''Happy Planet'' is the fourth and final studio album by American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Wall of Voodoo Wall of Voodoo was an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, United States. Though largely an underground act for the majority of its existence, the band came to prominence when its 1982 single " Mexican Radio" became a hit on MTV and ...

, released in 1987. It marked the return of producer

Richard Mazda Richard Mazda (born 5 May 1955) is a record producer, writer, musician, 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 afte ...

, who had produced their 1982 album ''

Call of the West ''Call of the West'' is the second studio album by Los Angeles rock music, rock band Wall of Voodoo, released in September 1982. The album contains "Mexican Radio", the group's most well-known song, which was released as a single and whose video r ...

''. Although not as successful as ''Call of the West'', ''Happy Planet'' did produce a minor hit with a cover of

the Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...

' " Do It Again". The album, recorded at Hit City West, reached No. 83 on the Australian charts.

Brian Wilson connections

" Do It Again" is a cover of

' 1968 song, and its music video featured a guest appearance from Beach Boys leader and co-founder

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...

. In the video, he plays an orderly in a

psychiatric hospital Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociative ...

who falls asleep and wakes up to the members of Wall of Voodoo dressed as members of

the Mafia "Mafia" is an informal term that is used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the original “Mafia”, the Sicilian Mafia and Italian Mafia. The central activity of such an organization would be the arbitration of d ...

. Wilson, in real life, was admitted to psychiatric hospitals at least three times.Wilson, Brian (with Todd Gold), ''Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story'' The cover of the "Do It Again" single included photos of the band with Wilson. He is also referenced in the lyrics to "Chains of Luck" in the line, "Brian Wilson chants his mantra, ' Da doo ron ron, da doo ron ron'," a reference to Wilson's obsession with the work of music producer

Phil Spector Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...

Track listing

;Side one # " Do It Again" (

Mike Love Michael Edward Love (born March 15, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys with his cousins Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson and their friend Al Jardine. Characterized by his nasal tenor and occasional bass-bari ...

) – 3:18 # "Hollywood the Second Time" (

Andy Prieboy Andy Prieboy (born April 17, 1955) is an American musician, songwriter, and author. He was lead singer of the band Wall of Voodoo from 1983 to 1988. He went on to record solo albums, musicals and wrote a novel. Life and career Prieboy was born ...

) – 4:06 # "Empty Room" (

Bruce Moreland Bruce "Ravens" Moreland (born January 22, 1959) is an American rock musician and songwriter. He has worked with such bands as Wall of Voodoo (with his brother Marc Moreland), The Weirdos, Nervous Gender, and Concrete Blonde among others. As of 20 ...

) – 3:53 # "Chains of Luck" (Chas T. Gray, Ned Leukhardt, Prieboy) – 3:55 # "Back in the Laundromat" (Prieboy) – 3:20 D only bonus track# "When the Lights Go Out" (

Marc Moreland Marc Moreland (January 8, 1958 – March 13, 2002) was an American rock musician. He was the former guitarist for rock band Wall of Voodoo, punk band The Skulls, and rock bands Pretty and Twisted and Department of Crooks. He also released a solo ...

, Prieboy) – 3:19 ;Side two # "Country of Man" (M. Moreland) – 3:29 # "Joanne" (Prieboy) – 3:40 # "Elvis Bought Dora a Cadillac" (M. Moreland, Prieboy) – 3:42 # "The Grass Is Greener" (Gray, Leukhardt, M. Moreland, Prieboy) – 3:40 # "Ain't My Day" (M. Moreland) – 4:38 *In 2012, the album was remastered and re-released by Australian reissue label

Raven Records Raven Records was an Australian record label that specialised in retrospectives and reissues or recordings by American, British and Australian artists. Raven Records was established in 1979 by Glenn A. Baker, Kevin Mueller and Peter Shillito ...

as part of a double CD set with previous album ''

Seven Days in Sammystown ''Seven Days in Sammystown'' is the third studio album by American rock band Wall of Voodoo, released in 1985. This was the first Wall of Voodoo album to include Andy Prieboy on vocals and Ned Leukhardt on drums—following the departure of front ...

'', live album ''

The Ugly Americans in Australia ''The Ugly Americans in Australia'' is a live album by American rock band Wall of Voodoo, mostly recorded at the Palace Theatre in Melbourne in August 1987, during the group's Australian tour. Background Bassist Bruce Moreland had departed the gr ...

'' and three non-album bonus tracks.

Personnel

Wall of Voodoo *

– vocals, keyboards, piano *

– guitar *

– bass guitar *Chas T. Gray – keyboards, vocals *Ned Leukhardt – drums, percussion, machines Additional musicians *Jeff Rymes – additional vocals *

Randy Weeks Randy Weeks is an American singer and songwriter. Lucinda Williams (who covered Weeks' song " Can't Let Go") has said: "Randy Weeks writes amazingly well crafted, beautifully melodic songs and delivers them with his own brand of laid back vocals ...

– additional vocals *Lyn Todd – additional vocals *Yolanda Pittman – additional vocals *Bill Pittman – bass ("Country of Man") Technical *

– producer, co-arranger, various instruments and vocals *Peter Kelsey – engineer *

Stephen Sayadian Stephen Sayadian, also known as Rinse Dream, is a multi-talented artist who was active in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the advertising creative director for Larry Flynt Publications and an acclaimed art director & production designer responsible f ...

– cover concept and design *Wall of Voodoo – co-arrangers, design layout *Steve Hall – mastering *Ladi Von Jansky – photography *Ron Scarselli – design layout *Belinda Williams Sayadian – styling

Charts

References

{{Authority control Wall of Voodoo albums 1987 albums I.R.S. Records albums Albums produced by Richard Mazda