Was (Not Was) (album)

Was (Not Was)
Studio album by Was (Not Was)
Released	1981 (1981)
Recorded	January–March 1981
Studio	Sound Suite, Detroit, Michigan
Label	ZE, Island
Producer	David Was, Don Was, Jack Tann, Michael Zilkha
Was (Not Was) chronology
Was (Not Was) (1981) Born to Laugh at Tornadoes (1983)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	B−[2]

Was (Not Was) is the debut album by art-funk ensemble Was (Not Was); it was released in 1981. The album was re-released with additional material in 2004 under the name Out Come the Freaks. The art direction was by Maverse Players.

Track listing[]

All tracks composed by David Was and Don Was; except where indicated

Side A

1. "Out Come the Freaks" – 5:41 vocals - Harry Bowens; spoken vocals - Marzanne McCants
2. "Where Did Your Heart Go?" – 4:55 lead vocals - Sweet Pea Atkinson
3. "Tell Me That I'm Dreaming" – 4:58 lead vocals - Harry Bowens
4. "Oh, Mr. Friction!" – 3:31

Side B

1. "Carry Me Back to Old Morocco" (Was, Was, Doug Fieger) – 6:01
2. "It's an Attack!" (Was, Was, David Goss) – 3:11 lead vocals - Sweet Pea Atkinson
3. "The Sky's Ablaze" – 2:16
4. "Go...Now!" (Was, Was, Ron Banks) – 5:34 lead vocals - Sweet Pea Atkinson

Side B of the LP ends in a lock groove of Atkinson singing "'Cause he says it hurts his neck" (from "Out Come the Freaks"), looping on the last three words.

Out Come the Freaks Track listing[]

1. "Wheel Me Out" (Long Version) – 7:06
2. "Out Come the Freaks" – 5:39
3. "Where Did Your Heart Go?" – 4:57
4. "Tell Me That I'm Dreaming" – 5:00
5. "Oh, Mr. Friction" – 3:33
6. "Carry Me Back to Old Morocco" – 6:01
7. "It's an Attack!" – 3:10
8. "The Sky's Ablaze" – 2:15
9. "Go...Now!" – 5:30
10. "Hello Operator" (Short Version) – 2:51
11. "Out Come the Freaks (Again)" – 4:37
12. "Tell Me That I'm Dreaming" (12" Remix)" – 7:48
13. "Out Come The Freaks" (12" Remix) – 7:10
14. "(Return to the Valley Of) Out Come the Freaks" (Semi/Historic 1983 Version) – 4:20
15. "Christmas Time in Motor City" – 2:55
16. "Out Come the Freaks" (Dub Version) – 6:30

Personnel[]

• David Was - vocals, alto saxophone, piano
• Don Was - vocals, bass, vibraphone, Moog synthesizer, clavinet
• Sir Harry Bowens - lead vocals on "Out Come the Freaks" and "Tell Me That I'm Dreaming"
• Sweet Pea Atkinson - lead vocals on "Where Did Your Heart Go?", "It's an Attack" and "Go...Now!"
• Bruce Nazarian, Ricardo Rouse, Wayne Kramer - guitar
• Jervonny Collier, Lamont Johnson - bass
• Bruce Nazarian - bass on "Wheel Me Out"
• Franklin K. Funklyn McCullers, Jerry Jones - drums
• Larry Fratangelo, Kevin Tschirhart - percussion
• Carl "Butch" Small - percussion, rap vocals
• Gary Stuck, Jim Matthews, Les Chambers - additional percussion
• Irwin Krinsky - piano
• Luis Resto - piano, Oberheim OBX and ARP synthesizers
• Raymond Johnson, Mark Johnson - keyboards
• David McMurray - tenor, soprano and alto saxophone
• Armand Angeloni - tenor saxophone, piccolo flute
• Marcus Belgrave - trumpet, flugelhorn
• Mack Pitt - mandolin
• Carol Hall, Carolyn Crawford, Kathy Kosins, Michelle Goulet, Sheila Horne - backing vocals
• Anthony Was, Kim Heron, Lamont Zodiac, Mark J. Norton, Mitchell Jacobs, Mrs. Martinez's Fifth Hour Vocal Music Class/Birney Middle School, Pam Schlom, Richard Pinkston, Rick Cushingberry, Rubin Weiss, Ruth Seymore, Tom Brzezina - additional vocals
• Johnny Allen - string arrangement on "Where Did Your Heart Go?"
• Michael Zilkha - Executive Producer

References[]