Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Like a box of chocolate truffles with BBs hidden in them, a Housemartins album offers deceivingly simple and tuneful pop songs that are designed to cause you some discomfort once you start chewing on them. Singer and songwriter Paul Heaton sings with a disarmingly boyish voice, high and adenoidal, and his bandmates contribute angelic harmonies as well as sweet and straightforward guitar pop instrumental settings. But listen closely to Heaton's lyrics and you find yourself plunged into a world of class resentment, bitter economic disappointment, and strangled rage. "Get Up Off Our Knees" includes the deathless couplet "Don't point your fingers at them and turn to walk away/Don't shoot someone tomorrow that you can shoot today," while "Sitting on a Fence" ridicules those who "see both sides of both sides" and "Sheep" bemoans the apathy of the downtrodden masses. Heaton is no simple lefty -- his politics are a strange amalgam of Marxism and Christianity -- but his views are brutally uncompromising, and they constitute a very iron fist wrapped in the velvet glove of the Housemartins' blissful guitar pop. Agree with him or not, there's no denying the music's power.
© Rick Anderson /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $10.83/month
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - Paul Heaton, Composer - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Composer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - Paul Heaton, Composer - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Ted Key, Composer - Stan Cullimore, Composer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - Paul Heaton, Composer - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Composer, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - Peter Wingfield, Piano, Writer - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Guitar, Vocals - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Guitar, Vocals - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - John Williams, Producer - Lloyd Charmers, Writer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Guitar, Vocals - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - Curtis Mayfield, Writer - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Guitar, Vocals - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Norman Cook, Bass Guitar, Vocals - John Williams, Producer - The Housemartins, MainArtist - Stan Cullimore, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - P.d. Heaton, Vocals, Writer, Harmonica - Hugh Whitaker, Drums, Vocals - Bodger, Engineer
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra/Asylum Records
Album review
Like a box of chocolate truffles with BBs hidden in them, a Housemartins album offers deceivingly simple and tuneful pop songs that are designed to cause you some discomfort once you start chewing on them. Singer and songwriter Paul Heaton sings with a disarmingly boyish voice, high and adenoidal, and his bandmates contribute angelic harmonies as well as sweet and straightforward guitar pop instrumental settings. But listen closely to Heaton's lyrics and you find yourself plunged into a world of class resentment, bitter economic disappointment, and strangled rage. "Get Up Off Our Knees" includes the deathless couplet "Don't point your fingers at them and turn to walk away/Don't shoot someone tomorrow that you can shoot today," while "Sitting on a Fence" ridicules those who "see both sides of both sides" and "Sheep" bemoans the apathy of the downtrodden masses. Heaton is no simple lefty -- his politics are a strange amalgam of Marxism and Christianity -- but his views are brutally uncompromising, and they constitute a very iron fist wrapped in the velvet glove of the Housemartins' blissful guitar pop. Agree with him or not, there's no denying the music's power.
© Rick Anderson /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 16 track(s)
- Total length: 00:47:10
- Main artists: The Housemartins
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Rhino - Elektra
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 1986 Elektra Records ℗ 1986 Elektra Records. Marketed By Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved.
Distinctions:
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.