10cc
	Produced by 10 c.c.
	Released on July 1973
	UK CHART POSITION #36
	Find it at GEMM
UKS 53105 cover

1 0cc derived their name from the average amount of semen in a male’s ejaculation, and despite an overabundance of commercial pop potential it’s this kind of willfull strangeness that presents a uniquely sticky problem to appreciating their music. Their eponymous debut splits its time between doo-wop sendups (“Donna” is far and away the best of these) and defiantly unconventional stories that find veins of pure pop gold amidst complex but not entirely effective narrative structures. Case in point: “The Hospital Song” applies a wonderful melody to the story of a man in a hospital who takes revenge on his caretakers by peeing his bed. In addition to “Donna,” the album features such 10cc classics as “The Dean and I” (awfully catchy, but the shifts in arrangement are hit or miss) and “Rubber Bullets” (a retro rock tune with a futuristic guitar solo). There are some obvious references to the Beatles here: “Headline Hustler” recalls the work of George Harrison, “Ships Don’t Disappear in the Night (Do They?)” and “Fresh Air for My Momma” sound like Wings, and “Speed Kills” feels a lot like “Blue Jay Way.” Similar to Sparks, 10cc’s sense of humor and love of unlikely heroes undermine their melodic craft at times, but it adds some artistic integrity in the bargain. Pop fans may feel the band’s estimable talents are misdirected, but even they’re bound to be intrigued by much of this record.

UKS 53105 back cover	UKS 53105 lyric sleeve	DZS 053 cover

TRACK LISTING

1. JOHNNY, DON'T DO IT    (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme/Graham Gouldman)    3:37
2. SAND IN MY FACE    (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme/Graham Gouldman)    3:37
3. DONNA    (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme)    2:54
4. THE DEAN AND I    (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme)    3:03
5. HEADLINE HUSTLER    (Graham Gouldman/Eric Stewart)    3:30
6. SPEED KILLS    (Eric Stewart/Kevin Godley/Lol Creme/Graham Gouldman)    3:48
7. RUBBER BULLETS    (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme/Graham Gouldman)    5:18
8. THE HOSPITAL SONG    (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme)    2:36
9. SHIPS DON'T DISAPPEAR IN THE NIGHT (DO THEY?)    (Graham Gouldman/Eric Stewart)    3:03
10. FRESH AIR FOR MY MOMMA    (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme/Eric Stewart)    3:02
    
    *Japanese bonus tracks...
    
11. BEE IN MY BONNET
12. GIZMO MY WAY
13. 18 CARAT MAN OF MEANS
    
    **German bonus tracks...
    
11. HOT ROCK SUN
12. 4% OF SOMETHING
13. RUBBER BULLETS (SINGLE VERSION)    (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme/Graham Gouldman)    4:08
14. WATERFALL
15. BEE IN MY BONNET

CREDITS

LOL CREME -- acoustic guitar, electric guitar, grand piano, electric piano, Moog synthesiser, Mellotron, percussion, vocals
KEVIN GODLEY -- drums, percussion, vocals
GRAHAM GOULDMAN -- bass and acoustic guitar, dobro guitar, electric guitar, tambourine, vocals
ERIC STEWART -- lead electric guitar, slide guitar, Moog synthesiser, vocals, engineer, mix sound engineer
David Anstey (from a design by Lol Creme) -- artwork
Chris Grayson -- photography

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