First Under the Wire explained

First Under the Wire
Type:	studio
Artist:	Little River Band
Cover:	FirstUnderTheWire.jpg
Released:	July 9, 1979^[1]
Length:	46:09
Label:	Capitol
Producer:	John Boylan & Little River Band
Prev Title:	It's a Long Way There (Greatest Hits)
Prev Year:	1978
Next Title:	Backstage Pass
Next Year:	1979

First Under the Wire is the fifth studio album by Australian group Little River Band, released in July 1979 by Capitol Records. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart^[2] and at No. 10 on the Billboard 200, becoming the group's highest-charting album in that territory.^[3] The album included two top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits in "Lonesome Loser" and "Cool Change".^[4]

Reception

Cash Box magazine said "Ringing harmonies are the Little River Band's forte, and its resonant vocal arrangements are in full bloom on First Under the Wire. John Boylan's sterling production adds lustre to the songs, and David Briggs brilliant guitar work continues to be the group's musical focal point." calling the album "A must for AOR, MOR and pop programmers."^[5]

Mark Allan from Allmusic gave the album four stars.^[6]

Track listing

Side A

1. "Lonesome Loser" (David Briggs) - 3:58
2. "The Rumour" (Glenn Shorrock) - 4:18
3. "By My Side" (Beeb Birtles, Graham Goble) - 4:25
4. "Cool Change" (Glenn Shorrock) - 5:14
5. "It's Not a Wonder" (Graham Goble) - 3:56

Side B

6. "Hard Life" (Prelude) (David Briggs) - 2:42
7. "Hard Life" (Graham Goble) - 4:46
8. "Middle Man" (Beeb Birtles, Graham Goble) - 4:24
9. "Man on the Run" (Beeb Birtles, Graham Goble) - 4:16
10. "Mistress of Mine" (Graham Goble) - 5:32

Personnel

• Glenn Shorrock - lead vocals (except as noted)
• David Briggs - lead guitars, Roland synthesizer guitars, Electric Sitar on track 10
• Beeb Birtles - electric and acoustic guitars, vocals, lead vocals on tracks 3 and 9, co-lead vocals on track 8
• Graham Goble - electric and acoustic guitars, backing vocals, vocal arrangements
• Derek Pellicci - Sonor and Syndrums drums, percussion
• Clive Harrison - bass guitar (tracks 1, 2, 5, 9 and 10)
• Mike Clarke - bass (tracks 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10)
• Peter Sullivan - piano (tracks 1, 2, 5, 9)
• Peter Jones - piano and keyboards (tracks 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10) and orchestrations
• Bill Harrower - saxophones on tracks 4 and 8
• John Boylan - acoustic guitar on track 2

Charts

Chart (1979)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	2
United States (Billboard 200)	10

Notes and References

1. Web site: All releases by Little River Band . Graeham Goble . Graeham Goble . 2008 . graehamgoble.com . 15 July 2011.
2. Book: Kent, David. Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book Ltd. St Ives, NSW. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 179. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
3. - First Under the Wire – Little River Band Awards
4. Book: Whitburn, Joel. Top Pop Singles 1955-1999. Joel Whitburn. 2000. Record Research, Inc.. Menomonee Falls, WI. 0-89820-140-3. 382.
5. Album Reviews. Cash Box. World Radio History. 11. 28 July 1979. 1 December 2021.
6. Web site: First Under the Wire - Little River Band . Mark . Allan . Allmusic . n.d. . 12 May 2017 .