Riff Raff (album)
Encyclopedia
Riff Raff is a 1984 album by Welsh
rock musician
Dave Edmunds
. The album was his third release for Arista Records
(in the UK) and Columbia Records
(in the US), following 1983's Information.
Riff Raff continued Edmunds' collaboration with Electric Light Orchestra
frontman Jeff Lynne
; Lynne produced six tracks on the albums, and wrote three of the songs as well. However, compared to the pair's success with Information (which hit #51 on the Billboard 200
album chart and spawned a top-40 single in "Slipping Away"), Riff Raff was a commercial flop. The album made it to only #140, and the single "Something About You" failed to crack the Billboard Hot 100
at all (although it did hit #18 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart).
Riff Raff was the last time Edmunds and Lynne would collaborate on record; meanwhile, Edmunds wouldn't make another studio album for six years (although he would release a live album in the interim).
The majority of the tracks on Riff Raff are originals by Lynne, Edmunds, and bandmember John David. The most notable cover is the aforementioned "Something About You", originally a top-20 hit for the Four Tops
in 1965.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
rock musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
Dave Edmunds
Dave Edmunds
David 'Dave' Edmunds is a Welsh singer, guitarist and record producer. Although he is primarily associated with Pub rock and New Wave, and had numerous hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, his natural leaning has always been towards 1950s style rock and roll.-Early bands:As a teenager Edmunds first...
. The album was his third release for Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
(in the UK) and Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
(in the US), following 1983's Information.
Riff Raff continued Edmunds' collaboration with Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
frontman Jeff Lynne
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
; Lynne produced six tracks on the albums, and wrote three of the songs as well. However, compared to the pair's success with Information (which hit #51 on the Billboard 200
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...
album chart and spawned a top-40 single in "Slipping Away"), Riff Raff was a commercial flop. The album made it to only #140, and the single "Something About You" failed to crack the Billboard 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...
at all (although it did hit #18 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart).
Riff Raff was the last time Edmunds and Lynne would collaborate on record; meanwhile, Edmunds wouldn't make another studio album for six years (although he would release a live album in the interim).
The majority of the tracks on Riff Raff are originals by Lynne, Edmunds, and bandmember John David. The most notable cover is the aforementioned "Something About You", originally a top-20 hit for the Four Tops
Four Tops
The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet, whose repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, hard rock, and showtunes...
in 1965.
Track listing
- "Something About You" (Lamont DozierLamont DozierLamont Herbert Dozier is an American songwriter and record producer, born in Detroit, Michigan. Dozier has either co-written or produced several US Billboard #1 hits.-Career:...
/Eddie Holland/Brian HollandBrian HollandBrian Holland is an American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland. That songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound and numerous hit records by artists such as Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, The Four Tops,...
) - 3:03 - "Breaking Out" (Jeff LynneJeff LynneJeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
) - 3:26 - "Busted Loose" (Paul BradyPaul BradyPaul Joseph Brady is an Irish singer-songwriter, whose work straddles folk and pop. He was interested in a wide variety of music from an early age...
) - 4:33 - "Far Away" (Jeff Lynne) - 4:11
- "Rules of the Game" (David) - 4:10
- "Steel Claw" (Paul Brady) - 4:18
- "S.O.S." (Jeff Lynne) - 3:14
- "Hang On" (Steve GouldSteve GouldSteve Gould was the lead singer and bassist of the 1960s-70s London based progressive rock band Rare Bird. They had one hit single titled "Sympathy" and recorded several albums....
) - 3:24 - "How Could I Be So Wrong" (David) - 3:20
- "Can't Get Enough" (Edmunds) - 3:08