Learning English, Lesson One Explained

Learning English, Lesson One
Type:	compilation
Artist:	Die Toten Hosen
Cover:	Learningenglish.gif
Released:	11 November 1991 18 October 1994 (USA import version) 2007 (jubilee edition)^[1]
Recorded:	1991
Genre:	Punk rock, protopunk
Length:	49:10 77:18 (re-release)
Label:	ToT Virgin Records
Producer:	Jon Caffery & Die Toten Hosen
Prev Year:	1990
Next Title:	The Nightmare Continues E.P.
Next Year:	1991

Learning English, Lesson One or Learning English, Lesson 1 (other punctuation variations possible) is a cover album by the German punk band Die Toten Hosen.^{[2] [3]} The album includes covers of mostly British bands, which were big influences on the band.

It is the first all-English album for Die Toten Hosen; the first English language studio album was released three years later. It made the band better known outside of German-speaking countries.

The album features many guest stars, including Johnny Thunders, who died after recording "Born to Lose" for Learning English.^[4] According to band members, he already wasn't looking very good when he came to record his part.

The album has a central parody theme of an independent language-learning tape, where "Janet and John" are the teachers. Janet and John are heard in short humorous introductions.

Critical reception

Trouser Press wrote that "the excellently performed and impressively reverent Learning English is less a tribute than a precise re-creation."^[5] People called the album "more than just a quirky collector’s item ... [it] is the perfect way to look back—or discover—where [punk] all began."^[6] Washington City Paper deemed it "a sappy, charming album of class-of-'77 covers."^[7]

Track listing

1. Learning English • Step One − 0:31
2. "Blitzkrieg Bop" − 1:50 (Ramones)
3. "Brickfield Nights" − 3:34 (The Boys)
4. Step Two − 0:11
5. "Just Thirteen" − 2:30 (The Lurkers)
6. "If the Kids Are United" − 3:08 (Sham 69)
7. "Nasty Nasty" − 2:06 (999)
8. Step Three − 0:17
9. "Dirty Pictures" − 2:15 (Radio Stars)
10. "Baby Baby" − 3:13 (The Vibrators)
11. "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" − 2:15 (The Adverts)
12. "Born to Lose" − 3:21 (The Heartbreakers)
13. How the Rockafellas Went to Hollywood − 0:18
14. "Do You Remember" − 3:25 (The Rockafellas)
15. "Carnival in Rio (Punk Was)" − 3:08 (Campino, von Holst/Ronald Biggs)
16. Step Four − 0:18
17. "Right to Work" − 3:03 (Chelsea)
18. "Whole Wide World" − 3:19 (Wreckless Eric)
19. "Smash It Up" − 2:57 (The Damned)
20. "Stranglehold" − 2:11 (UK Subs)
21. Step Five − 0:22
22. "Love and a Molotov Cocktail" − 2:30 (The Flys)
23. "Do Anything You Wanna Do" − 4:27 (Eddie and the Hot Rods)
24. Goodbye from Janet & John − 1:01

2007 remastered anniversary edition bonus tracks

25. "No One Is Innocent" (Steve Jones/Biggs) – 3:03 (from "Carnival in Rio (Punk Was)"; Sex Pistols cover)
26. "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" (Mick Jones/Joe Strummer) – 2:43 (from "Warum werde ich nicht satt?"; The Clash cover)
27. "Rockaway Beach" (Colvin, Cummings, Erdelyi, Hyman) – 1:59 (from "Alles wird vorübergehen"; Ramones cover)
28. "Eddie & Sheena" (Rogers) – 4:24 (Wayne County & the Electric Chairs cover; recorded for Jürgen Krause's birthday, who is a good friend of the band)
29. "Richmond" (Billingsley, Allen, Griffiths) – 2:39 (from the US version of Learning English Lesson 1; Pin Point cover)
30. "In Still of the Night" (Frege, Plain) – 4:11 (Learning English Lesson 1 demo)
31. "Anything but Love" (Frege, Dangerfield) – 3:58 (Learning English Lesson 1 demo)
32. "I Met Her at the Jet Grill" (Meurer/Frege, Plain) – 1:56 (Learning English Lesson 1 demo)

Singles

• 1991: "Carnival in Rio (Punk Was)"
• 1991: "Baby Baby"
• 1992: "Whole Wide World"
• 1992: "If the Kids Are United

Personnel

• Campino - vocals
• Andreas von Holst - guitar
• Michael Breitkopf - guitar
• Andreas Meurer - bass
• Wolfgang Rohde - drums

Charts

Year	Country	Position
1992	Germany	30
1991	Switzerland	23
1991	Austria	38

Notes and References

1. Web site: Learning English, Lesson One - Die Toten Hosen: Releases. allmusic.com. Allmusic. 13 November 2014.
2. Book: Thompson, Dave. Alternative Rock. July 1, 2000. Hal Leonard Corporation. 9780879306076. Google Books.
3. Web site: Album Reviews. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Inc. November 26, 1994. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. Google Books.
4. Deming. Mark. Die Toten Hosen - Biography. Billboard. 13 November 2014.
5. Web site: Die Toten Hosen.
6. Web site: Picks and Pans Review: Learning English, Lesson One. PEOPLE.com.
7. Web site: Learning English, Lesson One. Washington City Paper. 27 September 2002.