Album

Lick My Decals Off, Baby

Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band

1970 · Rock, Blues

24 collectors on Gatefold own this

Lick My Decals Off, Baby by Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band

Lick My Decals Off, Baby is a Rock album by Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, originally released in 1970. On Gatefold: 46 pressings tracked, owned by 24 collectors.

About

Lick My Decals Off, Baby is the fourth studio album by American rock band Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, released in December 1970 by Straight and Reprise Records. The follow-up to Trout Mask Replica (1969), it is regarded by some critics and listeners as superior, and was Van Vliet's favorite. Van Vliet said that the title was an encouragement to "get rid of the labels", and to evaluate things according to their merits rather than according to superficial labels (or "decals"). Composition: Musicians on the album were Don Van Vliet, vocals, harmonica, and woodwinds; Bill Harkleroad, guitar; Mark Boston, bass; Art Tripp, marimba, drums, and percussion; and John French, drums. French had been arranger and musical director on Trout Mask Replica. Van Vliet ejected French from the group—both figuratively and literally, by allegedly throwing him down a flight of stairs—shortly after Trout Mask Replica was completed, and these roles passed to guitarist Bill Harkleroad. French returned to the group shortly before recording began. Most of the songs began as piano improvisations by Van Vliet. He would record extended improvisation sessions on a cassette recorder. Harkleroad then listened to these improvisations, picked out the best parts, and pieced them into compositions. The musical lines on Decals tend to be longer and more intricate than the assemblage of short fragments that characterized much of Trout Mask Replica. The album's liner notes contain two poems or lyrics for songs not present, one untitled and the other "You Should Know by the Kindness of uh Dog the Way uh Human Should Be".

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Tracklist

Side A

  1. A1Lick My Decals Off, Baby2:38
  2. A2Doctor Dark2:46
  3. A3I Love You, You Big Dummy2:54
  4. A4Peon2:24
  5. A5Bellerin' Plain3:35
  6. A6Woe-Is-Uh-Me-Bop2:06
  7. A7Japan In A Dishpan3:00

Side B

  1. B1I Wanna Find A Woman That'll Hold My Big Toe Till I Have To Go1:53
  2. B2Petrified Forest1:40
  3. B3One Red Rose That I Mean1:52
  4. B4The Buggy Boogie Woogie2:19
  5. B5The Smithsonian Institute Blues (Or The Big Dig)2:11
  6. B6Space-Age Couple2:32
  7. B7The Clouds Are Full Of Wine (Not Whiskey Or Rye)2:50
  8. B8Flash Gordon's Ape4:57

Sound DNA

  • Rock
  • Blues Rock
  • raw
  • chaotic
  • bluesy

Notes from the original pressing. Later editions may differ.

1st press USA issue, with 'smoke logo' & 'Straight' black liner bearing the 'Bizarre' address - which is also on the radius text of the 'Straight' vinyl labels. [It should be noted that reissues, or 'repros' of this issue label often carry the later Warner address].
This is a Straight issue, under the short-lived Bizarre Inc distribution aegis of Reprise.
This version pressed at, as indicated by the 'S' in the matrix strings.
This original issue includes a heavyweight white card 4-page insert [28cm x 28cm when folded]. No print on front or back, but a full track-list with lyrics on inside spread, together with artist credits.
The track-list on the insert follows the presentation as per the vinyl, up to 'Smithsonian'. An additional set of lyrics [or a poem?] is then inserted, titled; "You Should Know By The Kindness Of Uh Dog The Way Uh Human Should Be". This is then followed by the lyrics for 'Clouds' & 'Flash Gordon' tracks respectively. A further 'poem' is then inserted; "(Untitled)", which begins "The first scene was the bathtub ring...", which is then finally followed with the lyrics for "Space Age Couple" - which is not the last track on the vinyl.
It is conjecture that this may have been the intended running order, or simply a whim in the printed transcription of the final content. See images for the 2 additions.
[On lyrics sheet];
RS 6420
Reprinted by kind permission.
"Dedicated To – Al Leifer, Alex Snouffer, Ben Edmonds, Black Micenah, Bob Krasnow, Elliot Ingber, Granny Annie, Grant Gibbs, Jan Van Vliet, Jeff Bruschel, Kaye Wells, Langdon Winner, Laurie And Lulu, Lester Bangs, Margarette Harkleroad, Mark Green, Medicine Man, The, One Brown Pelican, Pete Johnson, Phil Schier, Sam And Nancy Catalano, Sue, Victor Hayden, Whales, The".

Credits

The people behind it.

Performers

  • Antennae Jimmy SemensGUITAR
  • Art TrippCLARINET MARIMBA, PERCUSSION, OTHER MARIMBA, PERCUSSION, PERCUSSION
  • Bill HarkleroadPERCUSSION, MARIMBA
  • Captain BeefheartBASS CLARINET, TENOR SAXOPHONE , SOPRANO SAXOPHONE , HARMONICA , VOCALS BASS CLARINET, TENOR SAXOPHONE, SOPRANO SAXOPHONE, HARMONICA , VOCALS VOCALS, GUITAR, HARMONICA, BASS CLARINET, SOPRANO SAXOPHONE, TENOR SAXOPHONE, DRUMS, PERCUSSION
  • Don Van VlietVOCALS, GUITAR, HARMONICA, BASS CLARINET, SOPRANO SAXOPHONE, TENOR SAXOPHONE, DRUMS, PERCUSSION
  • Doug MoonBASS
  • DrumboBASS DRUMS, PERCUSSION PERCUSSION, OTHER
  • Ed MarimbaCLARINET DRUMS, PERCUSSION, MARIMBA
  • Jeff CottonGUITAR
  • Jerry HandleyGUITAR
  • John FrenchBASS
  • Mark BostonGUITAR
  • Rockette MortonBASS GUITAR
  • The Mascara SnakeGUITAR
  • Victor HaydenGUITAR
  • Zoot Horn RolloGUITAR, GUITAR GUITAR, SLIDE GUITAR PERCUSSION, MARIMBA

24 collectors on Gatefold own this · 46 pressings tracked on Gatefold

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