''America's Least Wanted'' is the full-length debut 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 Wale ...
band
Ugly Kid Joe
Ugly Kid Joe is an American hard rock band from Isla Vista, California, formed in 1989. The band's name spoofs the glam metal band Pretty Boy Floyd's name.
To date, Ugly Kid Joe have released five full-length albums, two compilation albums and ...
, released in September 1992. The title is a parody of the famous phrase "
America's Most Wanted
''America's Most Wanted'' (often abbreviated as ''AMW'') is an American television program whose first run was produced by 20th Television, and second run is under the Fox Entertainment#Fox Alternative Entertainment, Fox Alternative Entertain ...
". It is the band's only album to feature drummer Mark Davis.
The album was a commercial success, charting three singles on the
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock is a music chart published by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States. It is an administrative category that combines the " active rock" and " heritage rock" ...
("Neighbor", "Busy Bee" and "
Cats in the Cradle"). "
Everything About You" peaked at No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart and at No. 9 in the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. "Cats in the Cradle" (a 1974
folk rock
Folk rock is a fusion genre of rock music with heavy influences from pop, English and American folk music. It arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music re ...
song by
Harry Chapin
Harry Forster Chapin (; December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981) was an American singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and hunger activist best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs. He achieved worldwide success in the 1970s. Chapin, a Grammy Award- ...
), also made the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number six, earning the album two top 10 Billboard hit singles. The latter song also made it to No. 11 on the
Top 40 Mainstream
Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/ CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the U ...
. As of 1995, the album has been certified
double platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music Sound recording and reproduction, recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video ...
in both the United States and Australia.
Album information
Two of the songs had previously been included on the band's 1991 debut EP ''
As Ugly as They Wanna Be'' though some small changes were made for this album: "Madman" was given a new vocal track while "
Everything About You" was given a spoken intro by actress and then ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' cast member
Julia Sweeney
Julia Anne Sweeney (born October 10, 1959) is an American actress and comedian. She gained fame as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1994. She played Mrs. Keeper in the film '' Stuart Little'' and ...
as her questionably gendered character,
Pat. The rhythm guitar parts of both songs originally played by Roger Lahr on the debut EP were replaced by those of
Dave Fortman
Dave Fortman (born July 11, 1967) is an American record producer and musician. He is the guitarist for rock band Ugly Kid Joe, and has done production work for bands such as Godsmack, Superjoint Ritual, Snot (band), Snot, Watership Down (band), ...
—Lahr was present at the time of album's recording process and left the band halfway. However, he is credited in the song "Come Tomorrow" and is included in the album's liner notes, as the band thanked him for spending his time with them. "Everything About You" had previously been included in the ''SNL''-based movie ''
Wayne's World
"Wayne's World" was originally a recurring sketch from the NBC television series ''Saturday Night Live''. The first "Wayne's World" sketch appeared in the 13th ''Saturday Night Live'' episode of the Saturday Night Live season 14, 1988–1989 seas ...
'', which was released seven months before. Pat also appeared in the video for "Neighbor."
The difference between CD and LP versions of this album is that the song "Goddamn Devil" appears as its first track on the B-side.
Artwork
The album's original artwork depicts Ugly Kid Joe's mascot as the
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; ) is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, within New York City. The copper-clad statue, a gift to the United States from the people of French Thir ...
gesturing an upraised
middle finger
The middle finger, long finger, second finger, third finger, toll finger or tall man is the third digit of the human hand, typically located between the index finger and the ring finger. It is typically the longest digit. In anatomy, it is al ...
. Several national chains refused to sell the album in their stores due to this, and a "censored" version was manufactured for some retailers. The censored version depicts the Ugly Kid Joe mascot gagged, handcuffed in one hand (which is covered with
duct tape
Duct tape or duck tape is cloth- or scrim-backed pressure-sensitive tape, often coated with polyethylene. A variety of constructions exist using different backings and adhesives, and the term "duct tape" has been genericized to refer to all o ...
) and tied in rope, while his legs are wrapped in chains. This image was originally used for the back cover of the album. The album's artwork, as well as all other promotional work and the ''
As Ugly as They Wanna Be'' and ''
The Very Best of Ugly Kid Joe: As Ugly as It Gets'' covers, was done by Whitfield Crane's high school friend Moish Brennan.
Reception
Despite being Ugly Kid Joe's most successful album, ''America's Least Wanted'' received mostly mixed reviews. The album received a positive review from
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
's
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance ...
, who said that it "delivers a set of similar rockers and a handful of power ballads, including a revamped version of
Harry Chapin
Harry Forster Chapin (; December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981) was an American singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and hunger activist best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs. He achieved worldwide success in the 1970s. Chapin, a Grammy Award- ...
's '
Cat's in the Cradle
"Cat's in the Cradle" is a folk rock song by American singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, from his fourth studio album, '' Verities & Balderdash'' (1974). The single topped the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in December 1974. As Chapin's only number-one ...
'" and described the music as a "mixture of fizzy, fuzzy riffs, sing-song melodies, and calculated obnoxiousness
hat
A hat is a Headgear, head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorpor ...
isn't that offensive."
Deborah Frost of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'', however, gave the album a C− and called it "a weak attempt to pad Ugly out to LP length with Lynyrd Skynyrd licks, Mister Rogers jokes, a scarily straight Harry Chapin cover ('Cat's in the Cradle'), and 'Mr. Recordman,' the most pathetic love song to a record company ever written. These kids should have quit while they were ahead."
Steve Hochman of ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' gave it one-and-a-half stars out of four and called Ugly Kid Joe "generic MTV-rad-party dudes in baggies and Ts who seem to know how certain kinds of rock are supposed to sound but have no clue as to why.
..The would-be centerpiece, 'Goddamn Devil,' has neither the irony nor the evil needed to revive that tired topic, despite a guest appearance by Judas Priest's knowing Rob Halford. Turning Harry Chapin's 'Cat's in the Cradle' into a power ballad was a bad idea to begin with; making it sound neither snotty nor particularly sincere only compounds the error.
..America's least wanted? Probably not. Least interesting? Now you're on target."
In popular culture
The music video for the track "Neighbor" was featured in the ''
Beavis and Butt-Head
''Beavis and Butt-Head'' is an American Adult animation, adult animated Animated sitcom, sitcom created by Mike Judge. The series follows Beavis and Butt-Head, both voiced by Judge, a pair of teenage slackers characterized by their apathy, Stupi ...
'' episode "Scratch 'n' Win" while the cover appeared as a poster in the ''
Seinfeld
''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, with a total of nine seasons consisting of List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It ...
'' episode "
The Bubble Boy".
Track listing
All songs credited to
Whitfield Crane,
Cordell Crockett, Mark Davis, Klaus Eichstadt and
Dave Fortman
Dave Fortman (born July 11, 1967) is an American record producer and musician. He is the guitarist for rock band Ugly Kid Joe, and has done production work for bands such as Godsmack, Superjoint Ritual, Snot (band), Snot, Watership Down (band), ...
. Actual writers listed below.
#"Neighbor" (Crane, Eichstadt) – 4:45
#"Goddamn Devil" (Eichstadt) – 4:55
#"Come Tomorrow" (Crane, Crockett, Eichstadt, Roger Lahr) – 4:55
#"Panhandlin' Prince" (Crane, Eichstadt) – 5:42
#"Busy Bee" (Fortman) – 4:10
#"Don't Go" (Crane, Eric Phillips) – 4:33
#"So Damn Cool" (Crane, Eichstadt) – 4:26
#"Same Side" (Crane, Crockett, Eichstadt) – 4:51
#"
Cats in the Cradle" (
Harry Chapin
Harry Forster Chapin (; December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981) was an American singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and hunger activist best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs. He achieved worldwide success in the 1970s. Chapin, a Grammy Award- ...
,
Sandra Chapin) – 4:02
#"I'll Keep Tryin'" (Eichstadt, Alan Reed) – 4:59
#"
Everything About You" (Crane, Eichstadt)– 4:20
#"Madman" ('92 Remix) (Eichstadt)– 3:37
#"Mr. Recordman" (Eichstadt) – 4:06
On the cassette pressings the track listing is:
Side one:
#"Neighbor" (Crane, Eichstadt) – 4:43
#"Come Tomorrow" (Crane, Crockett, Eichstadt, Roger Lahr) – 4:54
#"Panhandlin' Prince" (Crane, Eichstadt) – 5:41
#"Busy Bee" (Fortman) – 4:08
#"Don't Go" (Crane, Eric Phillips) – 4:30
#"So Damn Cool" (Crane, Eichstadt) – 4:24
Side two:
#"Goddamn Devil" (Eichstadt) – 4:53
#"Same Side" (Crane, Crockett, Eichstadt) – 4:48
#"Cats in the Cradle" (Harry Chapin, Sandra Chapin) – 4:01
#"I'll Keep Tryin'" (Eichstadt, Alan Reed) – 4:58
#"Everything About You" (Crane, Eichstadt)– 4:20
#"Madman" ('92 Remix) (Eichstadt)– 3:37
#"Mr. Recordman" (Eichstadt) – 4:11
Personnel
*
Whitfield Crane - vocals
*
Cordell Crockett - bass, vocals, background vocals
* Klaus Eichstadt - guitar, vocals, background vocals, lead vocals on "Mr. Recordman"
*
Dave Fortman
Dave Fortman (born July 11, 1967) is an American record producer and musician. He is the guitarist for rock band Ugly Kid Joe, and has done production work for bands such as Godsmack, Superjoint Ritual, Snot (band), Snot, Watership Down (band), ...
- guitar, vocals, background vocals
* Mark Davis - percussion, drums
Additional personnel
* Jennifer Barry - background vocals
*
Rob Halford
Robert John Arthur Halford (born 25 August 1951) is an English heavy metal singer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of Judas Priest, which was formed in 1969 and has received accolades such as the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Metal Perform ...
- background vocals on "Goddamn Devil"
*
Carrie Hamilton
Carrie Louise Hamilton (December 5, 1963 – January 20, 2002) was an American actress, playwright and singer. Hamilton was a daughter of comedian Carol Burnett and producer Joe Hamilton. She was the elder sister of actress Jody Hamilton an ...
- piano on "Everything About You"
*
Stephen Perkins
Stephen Andrew Perkins (born September 13, 1967) is an American musician and songwriter. A drummer and percussionist, he has played with Jane's Addiction, Porno for Pyros, Banyan and Hellride. His style blends rock, jazz, swing, African, In ...
- percussion
*
Dean Pleasants - rhythm guitar on "Same Side"
*
Julia Sweeney
Julia Anne Sweeney (born October 10, 1959) is an American actress and comedian. She gained fame as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1994. She played Mrs. Keeper in the film '' Stuart Little'' and ...
- spoken words on "Goddamn Devil" and "Everything About You"
*
Jay Baumgardner
Jay Baumgardner is an American record producer, engineer and mixer. He has worked on albums by The Regulators, Seether, Superheist, Ugly Kid Joe, Bush, Helmet, Sevendust, Papa Roach, Endwell, Coal Chamber, Drowning Pool, Godsmack, Three ...
- remixing
* Greg Calbi - mastering
*
Mark Dodson - producer, engineer
* Michael Dodson - producer, engineer, mixing
* Ryan Dorn - producer
* Michael Levine - photography
* Randy Long - engineer, mixing
*
Ugly Kid Joe
Ugly Kid Joe is an American hard rock band from Isla Vista, California, formed in 1989. The band's name spoofs the glam metal band Pretty Boy Floyd's name.
To date, Ugly Kid Joe have released five full-length albums, two compilation albums and ...
- producer, remixing
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{Authority control
Ugly Kid Joe albums
1992 debut albums
Mercury Records albums
Albums produced by Mark Dodson