Recording details
Date – Summer 1970
Studio – United Recording Corp., Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood
Producer – Don van Vliet
Engineer – Phil Schier
Musicians
Don van Vliet – vocals, harmonica, sax
Bill Harkleroad – guitar
Art Tripp – drums, marimba, broom
Mark Boston – bass
John French – drums
Track list
- Lick My Decals Off, Baby
- Doctor Dark
- I Love You, You Big Dummy
- Peon
- Bellerin’ Plain
- Woe-is-uh-Me-Bop
- Japan in a Dishpan
- I Wanna Find a Woman That’ll Hold My Big Toe Till I Have To Go
- Petrified Forest
- One Red Rose That I Mean
- The Buggy Boogie Woogie
- The Smithsonian Institute Blues (or the Big Dig)
- Space-age Couple
- The Clouds Are Full of Wine (not Whiskey or Rye)
- Flash Gordon’s Ape
Produced by Captain Beefheart for God’s Golfball Productions.
All songs written by Captain Beefheart.
This album had lyrics that came with it, however, they do not exactly match the songs sung. The lyrics shown here are the written ones from the album sleeve.
Included are also other songs / poems that are not sung on the album but are written inside:
Reproduction of a Don Van Vliet painting included on the sleeve.
This is an alternate cover to the album.
The cover photo shown at top was shot on the set of the Warner Bros. movie “Hotel.”
Album overview from Graham Johnston
Often regarded by fans to be the Magic Band’s finest album, despite the towering reputation of its predecessor, Trout Mask Replica. Lick My Decals Off Baby is an astonishing achievement, and closes their most experimental and visionary stage.
The songs are stunning – some are even ‘catchy’ in a strange, warped, Beefheart way; pop but really not as we know it. The opening line seems to address this very point by referencing and subverting a simple Beatles reference:
Rather than I want to hold your hand I want to swallow you whole.
Now that’s a statement of intent. And the album does indeed leave us feeling swallowed whole by a benevolent monster; ever so slightly bruised and semi-digested but strangely at home.
It’s been unavailable on CD ever since 1991; a confusing and frustrating situation – would Sgt Pepper ever be treated like this? However its hard-to-find status has helped enhance its mystery which occasional vinyl-only releases and digital downloads have been unable to shake off.
Trout Mask Replica may be regarded as Beefheart’s greatest masterpiece for good reason but Lick My Decal Off, Baby is where it all really gels.
Reviews
- Lick My Decals Off Baby by Terry Byrnes. One of a series of reviews published in the 10th December 1970 Rolling Stone.
- Lick My Decals Off Baby by Ed Ward. Another from the 10th December 1970 Rolling Stone.
- Lick My Decals Off Baby by Langdon Winner from 10th December 1970 Rolling Stone.
- Beefheart: A Prime Cut – Lick My Decals Off Baby, by ‘RW’ from 2nd January 1971 Melody Maker.
- Lester Bangs reviews Lick My Decals Off Baby from the March 1971 edition of Creem.
- John’s Heart – Lick My Decals Off Baby, by Tom Clark from 1972, Grossman Publishers.
Advertising
A television ad was created and screened – view the ad and read about its controversy.
Purchase Lick My Decals Off Baby
- CD from amazon.co.uk – overpriced, second hand only
- Mp3 from amazon.co.uk
- Vinyl from amazon.co.uk
- CD from amazon.com – overpriced, second hand only
- Mp3 from amazon.com
- Vinyl from amazon.com
Lick My Decals Off Baby releases
View the Radar Station’s full information about the various editions of Lick My Decals Off Baby which have appeared over the years.
Related links
- Lick My Decals Off Baby on Wikipedia
- Lick My Decals Off Baby on Discogs
- Lick My Decals Off Baby on AllMusic
- Lick My Decals Off baby article by Richard Mason at Perfect Sound Forever
- All Lick My Decals Off Baby-related items here at the Radar Station
Help us out
If anyone is able to complete or update any of the information above, then please do get in touch.
I am curious about the alternative cover, presenting the promo Decal as the cover itself. I want to know if it was actual or not