Do It Yourself [Bonus Tracks]

• Artist: Ian Dury & the Blockheads
• Rating:
• Release Date: September 30, 1998
• Genre: Rock

Review

Ian Dury's music always bordered on the functional, since it was used as a backdrop for his wry vignettes and stories, but on his second album, Do It Yourself, that aspect came to the fore. Largely abandoning the punk inflections that were scattered throughout New Boots and Panties!!, Do It Yourself is a record of mid-tempo pub rock disco -- competently played, but rarely engaging. Dury's stories are all wonderful, filled with humor and penetrating detail, but only a handful of tracks, such as the terrific "Inbetweenies," are married to actual hooks, and by the end of the record, the steady disco throb has become a little numbing. Even with these faults, Do It Yourself remains one of Dury's very best records, since his lyrical facility throughout the album is simply amazing. [Repertoire's 1996 CD reissue of Do It Yourself improves the album considerably by adding several singles -- "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick," "There Ain't Half Been Some Clever Bastards," "Reasons to Be Cheerful, Pt. 3," "Common as Muck," "I Want to Be Straight" -- that are far more successful disco/pub rock fusions than anything on the album.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Inbetweenies	Ian Dury, Chas Jankel	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(5:21)
Quiet	Ian Dury, Chas Jankel	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(3:34)
Don't Ask Me	Ian Dury, Chas Jankel	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(3:19)
Sink My Boats	Ian Dury, Chas Jankel	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(4:12)
Waiting for Your Taxi	Ian Dury, Chas Jankel	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(2:53)
This Is What We Find	Ian Dury, Mick Gallagher	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(4:10)
Uneasy Sunny Day Hotsy Totsy	Ian Dury, Chas Jankel	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(2:10)
Mischief	Ian Dury, Chas Jankel	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(3:33)
Dance of the Screamers	Ian Dury, Chas Jankel	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(6:40)
Lullaby for Francies	Ian Dury, Chas Jankel	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(5:09)
Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick [#][*]	Ian Dury, Chas Jankel	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(3:45)
There Ain't Half Been Some Clever Bastards [#][*]	Ian Dury, Russell Hardy	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(3:04)
Reasons to Be Cheerful, Pt. 3 [#][*]	Ian Dury, Chas Jankel, Davey Payne	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(4:46)
Common as Muck [#][*]	Ian Dury, Chickenshorts	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(4:00)
I Want to Be Straight [#][*]	Ian Dury, Mick Gallagher	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(3:19)
That's Not All [#][*]	Ian Dury, Davey Payne	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(2:48)
Reasons to Be Cheerful, Pt. 3 [Extended Version][#]	Ian Dury, Chas Jankel, Davey Payne	Ian Dury & the Blockheads	(6:40)

Credits

Ian Dury (Vocals), Ian Dury (Main Performer), Ian Dury (Vox Continental), Charlie Charles (Drums), Mick Gallagher (Keyboards), Chas Jankel (Guitar), Chas Jankel (Drums), Chas Jankel (Keyboards), Chas Jankel (Music Direction), Andrew King (?), Laurie Latham (Engineer), Davey Payne (Saxophone), John Turnbull (Guitar), Chris Warwick (Sounds), Norman Watt-Roy (Bass), Roger Dopson (Liner Notes), Edwin Cross (Tape Operator), Kosmo Vinyl (?)