Seven Days in Sammystown
Encyclopedia
Seven Days in Sammystown is the third studio album by American
new wave
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. It includes their cover version
of "Dark as a Dungeon
". The album reached #50 on the Australian charts. The track "Far Side of Crazy
" featured in the 1985 movie Head Office
.
and Stan Ridgway
. They cited "Business of Love" and "Big City" as examples of failed attempts to imitate the original band, while declaring "Far Side of Crazy," "Room With a View," "Dark as a Dungeon," and "(Don't Spill My) Courage" to all be exceptional tracks which sounded little like the Nanini/Ridgway lineup.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band Wall of Voodoo
Wall of Voodoo
Wall of Voodoo was an American New Wave group from Los Angeles best known for the 1983 hit "Mexican Radio". The band had a sound that was a fusion of synthesizer-based New Wave music with the spaghetti western soundtrack style of Ennio Morricone.-Formation:...
, released in 1985. This was the first Wall of Voodoo album to include Andy Prieboy
Andy Prieboy
Andy Prieboy is a musician, author, and former morgue attendant. He was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in East Chicago, Indiana....
on vocals and Ned Leukhardt on drums. It includes their cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Dark as a Dungeon
Dark as a Dungeon
"Dark as a Dungeon" is a song written by singer-songwriter Merle Travis. It is a lament about the danger and drudgery of being a coal miner in an Appalachian shaft mine. It has become a rallying song among miners seeking improved working conditions....
". The album reached #50 on the Australian charts. The track "Far Side of Crazy
Far Side of Crazy
"Far Side of Crazy" is a song by the New Wave group Wall of Voodoo. It was released as a 7" and 12" single in 1985. It is arguably the band's second biggest hit. Although it never charted in its native US, it reached #23 in the Australian Charts and stayed in the top 100 for 21 weeks. It was...
" featured in the 1985 movie Head Office
Head Office
Head Office is a 1985 American comedy film, produced by HBO Pictures in association with Silver Screen Partners. It stars Judge Reinhold, Eddie Albert, Lori-Nan Engler, Jane Seymour, Richard Masur, Michael O'Donoghue, Ron Frazier, Merritt Butrick and was directed and written by Ken...
.
Reception
Allmusic's retrospective review judged the album's biggest flaw to be that the band was still presenting themselves as Wall of Voodoo, even without the distinctive presences of Joe NaniniJoe Nanini
Oliver Joseph Nanini was a drummer, most famous for being part of the New Wave group Wall of Voodoo during their heyday in the 1980s. He was known for using pots, pans and other objects as drums. He, along with Stan Ridgway and Bill Noland, left the band after their performance at the US Festival...
and Stan Ridgway
Stan Ridgway
Stanard 'Stan' Ridgway is an American multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter known for his distinctive voice, dramatic lyrical narratives, and eclectic solo albums and was the original lead singer of the band Wall of Voodoo...
. They cited "Business of Love" and "Big City" as examples of failed attempts to imitate the original band, while declaring "Far Side of Crazy," "Room With a View," "Dark as a Dungeon," and "(Don't Spill My) Courage" to all be exceptional tracks which sounded little like the Nanini/Ridgway lineup.
Track listing
- "Far Side of CrazyFar Side of Crazy"Far Side of Crazy" is a song by the New Wave group Wall of Voodoo. It was released as a 7" and 12" single in 1985. It is arguably the band's second biggest hit. Although it never charted in its native US, it reached #23 in the Australian Charts and stayed in the top 100 for 21 weeks. It was...
" - 4:05 - "This Business of Love" - 4:36
- "Faded Love" - 1:02
- "Mona" - 5:01
- "Room With a View" - 2:59
- "Blackboard Sky" - 4:41
- "Big CityBig CityBig City may refer to:* Big City , a fictional future city in Antarctica*The Big City , directed by Tod Browning*Big City , a 1937 film, directed by Frank Borzage, starring Luise Rainer and Spencer Tracy...
" - 4:30 - "Dark as a DungeonDark as a Dungeon"Dark as a Dungeon" is a song written by singer-songwriter Merle Travis. It is a lament about the danger and drudgery of being a coal miner in an Appalachian shaft mine. It has become a rallying song among miners seeking improved working conditions....
" - 4:43 - "Museums" - 4:21
- "Tragic Vaudeville" - 3:44
- "(Don't Spill My) Courage" - 4:17
Personnel
- Ian Broudie - producer
- Charles T. Gray - keyboards, backing vocals
- Peter Hammond - remixing
- Scott Lindgren - photography
- Ned Leukhardt - percussion, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Bruce Moreland - bass guitar, keyboards
- Marc MorelandMarc MorelandMarc Moreland was an American rock musician. He was the former guitarist for new wave band Wall of Voodoo, punk band The Skulls, and rock bands Pretty and Twisted and Department of Crooks...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Gil NortonGil NortonGil Norton is a British record producer known for his work with such bands as Pixies, Echo & the Bunnymen, Foo Fighters, Tribe, Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, Feeder, The Distillers, Maxïmo Park, Counting Crows, Terrorvision, The Triffids, Del Amitri, James, The Feelers, The Beekeepers,...
- engineer - John ParishJohn ParishJohn Parish is a British musician and producer best known for his work with singer and songwriter PJ Harvey,. His sister is the actress Sarah Parish.-Partial discography:Solo*Rosie *How Animals Move...
- percussion - Dave Powell - engineer
- Andy PrieboyAndy PrieboyAndy Prieboy is a musician, author, and former morgue attendant. He was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in East Chicago, Indiana....
- lead vocals, keyboards - Ray Roberts - art direction, paintings