The sticker on the cover shows I paid £5.49 for the album in WH Smith. I bought the album after liking the "Rip It Up" and "Flesh Of My Flesh" singles. I hadn't previously heard the first single "I Can't Help Myself" but I thought it was terrific and it was my favourite track on the album. I also liked the almost tender "Louise, Louise".
However, I didn't like the rest of the LP and rarely played anything other than the 4 songs I thought were excellent. Looking at the track listing now, these were the only four I could recollect.
"Rip It Up" is noted for its Chic style guitar lines but also includes a synth bassline, handclaps, a burst of sax and its glorious chorus. I thought it was an amazing breath of fresh air when it was released, a catchy, infectious Indie dance classic. "I hope to god I'm not as dumb as you make out".
Written by drummer Zeke Manyika, I have no idea what language is being sung in "A Million Pleading Faces", presumably Shona as he is from Zimbabwe ? The chorus though is in English, and the song is a lively Afro-pop toe-tapper, with a bit of slide guitar thrown in for good measure.
"Mud In Your Eye" is a soothing, mid-tempo song with organ and guitar for the intro. It has a lovely counterpoint vocals for the second verse and pretty violin/strings in the fade out. "And to those who are snide, and to those who connive. I say love cannot be contrived, love cannot be denied". I was surprised I couldn't remember this as I now found it to be very good !
"Turn Away" is song from guitarist Malcolm Ross and has a violin intro before launching into something funky, but overall it is pretty ordinary.
Side one ends with the slower tempo "Breakfast Time" which has a nice guitar motif, but melody is pretty dull and I thought the drumming was annoying. The long guitar fade was OK though.
The brilliant Motown influenced "I Can't Help Myself" opens side two. "Just like the Four Tops, I can't help myself !" It also has a great sax solo in lengthy outro.
"Flesh Of My Flesh" is a bouncy pop number with hesitant horns a la Haircut 100. "A stitch in time saves nine or ten".
"Louise Louise" has a gentle strummed guitar to begin with and I love the change of pace after the second verse and the guitar solo before slowing down again.
The funky "Hokoyo" is over 5 minute long and features more singing in Shona by Manyika, and although there is a nice switch to English chorus sung by Collins, it goes on far too long.
"Tenterhook" is another 5 minute long track and begins with softly strummed guitar, but overall its pretty awful and is the worst song on the album. "You and I could have changed the world".
In conclusion "Rip It Up" was a lot better listening to it now than what I thought over forty years ago. However, it is still a bit of a mixed bag with the fantastic tracks being offset by a couple of fillers.
Track Listing :
Side One :
1. Rip It Up
2. A Million Pleading Faces
3. Mud In Your Eye
4. Turn Away
5. Breakfast Time
1. I Can't Help Myself
2. Flesh Of My Flesh
3. Louise Louise
4. Hokoyo
5. Tenterhook
Released 1982
UK Chart Position : 39
I Can't Help Myself ( No 42 - 1982 )
Rip It Up ( No 8 - 1983 )
Flesh Of Flesh ( No 41 - 1983 )
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