Search - Rick Springfield :: Working Class Dog (Aniv)

Great bonus material and cool liner notes

Dorrie Wheeler | 07/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Working Class Dog was the album that made Rick Springfield an international music star. True, Rick had released albums prior to Working Class Dog, but this was the release that set him into the pop music stratosphere. Working Class Dog has been re-released after 25 years--re-mastered and with bonus tracks. Working Class Dog includes Rick Springfield's most well known hit "Jessie's Girl." Other popular songs on the album include "I've Done Everything For You," and "Love Is Alright Tonite." The best part about this re-master (in addition to the songs sounding better than ever), is that included on the CD are three bonus tracks. "Easy To Cry," and the original version of "Taxi Dancing" which have not been released in the past are included. Also on the disc is the demo version of "Jessie's Girl." As for liner notes the CD includes extensive almost Q&A style album notes from Rick Springfield and people involved with the making of the album. Quite interesting reading I must say. Rick provides comments, some quite extensive for each song on the album. Also included is a reproduction of the handwritten lyrics for "Jessie's Girl."



If you owned the album before, pick up this new version. You will only love it more.

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Excellant Remastering of a Classic

Bradley Jacobson | 04/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Finally, this great and I mean that in all sincerity CD has been given the remaster treatment. I believe every album and cassette I owned in the early 80s should be given such a treatment, and I mean the kind of styling this album got not that schlock job Chrysalis did on my Benatar CDs. On top of all 10 glorious songs from this 1981 album, the powers that be (and Ricky boy included) conjured up the "Jessie's Girl" demo, and two other songs from his orignal demo including a rocking little ditty called "Easy To Cry" - the CD even has a song by song description by Rick and two of the producers Keith Olsen & Bill Drescher. I found out some interesting stuff like Keith was called in from his sessions on Pat Benatar's Crimes Of Passion to work on 2 songs for Working Class Dog, but because Pat's album was so important he could only do it on the weekends, of course he grabbed Pat's hubby Neil Geraldo and he played on a few of the songs, and "I've Done Everything For You" a Sammy Hagar penned tune was given to Rick by Keith because Miss Patty Patty declined it saying it was too macho. But that is all petty trivia compared to the pop/rock genius that is this album - the singles need no real explanation; "Jessie's Girl", "Love Is Alright Tonite", the aformentioned "I've Done.." were all roller skating staples when I was but a wee tyke - but the other tracks are so great as well - all 3 minute pop gems "Hole In My Heart" (though I'm stil partial to Lisa Hartman's faster cover), "Carry Me Away", the reggae twinged "Daddy's Pearl", hilarious "Everybody's Girl" (it isn't nice, no but they call you everybody's girl/ they say, here she comes, here she comes, here comes everybody's girl), the jam blues punch of "Red Hot & Blue Love" and the sinister but sexy "Inside Silvia." A great pick up and a great remaster.

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