THE BIRTHDAY PARTY (ALBUM)

'''The Birthday Party''' was the first album by The Idle Race, a psychedelic pop band, released in 1968 (see 1968 in music).
This quasi-concept album was the first to be comprised almost entirely of songs by a young Birmingham guitarist/singer named Jeff Lynne. The 'LP' came in a gatefold sleeve, the first of its kind since the Beatles' Sgt Pepper album. The inside sleeve art included a mock birthday feast attended by many famous British Celebrities. In the U.S. the cover art was different with a rather psychedelic-styled paisley pattern behind the band. While warmly received by critics, the record failed to chart in the U.K. or the U.S. The album was re-issued in 1976 to capitalise on Electric Light Orchestra's success.

Contents

Track listing

Personnel

Track listing

# "Skeleton and the Roundabout" (Lynne) – 2:16
# "Happy Birthday" (Hill/Hill) – 3:16
# "Birthday" (Lynne) – 2:09
# "I Like My Toys" (Lynne) – 1:45
# "Morning Sunshine" (Lynne) – 2:45
# "Follow Me, Follow" (Lynne) – 2:45
# "Sitting in My Tree" (Lynne) – 2:50
# "On With the Show" (Lynne) – 2:20
# "Lucky Man" (Lynne) – 2:35
# "Don't Put Your Boys in the Army, Mrs. Ward" (Lynne) – 2:10
# "Pie in the Sky" (Pritchard) – 2:23
# "The Lady Who Said She Could Fly" (Lynne) – 2:17
# "End of the Road" (Lynne) – 2:05

Personnel

★ Jeff Lynne - vocals, guitar, piano

★ Dave Pritchard - guitar, vocals

★ Greg Masters - bass guitar, vocals

★ Roger Spencer - drums, vocals