Straight in a Gay Gay World

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Straight in a Gay Gay World
Straightgayworld.jpg
Studio album by
Skyhooks
ReleasedAugust 1976
RecordedThe Record Plant, Sausalito and Armstrong Studios, Melbourne "Million Dollar Riff" recorded at TCS Studios, Melbourne
GenreGlam rock
Length37:46
LabelMushroom Records
ProducerRoss Wilson
Skyhooks chronology
Ego Is Not a Dirty Word
(1975) 		Straight in a Gay Gay World
(1976) 		The Skyhooks Tapes
(1977)
Singles from Straight in a Gay Gay World
  1. "Million Dollar Riff"
    Released: November 1975
  2. "This is My City"
    Released: July 1976
  3. "Blue Jeans"
    Released: August 1976

Straight in a Gay Gay World was the third studio album by Australian rock band, Skyhooks. The album was released in August 1976. With the exception of "Million Dollar Riff", it was recorded at The Record Plant in Sausalito, California, after the band's first tour of the United States earlier in the same year. The title and songs are a sort of view the band had on their experience in the States. The album was produced by former Daddy Cool leader Ross Wilson. It peaked at No. 3 on Australian charts.

At the Australian 1976 King of Pop Awards the album won Best Cover Design.[1]

"Million Dollar Riff" was released as a single in November 1975 and it reached No. 6 in Australia. Two further singles were lifted from this album, "This is My City" and "Blue Jeans", both in 1976 which peaked at No. 32 and No. 12 respectively on Australian charts.

Details[]

Prior to release, Strachan said of the songs in RAM Magazine, "Some of 'em are the strongest things the band's doing. There's one called "Sydney", that's all about Sydney. We were considering using it for a single instead of "Million Dollar Riff". And "I'm Normal". It's all about a guy who throws away his rubber sheets and dildos and vibrators and sex pills to get back to holding hands."[2]

Reception[]

Reviewed in Australian music magazine RAM at the time of release, it was called, "methedrine power rock. It's jingle-jangley and crazy-tempered with guitar that shrill jackhammer like giant mosquitoes – dive-bombing into rhythms that are playing epileptic leap-frog around your stereo speakers." The song "Crazy Heart" was complimented for being "sweetly mellow" compared to the rest of the album.[3]

Track listing[]

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Million Dollar Riff"Greg Macainsh3:50
2."Is This America?"Macainsh4:32
3."Blue Jeans"Macainsh2:30
4."Somewhere in Sydney"Macainsh3:46
5."The Girl Says She's Bored"Macainsh3:33
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."This is My City"Macainsh3:40
2."Straight in a Gay Gay World"Macainsh4:29
3."I'm Normal"Macainsh3:15
4."Mumbo Jumbo"Red Symons3:24
5."Crazy Heart"Macainsh4:47

Charts[]

Chart (1976) Peak
position
Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart[4] 3

Personnel[]

  • Shirley Strachan – lead vocals
  • Red Symons – guitar, backing and lead (9) vocals, keyboards
  • Bob "Bongo" Starkie – guitar, backing vocals
  • Greg Macainsh – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Imants Alfred Strauks – drums, backing vocals, percussion

References[]

  1. ^ "Australian Music Awards". Ron Jeff. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  2. ^ Anthony O'Grady (January 1976). "Shirl the Curl on promo quickstep trail". RAM. Sydney, NSW: Soundtracts Publishing Pty Ltd (22).
  3. ^ Anthony O'Grady. "Skyhooks Straight in a Gay Gay World". RAM. Sydney, NSW: Soundtracts Publishing Pty Ltd (August 1976).
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book Ltd. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
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