Head First (The Babys album)
Encyclopedia
Head First is the title of the third album by the Babys
. The tracks intended for the album were completed for a September 1978 release; this was canceled due to the dissatisfaction of group members John Waite
, Tony Brock
and Walter Stocker, who found the intended album overly bubblegum
, reflecting the musical direction favored by Babys' founder Mike Corby over the rock and roll sound Waite, Brock and Stocker preferred. After Corby was abruptly dropped from the group on 28 March 1978, the remaining members of the Babys recorded some new tracks to replace those cut with Corby which Waite, Brock and Stocker had found objectionable and the album Head First was completed for a January 1979 release. Interestingly, lead single status was afforded to "Every Time I Think of You," a track completed with Corby, who was friends with the tune's composers, Jack Conrad and Ray Kennedy
, the team responsible for the Babys' previous Top 40 hit "Isn't It Time
." "Every Time I Think of You" matched the Billboard
Hot 100
#13 peak of "Isn't It Time" in April 1979, the same month that Head First became the Babys' highest charting album with a #22 peak on the Billboard albums chart
. After serving as the B-side
for "Every Time I Think of You," the title track "Head First" – also cut with Corby – was issued as the A-side
of the follow-up single with another album track, "California" as B-side; this single reached #77 on the Hot 100.
Head First was reissued on May 26, 2009 under Rock Candy Records after being out of print for many years. There are no bonus tracks, but all of the tracks have been remaster
ed.
The Babys
The Babys were a British rock/pop group best known for their songs "Isn't It Time," and "Every Time I Think of You." Both songs were composed by Jack Conrad and Ray Kennedy, and reached #13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in the late 1970s...
. The tracks intended for the album were completed for a September 1978 release; this was canceled due to the dissatisfaction of group members John Waite
John Waite
John Charles Waite is an English rock singer and musician. He was lead vocalist for The Babys and Bad English. As a solo artist, he scored several international hits, including 1984's "Missing You", a top ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, reaching #1 in the...
, Tony Brock
Tony Brock
Tony Brock was born in Poole, Dorset, England, on 31 March 1954.He was originally a drummer for Spontaneous Combustion. However was first widely known as a drummer and occasional vocalist for the English group The Babys...
and Walter Stocker, who found the intended album overly bubblegum
Bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
, reflecting the musical direction favored by Babys' founder Mike Corby over the rock and roll sound Waite, Brock and Stocker preferred. After Corby was abruptly dropped from the group on 28 March 1978, the remaining members of the Babys recorded some new tracks to replace those cut with Corby which Waite, Brock and Stocker had found objectionable and the album Head First was completed for a January 1979 release. Interestingly, lead single status was afforded to "Every Time I Think of You," a track completed with Corby, who was friends with the tune's composers, Jack Conrad and Ray Kennedy
Raymond Louis Kennedy
Raymond Louis Kennedy is a singer, songwriter, musician and record producer based in Los Angeles, California. His works span multiple genres including R&B, pop, rock, jazz, fusion, acid rock, country and many others...
, the team responsible for the Babys' previous Top 40 hit "Isn't It Time
Isn't it Time
"Isn't it Time" is a song that was performed by the English group The Babys in 1977 and was released on their album Broken Heart. It was not written by members of the group but by a bass guitarist Jack Conrad along with Ray Kennedy and was presented to the public as a song with a distinctive piano...
." "Every Time I Think of You" matched the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
#13 peak of "Isn't It Time" in April 1979, the same month that Head First became the Babys' highest charting album with a #22 peak on the Billboard albums chart
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. After serving as the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
for "Every Time I Think of You," the title track "Head First" – also cut with Corby – was issued as the A-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of the follow-up single with another album track, "California" as B-side; this single reached #77 on the Hot 100.
Head First was reissued on May 26, 2009 under Rock Candy Records after being out of print for many years. There are no bonus tracks, but all of the tracks have been remaster
Remaster
Remaster is a word marketed mostly in the digital audio age, although the remastering process has existed since recording began...
ed.
Track listing
- "Love Don't Prove I'm Right" (John WaiteJohn WaiteJohn Charles Waite is an English rock singer and musician. He was lead vocalist for The Babys and Bad English. As a solo artist, he scored several international hits, including 1984's "Missing You", a top ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, reaching #1 in the...
/Wally StockerWally StockerWally Stocker is an English rock guitarist, perhaps best known as the former lead guitarist with The Babys....
/Tony BrockTony BrockTony Brock was born in Poole, Dorset, England, on 31 March 1954.He was originally a drummer for Spontaneous Combustion. However was first widely known as a drummer and occasional vocalist for the English group The Babys...
) - 2:47 - "Every Time I Think of You" (Jack Conrad/Ray KennedyRaymond Louis KennedyRaymond Louis Kennedy is a singer, songwriter, musician and record producer based in Los Angeles, California. His works span multiple genres including R&B, pop, rock, jazz, fusion, acid rock, country and many others...
) - 4:00 - "I Was One" (Waite/Mike Japp) - 3:30
- "White Lightening" (Billy NichollsBilly NichollsBilly Nicholls is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and musical director, who first gained fame in the 1960s while still a teenager with his Pet Sounds influenced album, Would You Believe, originally released on Immediate Records.Nicholls' compositions have been covered by many...
) - 3:20 - "Run To Mexico" (Waite/Stocker/Mike Corby/Brock) - 4:35
- "Head First" (Waite/Stocker/Brock) - 3:57
- "You Got It" (Waite) - 4:39
- "Please Don't Leave Me" (Waite/Corby/Stocker) - 5:08
- "California" (Waite) - 4:00
Band
- John WaiteJohn WaiteJohn Charles Waite is an English rock singer and musician. He was lead vocalist for The Babys and Bad English. As a solo artist, he scored several international hits, including 1984's "Missing You", a top ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, reaching #1 in the...
: Bass & Lead Vocals - Walter Stocker: Lead Guitar
- Tony BrockTony BrockTony Brock was born in Poole, Dorset, England, on 31 March 1954.He was originally a drummer for Spontaneous Combustion. However was first widely known as a drummer and occasional vocalist for the English group The Babys...
: Drums
Additional personnel
- Michael CorbyMichael CorbyMichael John Siddons-Corby aka Mike Corby was a guitarist and keyboard player with the 1970s and early 80s rock group The Babys....
: Rhythm Guitars & Keyboards - Jack Conrad: Bass
- Kevin Kelly: Piano
- Jimmy Haskell: Strings & Horns
- Marti McCall/Myrna Mathews/Dianna Lee: Additional background vocals