''Wild in the Streets'' is the second studio album by American

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...

band Circle Jerks. It was released on March 4, 1982, by

Faulty Products I.R.S. Records was an American record label founded by Miles Copeland III, Jay Boberg, and Carl Grasso in 1979. I.R.S. produced some of the most popular bands of the 1980s, and was particularly known for issuing records by college rock, new wave ...

, a sub-label of I.R.S. Records.

Background

The album featured three cover songs, including the title track, originally by

Garland Jeffreys Garland Jeffreys (born June 29, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter in rock and roll, reggae, blues, and soul music. Career Jeffreys is from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, of African American and Puerto Rican heritage. He majored in art hist ...

; " Just Like Me", originally performed by

Paul Revere & the Raiders Paul Revere & the Raiders (also known as Raiders) were an American rock band formed in Boise, Idaho, in 1958. They saw considerable U.S. mainstream success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s. The band was known for including Revolu ...

; and "

Put a Little Love in Your Heart "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" is a song originally performed in 1969 by Jackie DeShannon, who composed it with her brother Randy Myers and Jimmy Holiday. In the U.S., it was DeShannon's highest-charting hit, reaching number 4 on the Hot 100 ...

", originally performed by

Jackie DeShannon Jackie DeShannon (born Sharon Lee Myers, August 21, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and radio broadcaster with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards, as both singer and composer. She was one of the first female singer-songwr ...

. The album cover, a photo by punk photographer

Ed Colver Edward Curtiss Colver (born 1949), also known as Ed Colver, is an American photographer, best known for his early punk photographs.

, featured an image of the band members and others (including Mike Ness of

Social Distortion Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness (lead vocals, lead guitar), Jonny Wickersham (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Brent Harding (bass, backing voca ...

) running in the streets at Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, California.

Reception

''Wild in the Streets'' received a mixed review from Stephen Thomas Erlewine of

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 ...

, who gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, claiming that it does not have "the wild, appealingly offensive mixture of crude lyrics and frenetic riffs that made the Circle Jerks' debut, ''

Group Sex Group sex is sexual behavior involving more than two participants. Participants in group sex can be of any sexual orientation or gender. Any form of sexual activity can be adopted to involve more than two participants, but some forms have their ...

''". However, Erlewine added that "there are enough tracks that nearly make the mark -- including a tongue-in-cheek cover of '

' and the title track, which is a version of the theme song to the '60s teen exploitation flick of the same name -- to make it worthwhile for

Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...

punk fanatics".

Reissues

In 1988, the album was remixed and reissued on

Frontier Records Frontier Records is an independent record label, started in 1980 in Sun Valley, Los Angeles by Lisa Fancher, a former employee of Bomp! Records and writer of the liner notes for the first album by The Runaways. History Frontier Records first ...

, both on its own in cassette and vinyl formats, and paired with the band's debut as '' Group Sex/Wild in the Streets'' on CD. A 40th anniversary edition came out in 2022, with a 20-page booklet featuring an album history by L.A. music writer Chris Morris.

Track listing

Personnel

Keith Morris Keith Morris (born September 18, 1955) is an American singer and songwriter known for his role as frontman of the hardcore punk bands Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and Off!. Born and raised in Hermosa Beach, California, he formed Black Flag at the ...

– lead vocals *

Greg Hetson Greg Hetson (born June 29, 1961) is an American guitarist. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and has lived in the Los Angeles area since he was 2 years old. Active since 1979, Hetson is best known as the guitarist for the influential hardcore pu ...

– guitar, backing vocals * Roger Rogerson – bass *

Lucky Lehrer Lucky Lehrer is a drummer from Los Angeles, California associated with several influential LA punk rock bands. He was originally trained in jazz then played in a number of LA punk rock bands, particularly the Circle Jerks, Redd Kross, Bad Religi ...

– drums Production * David Anderle; Gary Hirstius – production * Steve Katz – engineering * Paul McKenna – assistant engineer * Frank Deluna – mixing * John Golden – mastering * Ed Colver – front cover photo *

Glen E. Friedman Glen Ellis Friedman (born March 3, 1962) is an American photographer and artist. He became known for his activities within rebellious skateboarding and music cultures. Photographing artists Fugazi, Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks, Minor ...

– back cover photos * Carl Grasso;

Shawn Kerri Shawn Kerri (born Shawn Maureen Fitzgerald, 1958) is an American cartoonist who was active in the 1970s and 1980s. She is known for her work as one of the few female contributors to ''CARtoons Magazine,'' and as part of the early Southern Califor ...

– artwork

References

{{Authority control 1982 albums Circle Jerks albums Albums produced by David Anderle Frontier Records albums Faulty Products albums