Give Me Convenience OR Give Me Death

• Artist: Dead Kennedys
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1987
• Total Time: 50:49
• Type: Lyrics are included with the album, Contains explicit content
• Genre: Rock

Review

Hounded by political enemies and reaching their personal breaking point, the Kennedys bowed with a retrospective of some of their fiercest, finest moments. If one needs a starting point for the band's fierce, funny assault on any level of complacency imaginable, Give Me Convenience is indeed as convenient as it gets. Focusing for the most part on non-album cuts or various rarities, it appeals to hardcore Dead Kennedys fans as well as neophytes. The collection includes some of the band's earliest greats, like the legendary rant "Too Drunk to Fuck," as withering a depiction of getting trashed and stupid as any. While the definitive "California Über Alles" and "Holiday in Cambodia" make the cut from the first album, there are also plenty of more obscure and unknown goodies. The second half features live tracks like the hilarious "Pull My Strings," which vivisects typical rock star pomposity (knowingly quoting the Knack's "My Sharona") before shifting into an even nuttier chorus. Another screamingly funny number is the improv "Night of the Living Rednecks," done "while Ray was changing strings" at an Oregon date in 1979. After threatening to play the theme from the Dinah Shore show, the remaining three members light into something resembling a beat/'50s hep groove, only with Biafra recalling a tale of idiots encountered during a previous visit to Portland. Meanwhile, there's a version of "I Fought the Law," which easily trumps the Clash's version, helped by a lyric change or two along the way. Messy, nutty, and fun, Convenience is a treat and a half. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Police Truck (Lyrics)	Jello Biafra, East Bay Ray	Dead Kennedys	(2:24)
Too Drunk to Fuck (Lyrics)	Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys	Dead Kennedys	(2:40)
California Über Alles (Lyrics)	Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys, John Greenway	Dead Kennedys	(3:27)
The Man With the Dogs	Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys	Dead Kennedys	(3:02)
In-Sight	Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys	Dead Kennedys	(1:40)
Life Sentence	Jello Biafra	Dead Kennedys	(2:40)
A Child and His Lawn Mower	Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys	Dead Kennedys	(:55)
Holiday in Cambodia (Lyrics)	Dead Kennedys	Dead Kennedys	(3:44)
I Fought the Law (Lyrics)	Sonny Curtis, Acuff-Rose	Dead Kennedys	(2:18)
Saturday Night Holocaust	Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys	Dead Kennedys	(4:20)
Pull My Strings	Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys	Dead Kennedys	(5:52)
Short Songs (Lyrics)	6025	Dead Kennedys	(:28)
Straight A's (Lyrics)	6025	Dead Kennedys	(2:13)
Kinky Sex (Makes the World Go Around)	Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys	Dead Kennedys	(4:17)
The Prey	Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys	Dead Kennedys	(3:48)
Night of the Living Rednecks	Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys	Dead Kennedys	(5:10)
Buzzbomb from Pasadena	Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys, East Bay Ray	Dead Kennedys	(2:24)

Credits

Jello Biafra (Vocals), Jello Biafra (Producer), Jello Biafra (Artwork), Jello Biafra (Compilation), Jello Biafra (Mixing), Jello Biafra (Concept), Dead Kennedys (Producer), Dead Kennedys (Main Performer), Dead Kennedys (Mixing), Klaus Flouride (Guitar), Klaus Flouride (Guitar (Bass)), Klaus Flouride (Vocals), Zeno (Assistant), Gregg Wright (Artwork), Gregg Wright (Assistant), Jim Alcivar (Engineer), John Cuniberti (Producer), John Cuniberti (Engineer), John Cuniberti (Mixing), John Cuniberti (Digital Remastering), East Bay Ray (Guitar), East Bay Ray (Arp Echoplex), Elliot Mazer (Producer), Armando Morales (Assistant), D.H. Peligro (Drums), D.H. Peligro (Vocals), Mark Wallner (Engineer), Geza X (Producer), Geza X (Mixing), 6025 (Guitar), Ted (Bruce Slesinger) (Drums), John Yates (Artwork), John Greenway (Assistant), Oliver DiCiccio (Producer), Oliver DiCiccio (Engineer), Oliver DiCiccio (Mixing), Jim Keylor (Producer), Jim Keylor (Engineer), Jim Keylor (Mixing), Winston Smith (Art Assistant), Winston Smith (Cover Art), Steve Ballinger (Assistant), Charles Gatewood (Assistant), Mike Dickinson (Assistant)

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