Happy Planet (album)

Happy Planet is the fourth and final studio album by American rock band Wall of Voodoo, released in 1987. It marked the return of producer Richard Mazda, who had produced their 1982 album Call of the West.

Happy Planet
Studio album by
Wall of Voodoo
Released1987
StudioHit City West, Los Angeles
Length41:00
LabelI.R.S.
ProducerRichard Mazda
Wall of Voodoo chronology
Seven Days in Sammystown
(1985)		 Happy Planet
(1987)		 The Ugly Americans in Australia
(1989)

Although not as successful as Call of the West, Happy Planet did produce a minor hit with a cover of the Beach Boys' "Do It Again". The album, recorded at Hit City West, reached No. 83 on the Australian charts.[1]

Brian Wilson connections

"Do It Again" is a cover of the Beach Boys' 1968 song, and its music video featured a guest appearance from Beach Boys leader and co-founder Brian Wilson. In the video, he plays an orderly in a psychiatric hospital who falls asleep and wakes up to the members of Wall of Voodoo dressed as members of the Mafia.[2] Wilson, in real life, was admitted to psychiatric hospitals at least three times.[3] The cover of the "Do It Again" single included photos of the band with Wilson. He is also referenced in the lyrics to "Chains of Luck" in the line, "Brian Wilson chants his mantra, 'Da doo ron ron, da doo ron ron'," a reference to Wilson's obsession with the work of music producer Phil Spector.[3]

Track listing
Side one
  1. "Do It Again" (Brian Wilson, Mike Love) – 3:18
  2. "Hollywood the Second Time" (Andy Prieboy) – 4:06
  3. "Empty Room" (Bruce Moreland) – 3:53
  4. "Chains of Luck" (Chas T. Gray, Ned Leukhardt, Prieboy) – 3:55
  5. "Back in the Laundromat" (Prieboy) – 3:20 [CD only bonus track]
  6. "When the Lights Go Out" (Marc Moreland, Prieboy) – 3:19
Side two
  1. "Country of Man" (M. Moreland) – 3:29
  2. "Joanne" (Prieboy) – 3:40
  3. "Elvis Bought Dora a Cadillac" (M. Moreland, Prieboy) – 3:42
  4. "The Grass Is Greener" (Gray, Leukhardt, M. Moreland, Prieboy) – 3:40
  5. "Ain't My Day" (M. Moreland) – 4:38

Personnel

Wall of Voodoo

Additional musicians

  • Jeff Rymes – additional vocals
  • Randy Weeks – additional vocals
  • Lyn Todd – additional vocals
  • Yolanda Pittman – additional vocals
  • Bill Pittman – bass ("Country of Man")

Technical

  • Richard Mazda – producer, co-arranger, various instruments and vocals
  • Peter Kelsey – engineer
  • Stephen Sayadian – cover concept and design
  • Wall of Voodoo – co-arrangers, design layout
  • Steve Hall – mastering
  • Ladi Von Jansky – photography
  • Ron Scarselli – design layout
  • Belinda Williams Sayadian – styling

Charts
Chart (1985) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[1] 83

References
  1. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 311. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  2. Wall of Voodoo video clip featuring Brian Wilson
  3. Wilson, Brian (with Todd Gold), Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story
  4. "Ravenrecords.com.au - WALL OF VOODOO (359)". Archived from the original on 2013-04-19. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
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