New Toy

New Toy
EP by
Released1981
Recorded1980–81
GenreNew wave
Length21:17
LabelStiff
Producer
Lene Lovich chronology
Flex
(1979)
New Toy
(1981)
No Man's Land
(1982)
Singles from New Toy
  1. "New Toy"
    Released: February 1981
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

New Toy is the first extended play by English-American singer-songwriter Lene Lovich released in 1981 by Stiff Records. It was released outside the United Kingdom in three different versions, one featured six new songs, while the other two contained songs from her previous albums, Stateless (1978) and Flex (1979).

The main single "New Toy", in which she makes fun of the consumer society, was released in February 1981 and became successful in charts, peaking at number 19 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs[2] number 53 on the UK Singles Chart,[3] and number 29 on the Australian Kent Music Report.[4] It was written by Thomas Dolby, about his new Fairlight CMI synthesizer. He created the song specifically for Lovich after seeing her perform live. It was also used in Italy as the first ending theme for the anime series Attack No. 1 in 1981.[5][6]

The songs "Special Star" and "Savages" later appeared on her third studio album, No Man's Land (1982) and all the songs from the EP appeared on the CD re-issue of the album.

Track listing

New Toy (US Version)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."New Toy"3:18
2."Savages"
3:50
3."Special Star"
  • Lovich
  • Chappell
3:11
4."Never Never Land"4:05
5."Cats Away"
  • Lovich
  • Chappell
3:41
6."Details"
  • Lovich
  • Chappell
3:12
Total length:21:17
New Toy (Limited Edition)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."New Toy" (Extended Version)
  • Dolby
4:36
2."Cats Away"
  • Lovich
  • Chappell
3:48
3."Money Talk"
  • Lovich
  • Chappell
3:17
4."The Night"
4:10
5."Too Tender to Touch"
  • Lovich
  • Chappell
4:17
6."You Can't Kill Me"3:47
Total length:23:55
New Toy (Japanese Version)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."New Toy"
  • Dolby
 
2."Lucky Number" (Disco Version)
  • Lovich
  • Chappell
 
3."Bird Song"
  • Lovich
  • Chappell
 
4."Details"
  • Lovich
  • Chappell
 
5."Joan"
  • Lovich
  • Chappell
 
6."Cats Away"
  • Lovich
  • Chappell
 

Charts

Chart (1981) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 29
UK (Official Charts Company) 53

Credits and personnel

  • Lene Lovich - vocals, songwriter, producer
  • Les Chappell - songwriter, producer
  • Mike "The Woj" Wojnicki - Inspiration

References

  1. ^ New Toy at AllMusic
  2. ^ "Flex - Lene Lovich | Awards", AllMusic.
  3. ^ "LENE LOVICH | Artist", Official Charts.
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 182. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ^ "AntonioGenna.net presenta: IL MONDO DEI DOPPIATORI - ZONA ANIMAZIONE: "Mimì e la nazionale di pallavolo"". www.antoniogenna.net. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
  6. ^ Lene Lovich / John Servus Orchestra - New Toy / Evening (in Italian), 2023, retrieved 2023-09-12
  7. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 182. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.