Happy Planet (Wall of Voodoo)
Encyclopedia
Happy Planet is the fourth studio album by the American
new wave
band Wall of Voodoo
, released in 1987. It marked a return of Call of the West
producer Richard Mazda
.
Although not as successful as Call of the West, Happy Planet did produce a minor hit with the cover of The Beach Boys
' "Do It Again". The album, recorded at Hit City West, reached #83 on the Australian charts.
leader / main song writer / bass guitarist
Brian Wilson
as an orderly in a psychiatric hospital
who falls asleep and wakes up to the members of Wall of Voodoo dressed as members of the Mafia
. Wilson, in real life, has been to psychiactric hospitals at least three times. The front sleeve of the single to "Do It Again" also features photos of the band with Wilson.
Wilson's fabulous career, rough life, and nervous breakdowns are referenced in the lyrics to "Chains of Luck". The lines "Brian Wilson chants his mantra, 'Da doo ron ron, da doo ron ron', is a reference to Wilson's obsession with Phil Spector
's productions, which is a Spector produced and co-written song titled "Da Doo Ron Ron
". Wilson performed the song live at various benefit concerts in the 1980s. The Beach Boys also recorded a version of the song, albeit unreleased. The lyrics "My body lying down in my bed, I need some real big hands, to ease this busted head" is a reference to Wilson becoming a drug-addicted recluse, weighing up to 340 lbs, and staying mostly in his bed for two years from 1973 until 1975, except when he needed to purchase drugs (speed, cocaine and heroin) or partied with Three Dog Night
singer Danny Hutton
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band Wall of Voodoo
Wall of Voodoo
Wall of Voodoo was an American New Wave group from Los Angeles best known for the 1983 hit "Mexican Radio". The band had a sound that was a fusion of synthesizer-based New Wave music with the spaghetti western soundtrack style of Ennio Morricone.-Formation:...
, released in 1987. It marked a return of Call of the West
Call of the West
Call of the West is the second studio album by Los Angeles new wave band Wall of Voodoo, released in 1983. "Mexican Radio", released as a single and as a video that received moderate airplay on MTV), is the group's most well-known song....
producer Richard Mazda
Richard Mazda
Richard Mazda is a record producer, writer and musician. In later life he also became an actor and director.-Music career:Mazda was one of the co-founders of Poole punk/mod band Tours, singing and playing lead guitar. They signed to Virgin Records in 1979 after selling large quantities of their...
.
Although not as successful as Call of the West, Happy Planet did produce a minor hit with the cover of The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
' "Do It Again". The album, recorded at Hit City West, reached #83 on the Australian charts.
Brian Wilson connections
The video to promote "Do It Again" features The Beach BoysThe Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
leader / main song writer / bass guitarist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
as an orderly in a psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
who falls asleep and wakes up to the members of Wall of Voodoo dressed as members of the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
. Wilson, in real life, has been to psychiactric hospitals at least three times. The front sleeve of the single to "Do It Again" also features photos of the band with Wilson.
Wilson's fabulous career, rough life, and nervous breakdowns are referenced in the lyrics to "Chains of Luck". The lines "Brian Wilson chants his mantra, 'Da doo ron ron, da doo ron ron', is a reference to Wilson's obsession with Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
's productions, which is a Spector produced and co-written song titled "Da Doo Ron Ron
Da Doo Ron Ron
"Da Doo Ron Ron" is a 1963 hit single by The Crystals, produced by Phil Spector in his Wall of Sound style. The song was written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Spector. The drummer was Hal Blaine....
". Wilson performed the song live at various benefit concerts in the 1980s. The Beach Boys also recorded a version of the song, albeit unreleased. The lyrics "My body lying down in my bed, I need some real big hands, to ease this busted head" is a reference to Wilson becoming a drug-addicted recluse, weighing up to 340 lbs, and staying mostly in his bed for two years from 1973 until 1975, except when he needed to purchase drugs (speed, cocaine and heroin) or partied with Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
singer Danny Hutton
Danny Hutton
Daniel Anthony Hutton , is an Irish-American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band, Three Dog Night. Hutton was the head of Hanna Barbera Records from 1965-1966...
.
Track listing
All songs composed by Wall of Voodoo.- "Do It Again"– 3:18 (Brian WilsonBrian WilsonBrian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
, Mike LoveMike LoveMichael Edward "Mike" Love is an American singer/songwriter and musician with The Beach Boys. He was a founding member of the band along with his cousins Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, and their friend Al Jardine, and continues to perform with the band to the present day...
) - "Hollywood The Second Time" – 4:06
- "Empty Room" – 3:53
- "Chains Of Luck" – 3:55
- "Back In The Laundromat" – 3:20
- "When The Lights Go Out" – 3:19
- "Country Of Man" – 3:29
- "Joanne" – 3:40
- "Elvis Bought Dora A Cadillac" – 3:42
- "The Grass Is Greener" – 3:40
- "Ain't My Day" – 4:38
Personnel
- Andy PrieboyAndy PrieboyAndy Prieboy is a musician, author, and former morgue attendant. He was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in East Chicago, Indiana....
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Chas T. Gray – synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
- Marc MorelandMarc MorelandMarc Moreland was an American rock musician. He was the former guitarist for new wave band Wall of Voodoo, punk band The Skulls, and rock bands Pretty and Twisted and Department of Crooks...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Bruce MorelandBruce MorelandBruce "Ravens" Moreland is an American rock musician. This singer, songwriter, and guitarist has worked with such bands as Wall of Voodoo , The Weirdos, Nervous Gender, and Concrete Blonde among others...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Ned Leukhardt – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....