Absolutely (Madness album)

1980 studio album by Madness From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Absolutely is the second studio album from the English ska band Madness, released by Stiff Records on 26 September 1980.[2] The album reached number 2 in the UK album charts.[3]

Released26 September 1980
Recorded1980
StudioEden (London)[1]
Genres
Quick facts Studio album by Madness, Released ...
Absolutely
Studio album by
Madness
Released26 September 1980
Recorded1980
StudioEden (London)[1]
Genres
Length39:15
LabelStiff
Producers
Madness chronology
Work Rest and Play
(1980)		 Absolutely
(1980)		 7
(1981)
Singles from Absolutely
  1. "Baggy Trousers"
    Released: 5 September 1980
  2. "Embarrassment"
    Released: 14 November 1980
  3. "The Return of the Los Palmas 7"
    Released: 16 January 1981
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Absolutely spawned some of the band's biggest hits, most notably "Baggy Trousers", which peaked at number 3 in the UK and spent more than four months in the singles chart.[3] "Embarrassment" reached number 4, and the instrumental "The Return of the Los Palmas 7" climbed to number 7.[3] Although the album reviews were generally less enthusiastic than those of One Step Beyond..., they were mostly positive.

In 2009 and 2010, Madness re-released their back-catalogue of studio albums up to and including 1999's Wonderful with a bonus CD and extra tracks. The re-release of Absolutely has seven bonus tracks plus an additional CD featuring a 1980 concert recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon.

In a 2020 interview with GQ magazine Lee Thompson said it was his favourite Madness album.[1]

Album title

The album is named after one of the oft-said expressions of the band's then tour manager and sound man Tony Duffield.[4]

Cover

Inner sleeve illustration

The front cover sees the band standing in front of Chalk Farm tube station in Camden. When the original vinyl was released the first, more sombre, cover photograph was changed to a more animated pose after around 10,000 albums were pressed. The two sleeves can be distinguished by keyboardist Mike Barson's holding of the umbrella: in the earlier pressing he holds it up to his chin while in the later, and subsequently used, releases the umbrella is on the ground.[5]

The inner sleeve features a London Underground-style roundel for a railway station called "Cairo East" on one side (this roundel later reappeared in the video for "(Waiting For) The Ghost Train") and a history of the group on the other. The "Cairo East" roundel is illustrated by painter, and former bass player with Kilburn and the High Roads, Humphrey Ocean.[6]

Critical reception

More information Review scores, Source ...
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarHalf star[7]
Christgau's Record GuideB−[8]
Classic PopStarStarStarStar[9]
MojoStarStarStarStar[10]
QStarStarStarStar[11]
Record MirrorStarStarStarStar[12]
Rolling StoneStar[13]
Smash Hits6+1⁄2/10[14]
SoundsStarStarStarStarStar[15]
UncutStarStarStar[16]
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The album received mixed reviews at the time of release.[1] Billboard recommended Absolutely to consumers, noting that it was "less gimmicky and more R&B/funk oriented" than Madness' debut album One Step Beyond..., while still retaining enough of the band's "'nutty' sound" to appeal to fans of the debut.[17] Greil Marcus, however, likened Madness to "the Blues Brothers with English accents" in a scathing review for Rolling Stone that also took aim at fellow ska revivalists the Specials.[13]

In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote, "Absolutely does motor ahead on breakneck ska rhythms, but it never quite feels as raw as its predecessor, and that hint of gloss serves the three big hit singles very well." Erlewine felt that Absolutely usually delivers more of the same as the debut in "a highly appealing fashion."[7]

Track listing

More information No., Title ...
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Baggy Trousers"
2:45
2."Embarrassment"
3:13
3."E.R.N.I.E."
  • McPherson
  • Foreman
2:08
4."Close Escape"
  • Thompson
  • Foreman
3:29
5."Not Home Today"
2:30
6."On the Beat Pete"
3:05
7."Solid Gone"Chas Smash2:22
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More information No., Title ...
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
8."Take It or Leave It"
  • Thompson
  • Barson
3:26
9."Shadow of Fear"
  • McPherson
  • Barson
1:58
10."Disappear"
  • McPherson
  • Bedford
2:58
11."Overdone"
  • Thompson
  • Foreman
3:45
12."In the Rain"
  • Barson, Bedford, Foreman, McPherson, Smyth, Thompson and Woodgate
2:42
13."You Said"
  • McPherson
  • Barson
2:35
14."The Return of the Los Palmas 7"
2:01
Total length:39:15
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2010 reissue

In 2009 and 2010, Madness re-released their entire back catalogue of studio albums until 1999's Wonderful with a bonus CD and extra tracks.

Disc 1

  • The first disc contains the fourteen tracks from the original album plus seven bonus tracks and three promo videos.
More information No., Title ...
The bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
15."In the Rain" (single version; B-side of "My Girl" 12")
  • McPherson
  • Madness
2:48
16."The Business" (B-side of "Baggy Trousers" 7")Barson3:27
17."Crying Shame" (B-side of "Embarrassment" 7")Barson2:40
18."That's the Way to Do It" (B-side of "The Return of the Los Palmas 7" 7")Foreman2:53
19."El Regresso de Los Palmas 7" (Spanish version))
  • Barson
  • Woodgate
  • Bedford
2:48
20."Swan Lake" (live; B-side of "The Return of the Los Palmas 7" 12"; originally from the film Dance Craze)
2:37
21."Release Me / Close Escape / Solid Gone" (Patches magazine flexi disc)
5:06
Total length:61:41
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The promo videos
More information No., Title ...
No.TitleLength
1."Baggy Trousers" 
2."Embarrassment" 
3."The Return of the Los Palmas 7" 
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Disc two
BBC live in concert – Hammersmith Odeon, 23.12.80
More information No., Title ...
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."One Step Beyond..." (live)Cecil Campbell2:51
2."E.R.N.I.E." (live)
  • McPherson
  • Foreman
2:08
3."Mistakes" (live)
  • Barson
  • John Hasler
2:35
4."Disappear" (live)
  • McPherson
  • Bedford
2:15
5."Bed and Breakfast Man" (live)Barson2:29
6."The Return of the Los Palmas 7" (live)
  • Barson
  • Woodgate
  • Bedford
2:20
7."Close Escape" (live)
  • Thompson
  • Foreman
2:44
8."Overdone" (live)
  • Thompson
  • Foreman
3:11
9."Not Home Today" (live)
  • McPherson
  • Bedford
2:15
10."Razor Blade Alley" (live)Thompson3:16
11."My Girl" (live)Barson2:45
12."Take It or Leave It" (live)
  • Thompson
  • Barson
2:39
13."On the Beat Pete" (live)
  • Thompson
  • Madness
2:54
14."Embarrassment" (live)
  • Thompson
  • Barson
3:10
15."Shadow of Fear" (live)
  • McPherson
  • Barson
1:54
16."You Said" (live)
  • McPherson
  • Barson
2:29
17."In the Middle of the Night" (live)
  • McPherson
  • Foreman
2:28
18."The Prince" (live)Thompson3:06
19."Baggy Trousers" (live)
  • McPherson
  • Foreman
2:25
20."Rockin' in A♭" (live)Willy "Wurlitzer" Smith2:01
21."Madness" (live)Campbell3:33
Total length:55:28
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Personnel

Madness
Technical
2010 reissue
  • Jeff Griffin – producer on disc two
  • Tim Turan – remastering
  • Martin "Cally" Callomon – art direction, design
  • Paul Lester – liner notes

Chart performance

More information Chart (1980), Peak position ...
Chart (1980) Peak
position		 Total
weeks
Dutch Albums Chart[18] 2 43
Finnish Albums Chart[19] 24 3
German Albums Chart[20] 21 9
New Zealand Albums Chart[21] 31 4
Norwegian Albums Chart[22] 26 4
Swedish Albums Chart[23] 15 3
UK Albums Chart[24] 2 47
US Billboard Hot 200[25] 146 4
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Certifications and sales

More information Region, Certification ...
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[26] Platinum 300,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

External links

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