Growing Up in Public (Lou Reed album)

Growing Up in Public
Studio album by
Lou Reed
ReleasedApril 1980
RecordedJanuary 1980
StudioAIR Studios (Salem, Montserrat)
GenreRock
Length36:39
LabelArista
Producer
Lou Reed chronology
The Bells
(1979) 		Growing Up in Public
(1980) 		Rock and Roll Diary: 1967–1980
(1980)
Lou Reed studio album chronology
The Bells
(1979) 		Growing Up in Public
(1980) 		The Blue Mask
(1982)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[2]
Robert ChristgauB[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[4]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]
Spin Alternative Record Guide6/10[7]

Growing Up in Public is the tenth solo studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed, released in April 1980 by Arista Records.[8]

Growing Up in Public peaked at No. 158 on the Billboard 200.[9] One single was released from the album, "The Power of Positive Drinking", which failed to chart.

Production

Michael Fonfara and Reed produced the album.[10] It was written and recorded over a period of six weeks in sessions that took place at George Martin's AIR Studios in Montserrat.

Critical reception

Rolling Stone called the album "a polished package of bombastic rock & roll — indeed, probably Reed’s best commercial shot since his 1974 Top Ten anomaly, Sally Can’t Dance."[10] Trouser Press wrote that Reed uses "driving rock and delicate melodicism to back thoughtful lyrics and impassioned singing."[11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Lou Reed and Michael Fonfara

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."How Do You Speak to an Angel"4:08
2."My Old Man"3:15
3."Keep Away"3:31
4."Growing Up in Public"3:00
5."Standing on Ceremony"3:32
Side two
No.TitleLength
6."So Alone"4:05
7."Love Is Here to Stay"3:10
8."The Power of Positive Drinking"2:13
9."Smiles"2:44
10."Think It Over"3:25
11."Teach the Gifted Children"3:20
Total length:36:39

Personnel

Adapted from the Growing Up in Public liner notes.[12]

Musicians

Production and artwork

Chart performance

Chart Peak
Position
US Billboard 200 158

See also

References

  1. ^ Deming, Mark. Growing Up in Public at AllMusic
  2. ^ Kot, Greg (January 12, 1992). "Lou Reed's Recordings: 25 Years Of Path-breaking Music". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  3. ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Lou Reed". www.robertchristgau.com.
  4. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 825.
  5. ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 931.
  6. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 582.
  7. ^ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 326.
  8. ^ "Lou Reed | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  9. ^ "Lou Reed". Billboard.
  10. ^ a b Gilmore, Mikal (July 10, 1980). "Growing Up In Public". Rolling Stone.
  11. ^ "Lou Reed". Trouser Press. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  12. ^ Growing Up in Public (CD booklet). Lou Reed. Arista Records. 1980.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)