''On Our Big Fat Merry-Go-Round'' is the 1988 debut album by Irish

rock band A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two guita ...

A House A House were an Irish rock band that was active in Dublin from the 1985 to 1997, and recognized for the clever, "often bitter or irony laden lyrics of frontman Dave Couse ... bolstered by the and'sseemingly effortless musicality". The single " ...

. According to

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, the album reveals a taste for driving, catchy guitar rock somewhat in the style of U2. Among the album's tracks are attacks on journalists ("That's Not the Truth") and the production team of

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("Stone the Crows"). "Violent Love" deals with the topic of

domestic violence Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...

. "Call Me Blue" was released as a single and reached #9 on the ''

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Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played ...

chart in December 1988.

Track listing

# "Call Me Blue" – 2:11 # "I Want to Kill Something" – 2:24 # "I'll Always Be Grateful" – 2:42 # "My Little Lighthouse" – 4:02 # "Watch Out You're Dead" – 3:00 # "Don't Ever Think You're Different" – 2:10 # "That's Not the Truth" – 2:33 # "Love of the Eighties" – 2:51 # "Violent Love" – 2:06 # "Love Quarry" – 2:32 # "Clump of Trees" – 3:27 # "Stone the Crows" – 3:13 # "Hay When the Sun Shines" – 2:50 # "Freak Out" – 2:40 #* Extra track on CD versions of the album; originally a B-side on the ''Call Me Blue'' single.

References

1988 debut albums A House albums Sire Records albums {{1980s-alt-rock-album-stub