Play (Squeeze album)
Encyclopedia
Play is a 1991 album by the British New Wave
group Squeeze. It is the band's ninth album, and their only released by Reprise Records
. It is also of note as it is the first LP in the Squeeze discography to feature only four official members instead of five (Steve Nieve
took on many of the keyboard duties that would have gone to Jools Holland
in the past). Tony Berg produced the album, which, despite weak sales, is a fan favorite. In the liner notes to the 1996 Squeeze compilation Excess Moderation, Glenn Tilbrook
stated that he considers Play the beginning of Squeeze's "renaissance period."
The liner notes to the album are, appropriately, in the form of a play that incorporates the lyrics of the songs in a script that also references the plays Our Town
by Thorton Wilder and Waiting for Godot
by Samuel Beckett
.
and Glenn Tilbrook
.
with:
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...
group Squeeze. It is the band's ninth album, and their only released by Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
. It is also of note as it is the first LP in the Squeeze discography to feature only four official members instead of five (Steve Nieve
Steve Nieve
Steve Nieve is an English keyboardist, best known for his work with Elvis Costello and the Attractions and Elvis Costello and the Imposters.-Musical career:...
took on many of the keyboard duties that would have gone to Jools Holland
Jools Holland
Julian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour and Bono.Holland is a...
in the past). Tony Berg produced the album, which, despite weak sales, is a fan favorite. In the liner notes to the 1996 Squeeze compilation Excess Moderation, Glenn Tilbrook
Glenn Tilbrook
Glenn Martin Tilbrook is the lead singer and guitarist of the English band Squeeze, a band formed in the mid 1970s who broke through in the new wave era at the decade's end. He generally wrote the melody for Squeeze, while his writing partner, Chris Difford, wrote the lyrics...
stated that he considers Play the beginning of Squeeze's "renaissance period."
The liner notes to the album are, appropriately, in the form of a play that incorporates the lyrics of the songs in a script that also references the plays Our Town
Our Town
Our Town is a three-act play by American playwright Thornton Wilder. It is a character story about an average town's citizens in the early twentieth century as depicted through their everyday lives...
by Thorton Wilder and Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot is an absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait endlessly and in vain for someone named Godot to arrive. Godot's absence, as well as numerous other aspects of the play, have led to many different interpretations since the play's...
by Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
.
Track listing
All songs written by Chris DiffordChris Difford
Chris Difford is a singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer....
and Glenn Tilbrook
Glenn Tilbrook
Glenn Martin Tilbrook is the lead singer and guitarist of the English band Squeeze, a band formed in the mid 1970s who broke through in the new wave era at the decade's end. He generally wrote the melody for Squeeze, while his writing partner, Chris Difford, wrote the lyrics...
.
- "Satisfied" – 5:10
- "Crying in My SleepCrying In My Sleep"Crying in My Sleep" was the second single released from Squeeze's ninth album, Play, in the U.S. It was released only as a single-track, promotional CD, and reached number 14 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart....
" – 5:03 - "Letting Go" – 5:01
- "The Day I Get Home" – 4:50
- "The Truth" – 4:12
- "House of Love" – 3:23
- "Cupid's Toy" – 4:31
- "Gone to the Dogs" – 3:54
- "Walk a Straight Line" – 3:50
- "Sunday Street" – 4:16
- "Wicked and Cruel" – 4:14
- "There Is a Voice" – 4:01
Personnel
- Chris DiffordChris DiffordChris Difford is a singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer....
– Guitar, backing Vocals - Gilson LavisGilson LavisGilson Lavis was the drummer for Squeeze from 1976 until 1992. More recently, he has been drumming for Jools Holland's Rhythm & Blues Orchestra....
– Drums - Glenn TilbrookGlenn TilbrookGlenn Martin Tilbrook is the lead singer and guitarist of the English band Squeeze, a band formed in the mid 1970s who broke through in the new wave era at the decade's end. He generally wrote the melody for Squeeze, while his writing partner, Chris Difford, wrote the lyrics...
– Guitars, keyboards, lead & backing vocals - Keith Wilkinson – Bass, backing vocals
with:
- Tony Berg - Keyboards, guitars
- Bruce HornsbyBruce HornsbyBruce Randall Hornsby is an American singer, pianist, accordion player, and songwriter. Known for the spontaneity and creativity of his live performances, Hornsby draws frequently from classical, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Motown, rock, blues, and jam band musical traditions with his songwriting and...
- Accordion - Matt IrvingMatt IrvingMatt Irving is a musician perhaps best known as the bass guitar player for Manfred Mann's Earth Band between 1981 and 1986. He featured on the albums Somewhere in Afrika and Budapest Live...
- Keyboards - Steve NieveSteve NieveSteve Nieve is an English keyboardist, best known for his work with Elvis Costello and the Attractions and Elvis Costello and the Imposters.-Musical career:...
- Keyboards - Jerry HeyJerry HeyJerry Hey is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Thriller and the distinctive flugelhorn solo on Dan Fogelberg's hit Longer....
- Horns - Claudia FontaineClaudia FontaineClaudia Fontaine is a backing vocalist from Bethnal Green, London, England. She has sung with Betty Boo, Dusty Springfield, Claudia Brücken, Julia Fordham and the bands Pink Floyd and The Beatmasters...
- Backing vocals (on "Sunday Street") - Christopher GuestChristopher GuestChristopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest , better known as Christopher Guest, is an American screenwriter, composer, musician, director, actor and comedian. He is most widely known in Hollywood for having written, directed and starred in several improvisational "mockumentary" films that...
- Backing vocals (on "The Day I Get Home") - Michael McKeanMichael McKeanMichael John McKean is an American actor, comedian, writer, composer and musician, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Squiggy's friend, Leonard 'Lenny' Kosnowski, on the sitcom Laverne and Shirley; and for his work in the Christopher Guest ensemble films, particularly as David St...
- Backing vocals (on "The Day I Get Home") - Michael PennMichael PennMichael Penn is an American singer, songwriter and composer. He is the eldest son of actor/director Leo Penn and actress Eileen Ryan, and the brother of actors Sean Penn and the late Chris Penn.-Career:...
- Backing vocals (on "The Day I Get Home")