Vacation (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Vacation
Type = Album
Artist = Go-Go's


Released = August 1982
Recorded = 1981-1982
by Thom Panunzio
in Hollywood and Malibu, CA, and New York City, NY, U.S.
Genre = Pop rock New wave
Length = 32:17 (34:24 with
"Speeding" B side)
Label = I.R.S. Records
Producer = Richard Gottehrer
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:1tkpu3q5an6k link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thegogos/albums/album/117343/review/5941030/vacation link]
Last album = "Beauty and the Beat"
(1981)
This album = "Vacation"
(1982)
Next album = "Talk Show"
(1984)

"Vacation" was the Go-Go's second album, released in 1982, on I.R.S. Records label. The album got to #8 in the U.S. Billboard 200, and was certified gold. Both the "Vacation" title track, and the "Cool Jerk" cover scored on the pop charts in the U.S. and UK, then and over the years, and the Go-Go's were riding high at the time of the album first release, the group's future to all outward appearances looking bright. Signs of future problems were beginning to show however, as the members' drug use and internal fighting began to escalate.

Besides of the title track (the cover version from the 60's tune "Cool Jerk" actually being released as a single only in 1991 to promote the band's first compilation album, "Greatest", out in 1990), two more singles were taken from the album at the time: "Get Up and Go" and "He's So Strange," which were two minor hits in the United States. As for the single "Vacation," the album title track, the song was issued as what was perhaps the first cassette single ever.

Track listing

#"Vacation" (Caffey, Valentine, Wiedlin) – 2:59
#"He's So Strange" (Caffey, Custis, Phillips, Wiedlin) – 2:58
#"Girl of 100 Lists" (Wiedlin) – 2:20
#"We Don't Get Along" (Valentine) – 2:46
#"I Think It's Me" (Caffey, Carlisle) – 2:42
#"It's Everything But Partytime" (Schock, Wiedlin) – 3:21
#"Get Up and Go" (Caffey, Wiedlin) – 3:18
#"This Old Feeling" (Caffey, Wiedlin) – 3:06
#"Cool Jerk" (Storball) – 2:53
#"The Way You Dance" (Caffey, Valentine, Wiedlin) – 2:56
#"Beatnik Beach" (Caffey, Carlisle) – 2:53
#"Worlds Away" (Valentine, Wiedlin) – 4:00 +
#"Speeding" (Caffey, Wiedlin) – 2:07 [single B side only]

References to the song "Vacation" in popular culture

*The "Vacation" title track was featured in Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11", as footage was shown of President George W. Bush playing golf prior to the 9/11 attacks.
*The single is also heard in "The Simpsons" episode "Mobile Homer".
*The single is also heard in the "Rugrats" Special "Vacation". The producers and cast of the Rugrats also permissively rewrote words to the single, basing it on the special episode, and recorded it with Cheryl Chase singing.
*The single is also heard in a commercial for Priceline.com (the 'More ways to save' commercial).
*Kelly Clarkson covered the song in the 2003 film "From Justin to Kelly".
*The single is also heard in the "Duckman" episode "In the Nam of the Father".
*The single is also used in the "Scrubs" episode "My Conventional Wisdom"
*The single was used in the American theatrical trailers to the British film "Mr. Bean's Holiday".

Credits

Band

*Belinda Carlisle: lead vocals
*Charlotte Caffey: lead guitar, keyboards, background vocals
*Gina Schock: drums, percussion
*Kathy Valentine: bass guitar, background vocals
*Jane Wiedlin: rhythm guitar, vocals

Musicians and production personnel

*Steve Berlin: saxophone
*Thom Panunzio: recording and mixing
*Richard Gottehrer: production
*Greg Colbi: mastering
*James Ball, Stuart Furusho, David Leonard, Neil Pedinoff: studio assistants

Recording studios

*Studio 55 and Sunset Sound (Hollywood, California); Indigo Ranch (Malibu, California): recording
*Record Plant (New York City, New York); Indigo Ranch (Malibu, California): mixing
*Sterling Sound (New York City, New York): mastering

taff

*Mick Haggerty: art direction, design and photography
*Ginger Canzoneri: art direction

Chart positions

Album

ingles