In a retrospective review, Allmusic called the album hit-or-miss, but added that "tracks of note are still thick on the ground" and that "it's still a surprisingly good blast, a tour de force for Vanian particularly".

Track listing

All songs written by Rat Scabies

Rat Scabies

Christopher Millar , better known by his stage name Rat Scabies, is a musician best known for his tenure as the drummer for The Damned....

/Captain Sensible

Captain Sensible

Captain Sensible is a singer, songwriter, guitarist who grew up in Croydon, England, and co-founded the punk rock band The Damned in 1976. After leaving the band, he reinvented himself as an alternative pop singer with a rebellious, self-conscious image...

/Paul Gray/Dave Vanian except * by Scabies/Sensible/Gray/Vanian/Billy Karloff, † by Scabies/Sensible/Gray/Vanian/Giovanni Dadomo.

Side one

1. "Wait for the Blackout
   Wait for the Blackout
   "Wait for the Blackout" was a single by The Damned.Initially, Chiswick issued Wait for the Blackout instead of The History of the World Part 1 as a single to promote The Black Album in Spain, with Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde as the B-side....
   
   " – 3:57 *
2. "Lively Arts
   Lively Arts
   "Lively Arts" is a single released by The Damned.Big Beat, budget imprint of Chiswick Records, followed up their belated release of "Wait for the Blackout" as a single with the release of another track from The Black Album, "Lively Arts"...
   
   " – 2:59
3. "Silly Kids Games" – 2:35
4. "Drinking About My Baby" – 3:04
5. "Twisted Nerve" – 4:39
6. "Hit or Miss" – 2:37

Side two

1. "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
   Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (song)
   "Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde" was a single by The Damned.With the group signing a deal with I.R.S. to distribute their music in the USA, the label decided to release "Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde" to promote The Black Album....
   
   " – 4:35 †
2. "Sick of This and That" – 1:50
3. "The History of the World (Part 1)" – 3:45
4. "13th Floor Vendetta" – 5:05
5. "Therapy" – 6:12

Side four

All songs written by Scabies/Sensible/Vanian/Algy Ward

Algy Ward

Alasdair Mackie "Algy" Ward is an English rock and roll bass guitarist and singer.-Biography:He was first active as a member of the Australian punk band The Saints before joining British group The Damned and playing on Machine Gun Etiquette...

 except ** by Scabies/Sensible/Vanian/Ward/Dadomo, ‡ by Brian James.

Song entitled "Second Time Around" is actually "Machine Gun Etiquette", the title track from the band's previous album

Machine Gun Etiquette

Machine Gun Etiquette is the third album by the British punk band The Damned, released in November 1979. The album was the group's first since reforming with Dave Vanian on vocals, Captain Sensible on lead guitar, Rat Scabies on drums and Algy Ward on bass...

.

1. "Love Song" [Live] – 2:10
2. "Second Time Around" [Live] – 1:46
3. "Smash It Up (Parts 1 & 2)" [Live] – 4:24
4. "New Rose" [Live] – 1:49 ‡
5. "I Just Can't Be Happy Today" [Live] – 3:55 **
6. "Plan 9 Channel 7" [Live] – 5:12

Disc one

1. "Wait for the Blackout
   Wait for the Blackout
   "Wait for the Blackout" was a single by The Damned.Initially, Chiswick issued Wait for the Blackout instead of The History of the World Part 1 as a single to promote The Black Album in Spain, with Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde as the B-side....
   
   " – 3:57
2. "Lively Arts
   Lively Arts
   "Lively Arts" is a single released by The Damned.Big Beat, budget imprint of Chiswick Records, followed up their belated release of "Wait for the Blackout" as a single with the release of another track from The Black Album, "Lively Arts"...
   
   " – 2:59
3. "Silly Kids Games" – 2:35
4. "Drinking About My Baby" – 3:04
5. "Twisted Nerve" – 4:39
6. "Hit or Miss" – 2:37
7. "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
   Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (song)
   "Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde" was a single by The Damned.With the group signing a deal with I.R.S. to distribute their music in the USA, the label decided to release "Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde" to promote The Black Album....
   
   " – 4:35
8. "Sick of This and That" – 1:50
9. "The History of the World (Part 1)" – 3:45
10. "13th Floor Vendetta" – 5:05
11. "Therapy" – 6:12
12. "Curtain Call" – 17:13

Disc two

1. "Love Song" [Live] – 2:10
2. "Second Time Around" [Live] – 1:46
3. "Smash It Up (Parts 1 & 2)" [Live] – 4:24
4. "New Rose" [Live] – 1:49
5. "I Just Can't Be Happy Today" [Live] – 3:55
6. "Plan 9 Channel 7" [Live] – 5:12
7. "White Rabbit
   White Rabbit (song)
   "White Rabbit" is a song from Jefferson Airplane's 1967 album Surrealistic Pillow. It was released as a single and became the band's second top ten success, peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100...
   
   " - 3:00
8. "Rabid (Over You)" – 3:44
9. "Seagulls" - 2:36
10. "The History of the World (Part 1)" [Single Version] – 3:48
11. "I Believe the Impossible" - 2:54
12. "Sugar and Spite" - 1:30
13. "There Ain't No Sanity Clause" - 2:29
14. "Looking At You" [Live] - 5:51
15. "White Rabbit" [Extended Version - Original Mix] - 5:24

Personnel

• Dave Vanian - Vocals
• Captain Sensible
  Captain Sensible
  Captain Sensible is a singer, songwriter, guitarist who grew up in Croydon, England, and co-founded the punk rock band The Damned in 1976. After leaving the band, he reinvented himself as an alternative pop singer with a rebellious, self-conscious image...
  
   - Guitars & Vocals, Lead vocals on "Silly Kids Games"
• Paul Gray - Bass
• Rat Scabies
  Rat Scabies
  Christopher Millar , better known by his stage name Rat Scabies, is a musician best known for his tenure as the drummer for The Damned....
  
  - Drums, guitar on "Drinking About My Baby"