The Dirty Dozen (album)

Last updated
The Dirty Dozen
GTTheDirtyDozen.png
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 28, 2009
StudioGlenwood Place Studios, Burbank, CA
Genre Blues rock
Boogie rock
Length49:04
Label EMI America
Producer Jim Gaines
Delaware Destroyers
George Thorogood and the Destroyers chronology
The Hard Stuff
(2006)
The Dirty Dozen
(2009)
2120 South Michigan Ave.
(2011)
Singles from The Dirty Dozen
  1. "Tail Dragger"
    Released: 2009

The Dirty Dozen is the fourteenth studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. released in 2009 by the label EMI America Records. [1] The Dirty Dozen reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Blues Albums and was on the chart for 11 weeks. [2]

Contents

Release and content

EMI America released The Dirty Dozen on July 28, 2009. [3] [4] The album peaked at No. 169 on the Billboard 200 chart, [5] and No. 1 on the Billboard Top Blues Albums. [2] [3] "Tail Dragger" was released as a single. [6]

The album contains all cover material. The album is split into 2 'sides'. [1] The album includes six new songs (1–6; 'side' one) and six classic favorites (7–12; 'side' two). [7] [8]

Critical reception

The Dirty Dozen received mixed reviews from critics.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Ultimate Guitar 6.5/10 [10]

AllMusic's Tim Sendra wrote "Just as they sound virtually unchanged from the first time they stepped into a recording studio. George still has the same ferocious slide technique, his growling vocals have barely aged, and the band still has the feel of skilled musicians who know how to play it simple. In other words, GT & the Destroyers still rock, and if you were ever a fan, you still should be. The only real problem with this record is that as cool as it is to hear the band's 1991 take on "Six Days on the Road" or their tumble through Howlin' Wolf's "Howlin' for My Baby," it'd be better to hear more of the new tracks." [1] A reviewer for Ultimate Guitar wrote "Although still a master musician on his new record The Dirty Dozen, George Thorogood fails to deliver the same magic as he did back in the 70s and 80s." [4] Shawn Perry of Vintage Rock wrote "George Thorogood & The Destroyers can’t fail in their earnest ability to lock in and lay it down. Old school rock and roll, without the pretense and posturing, even three decades later, is still alive and well as long as this band is around." [8]

Track listing

"Side one"
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Tail Dragger" Willie Dixon 3:41
2."Drop Down Mama"John Adam Estes4:20
3."Run Myself Out of Town" Wendell Holmes 3:03
4."Born Lover" Muddy Waters 4:12
5."Twenty Dollar Gig" Mickey Bones 3:16
6."Let Me Pass" Ellas McDaniel 3:40
"Side two"
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
7."Howlin' for My Baby"Dixon, Howlin' Wolf 5:13
8."Highway 49" Big Joe Williams 5:46
9."Six Days on The Road"Earl Green, Carl Montgomery4:27
10."Treat Her Right" Roy Head, Gene Kurtz3:32
11."Hello Little Girl" Chuck Berry 3:46
12."Blue Highway" Nick Gravenites, David Getz4:44
Total length:49:04

Track 7 – from Haircut (1993)

Tracks 8 & 10 – from Born To Be Bad (1988)

Tracks 9 & 11 – from Boogie People (1991)

Track 12 – from Bad To The Bone (1982)

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Tracks 1–6 only, see album articles for other technical personnel.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Thorogood</span> American blues rock vocalist/guitarist (born 1950)

George Lawrence Thorogood is an American musician, singer and songwriter from Wilmington, Delaware. His "high-energy boogie-blues" sound became a staple of 1980s US rock radio, with hits like his original songs "Bad to the Bone" and "I Drink Alone". He has also helped to popularize older songs by American icons, such as "Move It on Over", "Who Do You Love?", and "House Rent Blues/One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad to the Bone</span> 1982 single by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

"Bad to the Bone" is a rock song by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers, released in 1982 on the album of the same name by EMI America Records. It was written by George Thorogood.

<i>The Hard Stuff</i> (George Thorogood and the Destroyers album) 2006 studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

The Hard Stuff is the thirteenth studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released on May 30, 2006, on the Eagle Records label. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Blues Album chart. It was their first album recorded after the departure of long time saxophone player Hank "Hurricane" Carter, a 23-year member of the band.

<i>George Thorogood and the Destroyers</i> (album) 1977 studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

George Thorogood and the Destroyers is the self-titled debut studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released in 1977 by the label Rounder Records. Consisting mostly of covers of blues hits, it includes a medley of John Lee Hooker's "House Rent Boogie" and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer", the latter a song written by Rudy Toombs for Amos Milburn, and later covered by Hooker.

<i>Maverick</i> (George Thorogood and the Destroyers album) 1985 studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

Maverick is the sixth studio album by the American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released on January 25, 1985 by the label EMI America Records. Some of its songs are among Thorogood's best-known, including "I Drink Alone" and "Willie and the Hand Jive". The album peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard 200 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who Do You Love? (Bo Diddley song)</span> 1956 song by Bo Diddley

"Who Do You Love?" is a song written by American rock and roll pioneer Bo Diddley. Recorded in 1956, it is one of his most popular and enduring works. The song represents one of Bo Diddley's strongest lyrical efforts and uses a combination of hoodoo-type imagery and boasting. It is an upbeat rocker, but the original did not use the signature Bo Diddley beat rhythm.

<i>Bad to the Bone</i> (George Thorogood and the Destroyers album) 1982 studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

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. The band promoted the album with a worldwide tour; there was also a large marketing campaign by their label.

<i>Ride Til I Die</i> 2003 studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

Ride 'Til I Die is the twelfth studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released on March 25, 2003 by the label Eagle Records. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Blues Album chart. Ride 'Til I Die is the final Destroyer's album to feature Hank "Hurricane" Carter, a 23-year member of the band.

<i>More George Thorogood and the Destroyers</i> 1980 studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

More George Thorogood and the Destroyers is the fourth studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released in 1980 by the label Rounder Records. An alternate name for the album is I'm Wanted.

<i>Better Than the Rest</i> 1979 studio album by George Thorogood

Better Than the Rest is the third album of songs by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers, recorded in 1974 and released in September 1979. The album peaked at No. 78 on the Billboard Top LPs chart.

<i>Born to Be Bad</i> (album) 1988 studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

Born to Be Bad is the seventh studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released on January 13, 1988, by the label EMI America Records. The album peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard 200, and was on the charts for 24 weeks.

<i>Boogie People</i> 1991 studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

Boogie People is the eighth studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released in 1991 by the label EMI America Records. The album was not as successful as Thorogood's previous albums, but it did contain the song "If You Don't Start Drinkin' ", which eventually became a concert staple.

<i>Haircut</i> (album) 1993 studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

Haircut is the ninth studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released on July 27, 1993 by the label EMI America Records. The first single from the album was "Get a Haircut", which charted in multiple countries. The album peaked at No. 120 on the Billboard 200. The band supported the album with a North American, and Canadian tour.

<i>Rockin My Life Away</i> 1997 studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

Rockin' My Life Away is the tenth studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released March 25, 1997 by the label EMI America Records. The album peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Top Blues Album chart, and spent 9 weeks on the chart.

<i>2120 South Michigan Ave.</i> 2011 studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

2120 South Michigan Ave. is the fifteenth studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released on June 12, 2011 by the label Capitol Records. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart.

<i>Half a Boy/Half a Man</i> 1999 studio album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

Half a Boy/Half a Man is the eleventh studio album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released on April 13, 1999, on the CMC International label. The album failed to chart in any capacity.

"I Drink Alone" is a rock song by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers, released as a single from the 1985 album Maverick by EMI America. It was written by George Thorogood.

"Gear Jammer" is a rock song by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers, released on their 1985 album Maverick by EMI America Records. It was written by George Thorogood. The song is often considered one of their best, and is often played live.

<i>The Baddest of George Thorogood and the Destroyers</i> 1992 compilation album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

The Baddest of George Thorogood and the Destroyers is the second compilation album by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers. It was released in 1992 by the label EMI America Records.

<i>Live</i> (George Thorogood and the Destroyers album) 1986 live album by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

Live is the first live album by American blues rock band George Thorogood & the Destroyers. It was released in 1986 by the label EMI America Records. The album was recorded on May 23, 1986 at the Cincinnati Gardens, Ohio.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Sendra, Tim. "The Dirty Dozen Review by Tim Sendra". AllMusic .
  2. 1 2 "George Thorogood Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Backbeat". Billboard . September 5, 2009. p. 66 via Google Books.
  4. 1 2 UG Team. "The Dirty Dozen Review | George | Compact Discs | Reviews @ Ultimate-Guitar". Ultimate Guitar .
  5. "Billboard 200 - Week of August 15, 2009". Billboard . August 15, 2009.
  6. "George Thorogood and The Destroyers to Release New Studio Album, 2120 South Michigan Avenue, on July 12". PR Newswire . April 5, 2011.
  7. "'Dirty' Debut" (PDF). Billboard . August 15, 2009. p. 37 via World Radio History.
  8. 1 2 Perry, Shawn. "George Thorogood & The Destroyers | The Dirty Dozen – CD Review". Vintage Rock.
  9. Sendra, Tim. "Review: The Dirty Dozen". Allmusic . Retrieved November 2, 2009.
  10. Ultimate Guitar review