Only a Lad

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Only a Lad
Oingo Boingo-Only a Lad.jpg
Studio album by
Oingo Boingo
ReleasedJune 19, 1981
RecordedDecember 1980 – February 1981
Studio
GenreNew wave, ska punk[1]
Length38:12
Label
ProducerPete Solley and Oingo Boingo
Oingo Boingo chronology
Oingo Boingo
(1980) 		Only a Lad
(1981) 		Nothing to Fear
(1982)
Singles from Only a Lad
  1. "Only a Lad"
    Released: May 1981

Only a Lad is the full-length debut album by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1981, following their self-titled EP.

Music[]

The album's musical arrangements, by vocalist Danny Elfman and guitarist Steve Bartek, completed the group's evolution into a new wave rock band (see Oingo Boingo – The Mystic Knights Years). Only a Lad features complex and frequently changing time signatures and keys, often incorporating harmonies borrowed from jazz and 20th-century classical music, all hallmarks of Elfman's songwriting.

Elfman claimed that many of the songs were inspired by newspaper articles he had read at the time and were "written as in-your-face facetious jabs."[2] "Little Girls" courted controversy for its theme of underage relationships. The video for the song, directed by his brother Richard Elfman, was purportedly banned in Canada.[3] The music video features Elfman dancing inside a surreal, empty suburban house, joined by dwarfs and teenage girls. The band members are later seen staring complacently in shop windows and drinking tea while Elfman's character walks down a street with an apparently underage girl.

At the time of release, Elfman described the song as being "about a character who has certain unacceptable inclinations"[3] and later commented, "Out here in Hollywood, you see so much of that; the older guy's in the car with some young girl who essentially asks no questions."[4]

The most explicitly political track, "Capitalism," takes aim at "middle class socialist brat" protestors who "whine about the revolution" whilst themselves appearing to live in comfort. Similarly, "Perfect System" satirizes a leftist utopia where society is manipulated to achieve happiness through "uniformity" and "continuity."[5]

Discussing the songs' themes, Elfman commented that the intention was "to be angry and keep a sense of humour at the same time", explaining "the songs themselves may not be delivered real seriously, but there is a point which I intend not to be taken lightly" and that people should not "be forced to believe" any social or political agenda.[6] In 2014, Elfman reflected that the album was "basically (making) fun of everybody, and didn’t see anybody as being protected". He elaborated: "To me, all organized political groups have a sense of absurdity to them. It’s open to be mocked or satirized. If anything, I consider myself part of nothing, and any organized group was fair game to mockery, from my vantage point."[2]

A number of early live songs were recorded for the album but ultimately went unreleased, including "Teenage Monster," "I've Got to Be Entertained" and "Cinderella Undercover."[7]

On the cover of the album, the drawing of a cat by Louis Wain that previously appeared on the cover of the Oingo Boingo EP is visible on the shirt of the Boy Scout. The cover is a parody of the Boy Scouts of America 1960 official handbook cover, illustrated by Norman Rockwell.[8]

Reception[]

Only a Lad was highly praised upon release, though its success was limited to the band's Southern California region. With the backing of Los Angeles radio station KROQ-FM, it established Oingo Boingo as a permanent fixture on the regional music scene.

Oingo Boingo were already known for exploiting their negative press coverage; the song "Imposter" was a response to "a couple of assholes at the LA Times."[9] Rock critic Robert Christgau criticised Only a Lad as having "catchy vocals and spoiled overarrangements" at the time of its release.[10] Danny Elfman would later reflect in 2006 that he "loved bad reviews, [...] something's got to fuel us."[11]

The National Review named "Capitalism" as one of the "50 greatest conservative rock songs."[12] It is featured in the 2005 film Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room.

"Only a Lad" is a playable track on the PlayStation 2 video game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s.

Reissue[]

In 2021, Rubellan Remasters reissued Only a Lad on both colored vinyl and CD, the latter as an expanded edition with bonus tracks.[13]

Track listing[]

All tracks are written by Danny Elfman, except "You Really Got Me" by Ray Davies.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Little Girls"3:44
2."Perfect System"3:46
3."On the Outside"3:39
4."Capitalism"3:40
5."You Really Got Me" (The Kinks cover)4:40
Side two
No.TitleLength
6."Only a Lad"3:56
7."What You See"3:43
8."Controller"3:24
9."Imposter"2:59
10."Nasty Habits"4:06
Total length:38:12

2021 CD bonus tracks[]

All tracks are written by Danny Elfman, except "Violent Love" by Willie Dixon.

Oingo Boingo EP
No.TitleLength
11."Only a Lad"4:17
12."Violent Love"2:37
13."Ain't This the Life (10-inch Version)"3:38
14."I'm So Bad"3:54
15."Ain't This the Life (12-inch Version)"3:27

Personnel[]

Oingo Boingo

Technical

  • Pete Solley – co-producer
  • Oingo Boingo – co-producers, mixing
  • Steve Bartek – horn arrangements and charts
  • Rick Ruggieri – mixing
  • Steve Brown – engineer
  • Dave Ahlert – assistant engineer
  • Chuck Kirkpatrick – assistant engineer
  • Brad Gilderman – assistant engineer
  • Cary Pritikin – assistant engineer
  • George Marino – mastering
  • Chuck Beeson – art direction
  • Chris Hopkins – illustration
  • Dave Willardson – back cover photography
  • Charlie White – back cover photography
  • Rob Sinskey – inner sleeve photography

References[]

  1. ^ "Only a Lad – Oingo Boingo – Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards – AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Danny Elfman on Oingo Boingo, film scores, and the Beatles almost ruining Batman. A.V. Club. 2014. Retrieved 2017-05-13.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Snyder, Michael; Elfman, Danny (26 December 1982). "Oingo lives on Bad Reviews". San Francisco Examiner. p. 295. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Our video of 'Little Girls,' which is about a character who has certain unacceptable inclinations, was banned on Canadian TV.
  4. ^ Cary, Darling (8 May 1987). "Oingo Boingo's Difficult Teen Years". BAM: 26.
  5. ^ Danny Elfman at Comic Con Part 3. San Diego, California: 9FingeredElf. 2010. Retrieved 2012-02-22.
  6. ^ Flans, Robyn (October 7, 1983). "Oingo Boingo's Mondo Schizo!". BAM.
  7. ^ Jason Midnight (10 May 2011). "Oingo Boingo - Cinderella Undercover (Demo)" – via YouTube.
  8. ^ http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W2TjcIoRCxA/TWK8TPnlChI/AAAAAAAAH5Q/vjW1s4-rYJg/s1600/BoyScoutBook01.jpg
  9. ^ ""Urgh! A Music War"". 1982. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  10. ^ ""Robert Christgau: CG: Oingo Boingo"". 1981. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  11. ^ ""Danny Elfman on Late Late Show"". 2006. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  12. ^ Miller, John J. (May 26, 2006). ""Rockin' the Right": The 50 greatest conservative rock songs". National Review. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
  13. ^ Duquette, Mike (July 1, 2021). "It's a Dead Man's Party: Rubellan Plans CD, Vinyl Reissues for Oingo Boingo". The Second Disc. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
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