limited to the band's Southern California region. With the backing of Los Angeles radio station KROQ-FM, it established Oingo Boingo as a permanent fixture on the regional music scene.[ citation needed ]
Oingo Boingo were already known for exploiting their negative press coverage; the song "Imposter" was a response to "a couple of assholes at the LA Times ." [8] Rock critic Robert Christgau criticised Only a Lad as having "catchy vocals and spoiled overarrangements". [9] Trouser Press writer Ira A. Robbins panned the album, stating that it featured "contrived bits swiped from the Tubes, XTC and Devo to diminish the impact of reasonably clever lyrics and thoroughly competent music." However, Robbins praised "On the Outside" for sounding "normal". [10]
In 2006, Danny Elfman reflected that he "loved bad reviews, [...] something's got to fuel us." [11]
In 2006, the National Review named "Capitalism" as one of the "50 greatest conservative rock songs." [12] It is featured in the 2005 film Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room .
"Only a Lad" is a playable track in the 2007 PlayStation 2 video game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s . [13]
In 2021, Rubellan Remasters reissued Only a Lad on limited edition colored vinyl, followed by an expanded edition CD with bonus tracks, including the Oingo Boingo EP. [14] [15]
All tracks are written by Danny Elfman, except "You Really Got Me" by Ray Davies.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Little Girls" | 3:44 |
| 2. | "Perfect System" | 3:46 |
| 3. | "On the Outside" | 3:39 |
| 4. | "Capitalism" | 3:40 |
| 5. | "You Really Got Me" (The Kinks cover) | 4:40 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Only a Lad" | 3:56 |
| 7. | "What You See" | 3:43 |
| 8. | "Controller" | 3:24 |
| 9. | "Imposter" | 2:59 |
| 10. | "Nasty Habits" | 4:06 |
| Total length: | 38:12 | |
All tracks are written by Danny Elfman, except "Violent Love" by Willie Dixon.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Only a Lad" | 4:17 |
| 12. | "Violent Love" | 2:37 |
| 13. | "Ain't This the Life (10-inch Version)" | 3:38 |
| 14. | "I'm So Bad" | 3:54 |
| 15. | "Ain't This the Life (12-inch Version)" | 3:27 |
Oingo Boingo
Technical
Daniel Robert Elfman is an American film composer, singer, songwriter, and musician. He came to prominence as the lead singer and primary songwriter for the new wave band Oingo Boingo in the early 1980s. Since scoring his first studio film in 1985, Elfman has garnered international recognition for composing over 100 feature film scores, as well as compositions for television, stage productions, and the concert hall.
Oingo Boingo was an American new wave band formed by songwriter Danny Elfman in 1979. The band emerged from a surrealist musical theatre troupe, The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, that Elfman had led and written material for in the years previous. Their highest-charting song, "Weird Science", reached No. 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo was an American surrealist street theatre troupe, formed by performer and director Richard Elfman in 1972. The group was led by Richard until 1976, when his brother Danny Elfman took over. The group evolved into an experimental musical theatre group, performing songs from the 1930s-40s and original material.
Dead Man's Party is the fifth album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1985. The album contains the only two singles by the band to chart on the Billboard Hot 100: "Weird Science" at number 45, and "Just Another Day" at number 85.
Oingo Boingo is the debut EP by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1980.
Boi-Ngo is the sixth studio album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1987.
Nothing to Fear is the second studio album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1982 on A&M Records.
So-Lo is the debut studio album by American musician Danny Elfman, released in 1984 by MCA Records. Recorded primarily by Elfman, but also featuring the members of his band, Oingo Boingo, it was recorded when Elfman was offered a solo contract with MCA after the band had been dropped from I.R.S. Records. The album marked the band's last release to feature bassist Kerry Hatch and keyboardist Richard Gibbs.
Good for Your Soul is the third studio album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1983. It was produced by Robert Margouleff and was the band's last album to be released on A&M Records.
Dark at the End of the Tunnel is the seventh studio album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1990.
Boingo Alive is a double album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1988. It was performed and recorded live in a rehearsal studio with no audience, with the band performing songs from previous albums and two previously unreleased songs to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the band's beginning.
Boingo is the eighth and final studio album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo. It was the band's only album recorded for their new label, Giant Records, as well as the only album to be released by the band's 1994–95 line-up.
Best O' Boingo is the second greatest hits album from American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1991 by MCA Records. It features songs recorded during the band's years on MCA Records, from 1984's So-Lo through 1990's Dark at the End of the Tunnel. As such, the songs from the period when the band was on I.R.S. Records—as well as several others—are represented here by their re-recorded versions from the 1988 "live in the studio" album Boingo Alive.
Forbidden Zone (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to Forbidden Zone, the 1982 cult film directed by Richard Elfman, with music by his brother Danny Elfman and performed by The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo.
Steve Bartek is an American guitarist, film composer, conductor, and orchestrator. He is best known as the lead guitarist in the band Oingo Boingo and for his orchestration work with composer Danny Elfman.
"Dead Man's Party" is a song by American band Oingo Boingo, released as the third single from their album of the same name.
Select commercially released recordings of Danny Elfman's music for film, television, stage and the concert hall. For a full list of Elfman's compositions, see List of compositions by Danny Elfman. For Elfman's recordings as lead singer/songwriter for Oingo Boingo, see the Oingo Boingo discography page.
Sam "Sluggo" Phipps is an American saxophone player, best known for being a member of the new wave band Oingo Boingo.
"Little Girls" is a song by American new wave band Oingo Boingo and the opening track of their debut studio album Only a Lad.
Big Mess is the second solo studio album by American singer, musician, and composer Danny Elfman. It was released by Anti- and Epitaph Records on June 11, 2021.
Our video of 'Little Girls,' which is about a character who has certain unacceptable inclinations, was banned on Canadian TV.
