IV (The Stranglers album)

This article is about the 1980 compilation. For the 1977 album also known as "The Stranglers IV", see Rattus Norvegicus (album).

IV
Compilation album by
the Stranglers
Released24 September 1980
Recorded1977–1980
GenrePost-punk
Length37:04
LabelI.R.S. (SP70011)
Producer
The Stranglers chronology
IV
(1980) 		The Collection 1977–1982
(1982)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic [1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]

IV is a compilation album by the Stranglers, released on 24 September 1980 on I.R.S. Records and only available in the US and Canada.[3]

The Stranglers previous album, The Raven, had not been released in the US. IV contained, on side one, a selection of tracks from The Raven. Side two contained the following tracks, which were previously unreleased on any Stranglers album: "5 Minutes" and "Rok It to the Moon" (1978 UK single), "Vietnamerica" (which was later released as the B-side to the 1981 "Let Me Introduce You to the Family" UK single), "G.m.B.H" (an extended version of the 1980 UK single "Bear Cage", which was unavailable elsewhere) and "Who Wants the World?" (1980 UK single). The previously unreleased "Vietnamerica" was written and recorded during sessions for The Raven.[3]

The original release also came with a free single containing "Choosey Susie" (from the 1977 UK single free with the Rattus Norvegicus album), "Straighten Out" (b-side to the 1977 UK Single "Something Better Change") plus "Ode to Joy / Do The European" (a live Jean-Jacques Burnel solo track, unavailable elsewhere until the 1992 CD release of his first solo album Euroman Cometh), and "White Room", a Cream cover from the Nosferatu album by Hugh Cornwell and Robert Williams.[3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by the Stranglers, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleOriginal releaseLength
1."The Raven"The Raven, 19795:12
2."Baroque Bordello"The Raven3:48
3."Duchess"The Raven2:29
4."Nuclear Device"The Raven3:28
5."Meninblack"The Raven4:48
Side two
No.TitleOriginal releaseLength
6."5 Minutes"Non-album single, 19783:15
7."Rok It to the Moon"B-side to "5 Minutes"2:44
8."Vietnamerica"Previously unreleased4:09
9."G.m.B.H"12" version of non-album single Bear Cage, 19803:52
10."Who Wants the World?"Non-album single, 19803:20
Note

The extended version of "G.m.B.H" is not the full six-and-a-half-minute version of the track as it is faded out earlier, lasting just under four minutes.

Free single
Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Original releaseLength
1."Ode to Joy"/"Do the European" (live) (J.J. Burnel)Ludwig van Beethoven, Jean-Jacques BurnelPreviously unreleased4:25
2."Choosey Susie" (The Stranglers) Free single with Rattus Norvegicus, 19773:12
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Original releaseLength
3."White Room" (Hugh Cornwell and Robert Williams)Jack Bruce, Pete BrownNosferatu, 19793:52
4."Straighten Out" (The Stranglers) B-side to "Something Better Change", 19772:48

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album liner notes.[4]

The Stranglers
Technical
  • The Stranglers – production (1–5, 8–10)
  • Alan Winstanley – production (1–5), engineering (1–7)
  • Martin Rushent – production (6, 7)
  • Steve Churchyard – production (9), engineering (1–5, 8, 9)
  • Gary Edwards – engineering (10)
  • Laurence Diana – engineering (10)
  • John Pasche – art direction
  • Shoot That Tiger! – design
  • Phil Jude – cover photography

References

  1. ^ Alex Ogg. "IV - The Stranglers | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "Stranglers". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
  3. ^ a b c Robert Endeacott (2014). Peaches: A Chronicle Of The Stranglers 1974-1990. Soundcheck Books. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-9575700-4-7. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  4. ^ "The Stranglers – IV". Discogs. Retrieved 3 February 2022.