The Flying Lizards (album)


The Flying Lizards is the 1979 self-titled debut album by The Flying Lizards and was released on the Virgin Records label.
Preceded by two surprise hit singles, the album reached No. 60 in the UK Album Chart.

Background

Following the unexpected success of the group's 1979 singles—covers of "Summertime Blues" and "Money"—David Cunningham and Deborah Evans were offered a deal with Virgin Records. New material for the album featured improvisational musicians Steve Beresford and David Toop.
The album encompasses "dub-style audio experiments" and "bent interpretations of pop music constructs." Critic Simon Reynolds called it "an exercise in pop absurdism" which included "a Brecht-Weill cover, Sanskrit chants, found sounds, and unlikely instrumental textures" alongside "Cunningham's penchant for excessive studio processing and daft effects."

Chart performance

The album charted in the UK for 3 weeks from 16 February 1980 peaking at No. 60, and in New Zealand for 5 weeks peaking at No. 28.

Track list

1979 release

All tracks by David Cunningham except as noted
  1. "Der Song von Mandelay" - 2:27
  2. "Her Story" - 4:37
  3. "TV" - 3:51
  4. "Russia" - 6:11
  5. "Summertime Blues" - 3:09
  6. "Money " - 5:52
  7. "The Flood" - 4:57
  8. "Trouble" - 2:46
  9. "Events During Flood" - 3:25
  10. "The Window" - 4:52

    Bonus tracks on 1995 CD

11. "All Guitars" - 2:41
12. "Tube" - 5:09
13. "Money " - 2:32
General Strike are David Toop and Steve Beresford, who also made the album Danger In Paradise with David Cunningham in the years 1979-1982

Personnel