Rhythm of Youth

Last updated
Rhythm of Youth
Mwh-roy.jpg
Studio album by
Men Without Hats
ReleasedApril 1982
RecordedJanuary–March 1982
StudioListen Audio (Montreal, Quebec)
Genre
Length
  • 34:05 (original Canada LP release)
  • 36:18 (original US LP release)
  • 42:08 (original US MC release)
  • 53:11 (original UK CD release)
  • 57:45 (2010 CD remaster)
Label
Producer Marc Durand
Men Without Hats chronology
Folk of the 80's
(1980)		Rhythm of Youth
(1982)		 Folk of the 80s (Part III)
(1984)
Singles from Rhythm of Youth
  1. "I Like"
    Released: January 24, 1982
  2. "The Safety Dance"
    Released: 1983
  3. "I Got the Message"
    Released: May 27, 1982
  4. "Living in China"
    Released: July 29, 1982
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
The Village Voice C+ [2]

Rhythm of Youth is the debut studio album by Canadian new wave and synth-pop band Men Without Hats, released in April 1982 by Statik Records in Europe and Canada and in 1983 by Backstreet Records in the US. It propelled them to fame with its second single, "The Safety Dance". It was released under the Statik Records label in Canada, distributed by Warner Music Canada (then called WEA Canada) where it achieved Platinum status for sales of 100,000 units. [3]

Contents

Release history

The US releases of this album featured a different track listing, replacing "Living in China" with an edited version of "Antarctica" (the full version of which appeared on Folk of the 80's ) and including an extended version of "The Safety Dance".

In 1984, the album was released on CD in Europe by Statik Records, featuring the Folk of the 80's EP (albeit including the single edit of "Antarctica") and the extended mix of "The Safety Dance" as bonus tracks. It was re-released on CD in Canada in 1997 by Oglio Records as part of a "two-fer" including Folk of the 80's (Part III) and the single edit of "Antarctica".

In 2010, the album was remastered and reissued in Canada by the band's label, Bulldog Brothers, featuring the original US track list (with "Antarctica" replaced with "Living in China") and including all the tracks from both the US and UK LP releases, plus a demo version of "Ban the Game" (known as "Ban the Game II"), an extended mix of "I Got the Message" and a club mix of "The Safety Dance".

Critical reception

Cashbox called the single "I Like" "a forceful performance, grounded...on songwriter Ivan Doroschuk’s sardonic vocal" and particularly praised the production. [4]

Track listing

1982 Canada/UK LP/CD [5]

All tracks are written by Ivan Doroschuk unless otherwise noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Ban the Game" 0:48
2."Living in China" 3:04
3."The Great Ones Remember"
  • I. Doroschuk
  • Allan McCarthy
4:41
4."I Got the Message" 4:44
5."Cocoricci (Le tango des voleurs)"
  • I. Doroschuk
  • McCarthy
3:24
6."The Safety Dance" 2:44
7."Ideas for Walls" 2:59
8."Things in My Life"
  • I. Doroschuk
  • Jeremie Arrobas
4:56
9."I Like" 4:19
10."The Great Ones Remember" (Reprise)
  • I. Doroschuk
  • Stefan Doroschuk
1:59
1984 UK CD bonus tracks
No.TitleNotesLength
11."Antarctica"Single edit3:29
12."Modern Dancing"Also known as "Modern(e) Dancing"4:13
13."Utter Space" 2:45
14."Security (Everybody Feels Better With)" 4:01
15."The Safety Dance" (Club Mix)Also known as "Extended Dance Version"4:32

1983 US LP

No.TitleWriter(s)NotesLength
1."Ban the Game"  0:48
2."The Safety Dance" "Extended Dance Version"4:32
3."Antarctica"  3:29
4."The Great Ones Remember"
  • I. Doroschuk
  • Allan McCarthy
 4:41
5."I Got the Message"  4:44
6."I Like"  4:19
7."Ideas for Walls"  2:59
8."Things in My Life"
  • I. Doroschuk
  • Jeremie Arrobas
 4:56
9."Cocoricci (Le tango des voleurs)"
  • I. Doroschuk
  • McCarthy
 3:24
10."The Great Ones Remember" (Reprise)
  • I. Doroschuk
  • Stefan Doroschuk
 1:59

1983 US cassette

No.TitleWriter(s)NotesLength
1."Ban the Game"  0:48
2."The Safety Dance" (Extended Dance Version)  4:32
3."Antarctica"  3:29
4."The Great Ones Remember"
  • I. Doroschuk
  • Allan McCarthy
 4:41
5."Ideas for Walls"  2:59
6."Living in China" Bonus track3:04
7."I Like"  4:19
8."I Got the Message"  4:44
9."Things in My Life"
  • I. Doroschuk
  • Jeremie Arrobas
 4:56
10."Cocoricci (Le tango des voleurs)"
  • I. Doroschuk
  • McCarthy
 3:24
11."The Safety Dance" (Short Version) Bonus track2:44
12."The Great Ones Remember" (Reprise)
  • I. Doroschuk
  • Stefan Doroschuk
 1:59

2010 Canadian CD remaster

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Ban the Game" 0:48
2."The Safety Dance" 4:32
3."Living in China" 3:04
4."The Great Ones Remember"
  • I. Doroschuk
  • Allan McCarthy
4:41
5."I Got the Message" 4:44
6."Ideas for Walls" 2:59
7."Things in My Life"
  • I. Doroschuk
  • Jeremie Arrobas
4:56
8."I Like" 4:19
9."Cocoricci (Le tango des voleurs)"
  • I. Doroschuk
  • McCarthy
3:24
10."The Great Ones Remember" (Reprise)
  • I. Doroschuk
  • Stefan Doroschuk
1:59
11."Antarctica" 3:29
Bonus tracks
No.TitleNotesLength
12."Ban the Game" (Full Version) 3:49
13."I Got the Message" (Long Version) 5:57
14."The Safety Dance" (Video Version)Also known as "Short Version"2:44
15."The Safety Dance" (Club Mix)Different than "Club Mix" on original 1985 CD5:50

Personnel

Musicians

Production

Charts

Chart (1982)Peak
Position
Canadian Albums Chart [6] 15
Australia (Kent Music Report) [7] 56
US Billboard Chart [8] 13
UK Albums Chart [9] 96
German Albums Chart [10] 9

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [11] 2× Platinum200,000^
United States (RIAA) [12] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Rhythm of Youth – Men Without Hats". AllMusic . Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  2. ↑ Christgau, Robert (July 26, 1983). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  3. ↑ [ permanent dead link ]
  4. ↑ "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 29, 1983. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  5. ↑ Men Without Hats - Rhythm of Youth (UK LP) @Discogs.com Retrieved 11-18-2017.
  6. ↑ "Library and Archives Canada". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  7. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 198. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  8. ↑ "Men Without Hats Album & Song Chart History - Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  9. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - Men Without Hats". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  10. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Officielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  11. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Men Without Hats – Rhythm of Youth". Music Canada . Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  12. ↑ "American album certifications – Men Without Hats – Rhythm of Youth". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 12 December 2019.
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