Strawberry Switchblade (album) explained

Strawberry Switchblade
Type:studio
Artist:Strawberry Switchblade
Cover:Strawberry Switchblade Album Cover.jpg
Released:5 April 1985[1]
Recorded:1984
Length:34:04
Label:Korova / WEA
Producer:David Motion, Phil Thornalley
Next Title:The 12" Album
Next Year:1985

Strawberry Switchblade is the only studio album released by the Scottish new wave duo Strawberry Switchblade.

Release

The album did not live up to the high chart expectations created by the #5 (UK)[2] single "Since Yesterday". It entered and peaked at #25 on the UK Album Chart in April 1985.[2] The album was promoted by two additional singles: the first, "Let Her Go", reached #59[2] and the final single, "Who Knows What Love Is?", reached #84 on the UK Singles Chart.[2] "Since Yesterday" also charted in Ireland and the Netherlands where it reached #6[3] and #24[4] respectively.

Re-release

The original Strawberry Switchblade LP has not been re-released in the UK (or in Europe) since 1985, though all of its tracks (apart from the short instrumental reprise of "Who Knows What Love Is?") appeared on the group's Platinum Collection compilation. In Japan, where the group were extremely popular, it was issued on CD for the first time in 1989, and released again there on CD in 1997 in a 20-track expanded version, including B-sides, remixes and non-album singles. Additionally, the track "Go Away" was rerecorded for the 1997 CD.

Track listing

All songs written by Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall, except where noted.

B-sides

TitleSingle
"Beautiful End""Let Her Go"
"Black Taxi""Jolene"
"By the Sea""Since Yesterday"
"Ecstasy (Apple of My Eye)""Ecstasy (Apple of My Eye)" (1985 Japan standalone single)
"I Can Feel""I Can Feel" (1986 Japan standalone single)
"Jolene""Jolene" (1984 standalone single)
"Michael Who Walks by Night""Let Her Go" (12" single)
"Poor Hearts""Who Knows What Love Is?"
"Sunday Morning""Since Yesterday" (12" single)
"Trees and Flowers""Trees and Flowers" (1983 standalone U.K. single)

Personnel

Strawberry Switchblade

with:

Technical

"Thanks to David Balfe and Bill Drummond"[5]

Release history

CountryDateLabelFormatCatalogNotesRef.
United KingdomApril 1985Korova / WEAVinylKODE 11 / 240525-1
Korova / WEACassette240525-4
Japan25 May 1985KorovaVinylP-13120
KorovaCassettePKG-3115
10 July 1989Korova / WEACD18P2-2856
25 May 1997Korova / WEA JapanCDWPCR-1093Expanded edition
22 November 2006Korova / WEACDWPCR-75254Expanded edition; Repress
24 July 2013KorovaCDWPCR-78061Expanded edition; Repress
United Kingdom20 June 2017Domino MusicDigital DownloadREWIG124DExpanded edition[6]

The 12" Album

The 12" Album
Type:Remix
Artist:Strawberry Switchblade
Recorded:1985
Genre:
Length:36:50
Label:
  • Korova
  • WEA

The 12" Album was a remix album released in Japan in November 1985. The album contains 5 extended mixes, one standalone single and one B-side.

Despite the name of the album, only two of the remixes had previously appeared on 12" singles, these being the mixes of "Let Her Go" (from the 12" release of "Who Knows What Love Is?") and "Jolene" (from that single's 12" release). The other three mixes were specially done for this remix album and were not released in the United Kingdom.

The extended mix of "Since Yesterday" later appeared as the B-side of the Strawberry Switchblade's final single "I Can Feel" in 1986.

Release History

CountryDateLabelFormatCatalog
Japan28 November 1985Korova / WEALPP-6219
CassettePKF1034
Canada2000Communique RecordsCDCDCOMM-5

Notes and References

  1. 30 March 1985. News. Number One. 5. 18 October 2022. Flickr.
  2. Web site: The Official Charts Company – Strawberry Switchblade. Official Charts Company. 9 November 2009.
  3. Web site: The Irish Charts – All there is to know. © IRMA 2006 – 2008. 9 November 2009.
  4. Web site: dutchcharts.nl – Strawberry Switchblade – Since Yesterday. © 2006-2009 Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.. 10 November 2009.
  5. Web site: Strawberry Switchblade - Strawberry Switchblade . .
  6. Web site: Strawberry Switchblade - Strawberry Switchblade (Download) Domino Mart . 2024-07-14 . Domino Recording Company . en.