Tubthumper
Encyclopedia
Tubthumper is an album by the band
Chumbawamba
, and is the album that catapulted them into the mainstream, released by EMI Electrola GmbH
and in the US by Universal Records
. Many of the tracks address specific social issues, such as homelessness, the Liverpool Dockers' Strike
or racism
; a fair number of them express the far-left critiques of British liberals
in "New Labour," which started in 1994. Tubthumper was the band's first major commercial success, and remains their most successful album, selling over 3 million units in the United States
alone, largely on the strength of the hit lead single "Tubthumping
". Cover design for the album was by Michael Calleia at Industrial Strength Design in New York City.
, and the fact that it was distributed by major label London Records
).
The band's actions were made the subject of a compilation EP released in 1998 entitled The Anti-Chumbawamba EP, featuring music from other English acts. One of the songs from the EP was once available to download on the Chumbawamba official website, with accompanying text from the band stating, "It's all true."
Dunstan Bruce and Danbert Nobacon are shown reading hate mail from various fans and ex-fans in the 2000 Chumbawamba documentary, Well Done Now Sod Off. The letters are quite rude and severely critical of the actions undertaken by the band, with Nobacon having trouble finishing one letter and exclaiming his amazement at the harshness.
The band's official FAQ has the following to say on the subject: "We signed to EMI/Universal not because we'd been co-opted into the 'If you can't beat capitalism... join it' school of thought, but because experience had taught us that in a capitalist environment almost every record company operates on capitalist principles. Our previous record label One Little Indian didn't have the evil symbolic significance of EMI Electrola BUT they were completely motivated by profit. Our [Chumbawamba's] position was that whoever we signed with would want us not for our ideas but for the potential profit, so we'd battle for a contract where we still had autonomy."
Bonus tracks on some versions
with
also featuring
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
Chumbawamba
Chumbawamba
Chumbawamba is a British musical group who have, over a career spanning nearly three decades, played punk rock, pop-influenced music, world music, and folk music...
, and is the album that catapulted them into the mainstream, released by EMI Electrola GmbH
Electrola
Electrola was a record label founded in Berlin in 1925 by the Gramophone Company. In March 1931 Electrola, along with its parent label and Carl Lindström Company parent Columbia Graphophone Company, merged to form the Electric & Musical Industries Ltd. . The German EMI unit was first called...
and in the US by Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
. Many of the tracks address specific social issues, such as homelessness, the Liverpool Dockers' Strike
Liverpool Dockers' Strike
The Liverpool Dockers' Strike lasted from 1995 to 1998.Although referred to as a strike it was strictly a dispute because the employers, the MDHC had actually used the opportunity to sack the dockers who were caught up in a separate dispute.The Liverpool dockers refused to cross a picket line set...
or racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
; a fair number of them express the far-left critiques of British liberals
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
in "New Labour," which started in 1994. Tubthumper was the band's first major commercial success, and remains their most successful album, selling over 3 million units in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
alone, largely on the strength of the hit lead single "Tubthumping
Tubthumping
"Tubthumping", informally known by its prominent lyric "I Get Knocked Down", is the title of a song released by the Anarcho-punk band Chumbawamba on 11 August 1997 through Universal Records and EMI Electrola. It was their most successful single, peaking at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart...
". Cover design for the album was by Michael Calleia at Industrial Strength Design in New York City.
EMI controversy
Tubthumper caused a huge upheaval in Chumbawamba's fan base, with many of their older fans feeling the band had trivialised all that they had stood for in signing to EMI Electrola. The band was targeted by many as being sell-outs and hypocrites, after having been sternly Do-it-Yourself (DIY) for their fifteen year history up until this point (when people cite this fact, however, they do tend to overlook that for many years, Chumbawamba were signed to a smaller commercial label, One Little Indian RecordsOne Little Indian Records
One Little Indian Records is a London-based independent record label that rose from the ashes of punk record company Spiderleg Records. It was set up in 1985 by members of various anarchist punk bands, and managed by ex-Flux of Pink Indians Derek Birkett. The first success came with A.R. Kane and...
, and the fact that it was distributed by major label London Records
London Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
).
The band's actions were made the subject of a compilation EP released in 1998 entitled The Anti-Chumbawamba EP, featuring music from other English acts. One of the songs from the EP was once available to download on the Chumbawamba official website, with accompanying text from the band stating, "It's all true."
Dunstan Bruce and Danbert Nobacon are shown reading hate mail from various fans and ex-fans in the 2000 Chumbawamba documentary, Well Done Now Sod Off. The letters are quite rude and severely critical of the actions undertaken by the band, with Nobacon having trouble finishing one letter and exclaiming his amazement at the harshness.
The band's official FAQ has the following to say on the subject: "We signed to EMI/Universal not because we'd been co-opted into the 'If you can't beat capitalism... join it' school of thought, but because experience had taught us that in a capitalist environment almost every record company operates on capitalist principles. Our previous record label One Little Indian didn't have the evil symbolic significance of EMI Electrola BUT they were completely motivated by profit. Our [Chumbawamba's] position was that whoever we signed with would want us not for our ideas but for the potential profit, so we'd battle for a contract where we still had autonomy."
Track listing
All songs written and arranged by Chumbawamba- "TubthumpingTubthumping"Tubthumping", informally known by its prominent lyric "I Get Knocked Down", is the title of a song released by the Anarcho-punk band Chumbawamba on 11 August 1997 through Universal Records and EMI Electrola. It was their most successful single, peaking at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart...
" – 4:39 - "AmnesiaAmnesia (Chumbawamba song)"Amnesia" is the second single from Chumbawamba's album Tubthumper. It was released through EMI Electrola and Universal Records in January 28, 1998. The song's lyrical content addressess the sense of betrayal that English leftists felt during the rise of New Labour...
" – 4:08 - "Drip, Drip, Drip" – 5:08
- "The Big Issue" – 4:37
- "The Good Ship Lifestyle" – 5:13
- "One by One" – 4:45
- "Outsider" – 5:08
- "Creepy Crawling" – 4:03
- "Mary, Mary" – 4:58
- "Smalltown" – 3:13
- "I Want More" – 4:01
- "Scapegoat" – 5:07
Bonus tracks on some versions
- "Farewell to the Crown" - 2:56
- "Football Song" - 2:25
- "Seven Days" - 4:07
- "May Day" - 3:51
- "Top of the World (Olé, Olé, Olé)" – 3:49
Personnel
- Lou Watts: vocals, keyboards
- Danbert NobaconDanbert NobaconDanbert Nobacon was a vocalist and occasional keyboard player in the Leeds based anarchist band Chumbawamba...
: vocals - Paul Greco: bass
- BoffBoff WhalleyAllan Mark "Boff" Whalley is the lead guitarist for the band Chumbawamba.-Early life and education:Whalley was born Allan Mark Whalley in 1961 in Burnley, Lancashire...
: guitar, vocals - Jude Abbott: trumpet, vocals
- Alice Nutter: vocals
- Dunstan Bruce: vocals, percussion
- Harry Hamer: drums, programming
with
- Neil Ferguson: keyboards, guitars
also featuring
- ChopperOysterbandOysterband is a British electric folk or folk rock band formed in Canterbury in or around 1976.-Early history:...
: cello on "I Want More" - Michael Cohen: vocal on "Amnesia"
- Abbott Sauce Works Band: brass on "Scapegoat"
- Kye Coles: vocals on "Thank You"