Pocket Full of Kryptonite
Pocket Full of Kryptonite is the debut studio album by the American rock band Spin Doctors, released in August 1991. The album initially sold a respectable 60,000 copies in late 1991 due to its growing hardcore fanbase, before several radio stations (including WEQX in Vermont) started playing the single "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" in mid-1992.[10] The combined strength of the single along with the follow-up "Two Princes" led to the album's peak at Nos. 1 and 3 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers and Billboard 200 albums charts, respectively. It is currently the band's best selling album, and was certified 5× Platinum by the RIAA.[11]
Pocket Full of Kryptonite | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 20, 1991 | |||
Recorded | July–December 1990 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 50:30 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Producer |
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Spin Doctors chronology | ||||
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Singles from Pocket Full of Kryptonite | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
Calgary Herald | B[4] |
Chicago Tribune | [5] |
Christgau's Consumer Guide | [6] |
Music Week | [7] |
Q | [8] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [9] |
It was remastered and reissued in 2011 as a 20th-anniversary edition, with a bonus track added to the original album and a second disc of demos previously released only on cassette, plus two live tracks.
The album's title is a quote from the opening track, "Jimmy Olsen's Blues", a humorous song sung from the point of view of Jimmy Olsen, a character in the Superman comic book series. In the song, Jimmy Olsen tries to woo Lois Lane away from Superman, stating "I've got a pocket full of Kryptonite", Kryptonite being a fictional substance that weakens Superman. The cover, showing a phone booth, refers to Clark Kent frequently ducking into a nearby phone booth to change into his Superman attire.
Track listing
Original album
All tracks are written by Spin Doctors except as noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Jimmy Olsen's Blues" | 4:38 | |
2. | "What Time Is It?" | 4:50 | |
3. | "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" | 3:54 | |
4. | "Forty or Fifty" | 4:23 | |
5. | "Refrigerator Car" | 4:46 | |
6. | "More Than She Knows" | Eric Schenkman, Simon Lambert, Graham Clark, J.P. Fitting | 2:12 |
7. | "Two Princes" | 4:18 | |
8. | "Off My Line" | John David Bell, Spin Doctors | 3:58 |
9. | "How Could You Want Him (When You Know You Could Have Me?)" | 4:59 | |
10. | "Shinbone Alley/Hard to Exist" | Spin Doctors, John Popper | 12:42 |
Total length: | 50:30 |
No. | Title | Length |
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11. | "Yo Mamas a Pajama" (live, 1990-09-27 @ Wetlands Preserve, NY) | 4:03 |
12. | "Sweet Widow" (live, 1990-09-27 @ Wetlands Preserve, NY) | 11:38 |
13. | "Stepped on a Crack" (live, 1990-09-27 @ Wetlands Preserve, NY) | 4:02 |
Total length: | 70:13 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
11. | "Hard to Exist" (B-side of "How Could You Want Him" single) | Barron, Schenkman, Popper, Comess | 4:29 |
Total length: | 54:59 |
Notes
- The live tracks on the European release also appear on the live album Homebelly Groove...Live (1992), and were recorded September 27, 1990, at Wetlands Preserve in New York.
2011 anniversary edition disc 2
All tracks are written by Spin Doctors except as noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Jimmy Olsen's Blues" | 5:13 | |
2. | "Can't Say No" | Schenkman | 2:20 |
3. | "Hard to Exist" | Barron, Schenkman, Popper, Comess | 4:30 |
4. | "At This Hour" | 5:37 | |
5. | "40 or 50" | 4:39 | |
6. | "Big Fat Funky Booty" | 4:00 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
7. | "What Time Is It?" | 4:08 | |
8. | "How Could You Want Him (When You Know You Could Have Me?)" | 5:44 | |
9. | "Hungry Hamed's" | 4:39 | |
10. | "House" | 4:19 | |
11. | "Two Princes" | 4:41 | |
12. | "Refrigerator Car" | 4:05 | |
13. | "Rosetta Stone" | 6:10 | |
14. | "Freeway of the Plains" | Gregg Buscaglia, Barron, Schenkman, Popper, Fogel | 5:48 |
No. | Title | Length |
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15. | "Turn it Upside Down" (Live July 19, 1993, Kingswood Music Theater, Toronto, Canada) | 4:41 |
16. | "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" (Live September 25, 1990, Continental Divide, New York City) | 4:05 |
Total length: | 75:15 |
Personnel
Spin Doctors
- Chris Barron – lead vocals
- Eric Schenkman – guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Off My Line", piano on "Forty or Fifty"
- Mark White – bass
- Aaron Comess – drums, organ, backing vocals on "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong", congas on "Forty or Fifty"
Additional musicians
- John Popper – harmonica on "More Than She Knows" and "Off My Line", backing vocals on "Two Princes"
- John Bush – tambourine on "Off My Line", congas on "How Could You Want Him (When You Know You Could Have Me)?"
Production
- Producers: Frank Aversa, Peter Denenberg, Frankie LaRocka, Spin Doctors
- Engineers: Frank Aversa, Peter Denenberg, Marc Schwartz, Spin Doctors
- Assistant engineers: Jeff Lippay, Motley
- Mixing: Peter Denenberg, Frankie La Rocka, Spin Doctors
- Mastering: Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, NYC
- Production coordination: Jason J. Richardson
- Guitar technician: Joseph Miselis
- Equipment manager: John Darren Greene
- Art direction: Francesca Restrepo
- Photography: Paul Aresu, Paul LaRaia
- Cover art: Darren Greene, Chris Gross, Nicky Lindeman
- Liner notes: Cree McCree
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[39] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Europe (IFPI)[40] | Platinum | 1,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
References
- https://www.discogs.com/master/241095-Spin-Doctors-How-Could-You-Want-Him-When-You-Know-You-Could-Have-Me
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOGBcYN1Hu4
- Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Pocket Full of Kryptonite – Spin Doctors". AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2010.
- Alberts, Sheldon (October 6, 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald.
- May, Mitchell (October 31, 1991). "Spin Doctors: Pocket Full of Kryptonite (Epic)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
- Christgau, Robert (2000). "The Spin Doctors: Pocket Full of Kryptonite". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-24560-2. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
- Jones, Alan (March 13, 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums" (PDF). Music Week. p. 20. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
- "Spin Doctors: Pocket Full of Kryptonite". Q (79): 88. April 1993.
- Sheffield, Rob (2004). "Spin Doctors". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 768. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- "Spin Doctors: Miracle Cure". Rolling Stone. January 7, 1993.
- "RIAA searchable certification database". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 27, 2010.
- "Spin Doctors – Pocket Full of Kryptonite". Discogs. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
- "Australiancharts.com – Spin Doctors – Pocket Full of Kryptonite". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- "Austriancharts.at – Spin Doctors – Pocket Full of Kryptonite" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- "Top RPM Albums: Issue 1761". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Spin Doctors – Pocket Full of Kryptonite" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. July 17, 1993. p. 14. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Spin Doctors – Pocket Full of Kryptonite" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1993. 29. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- "Charts.nz – Spin Doctors – Pocket Full of Kryptonite". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- "Norwegiancharts.com – Spin Doctors – Pocket Full of Kryptonite". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- "Swedishcharts.com – Spin Doctors – Pocket Full of Kryptonite". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- "Swisscharts.com – Spin Doctors – Pocket Full of Kryptonite". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- "Spin Doctors Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- "Spin Doctors Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1993". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- "Jahreshitparade Alben 1993". Austriancharts.at. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- "Top 100 Albums of 1993". RPM. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
- "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1993". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- "1993 Year-End Sales Charts - Eurochart Hot 100 Albums 1993" (PDF). Music & Media. December 18, 1993. p. 15. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
- "1993 Year-End Sales Awards" (PDF). Music & Media. December 18, 1993. p. 12. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
- "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- "Top Selling Albums of 1993 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
- "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1993". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- "Top 100 Albums 1993" (PDF). Music Week. January 15, 1994. p. 25. Retrieved May 21, 2022 – via World Radio History.
- "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1993 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
- "Music and Media" (PDF). Americanradiohistory.com. October 30, 1993. Retrieved March 25, 2022.