Never Mind the Ballots

Never Mind the Ballots (occasionally called Never Mind the Ballots... Here's the Rest of Your Life by fans and distributors) is the second studio album by anarchist punk band Chumbawamba. Most of the songs centre on lying politicians and their search for more voter control. It was originally released as a cassette and LP, then re-released in the '90s as half of the Chumbawamba compilation CD First 2, which was a combination of their first two LP albums released on a single CD.

Never Mind the Ballots
Studio album by
Chumbawamba
ReleasedMay 1st, 1987[1]
Recorded1987
Genre
Length35:32
LabelAgit-Prop Records (UK)
Reprise Records (France)
Chumbawamba chronology
Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records
(1986)		 Never Mind the Ballots
(1987)		 English Rebel Songs
(1988/2003)

Composition

The album’s lyrics have been noted for criticizing all sides of the United Kingdom’s political parties, particularly in the case of the song "The Candidates Find Common Ground."[2]

Release

The album was initially released in 1987. It was reportedly “rush-released” so that it would be available in time for the 1987 United Kingdom general election.[2] In 1991, it was reissued on CD along with Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records; the pair was released under the name First 2.[3]

The album was rereleased digitally on May 4, 2012, by Westpark Music.[4]

Impact

Chart performance

The album attained a peak of number two on the UK Indie chart.[5]

Legacy

The album was retrospectively awarded a rating of four stars out of five in The Encyclopedia of Popular Music.[6]

Track listing

Adapted from the record’s rerelease via Bandcamp.[1]

  1. "Always Tell the Voter What the Voter Wants to Hear" – 2:51
  2. "Come on Baby (Let's Do the Revolution)" – 1:39
  3. "The Wasteland" – 4:23
  4. "Today's Sermon" – 2:28
  5. "Ah-Men" – 2:29
  6. "Mr. Heseltine Meets His Public" – 3:51
  7. "The Candidates Find Common Ground" – 4:29
  8. "Here's the Rest of Your Life" – 13:22

Personnel

with

  • Simon "Commonknowledge" Lanzon – Keyboards, voice
  • Neil Ferguson – Engineer, Keyboards
  • Patrick Gordon – Engineer

References
  1. "Never Mind the Ballots". Bandcamp. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  2. Roswell, Martin (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock (1 ed.). Rough Guides. p. 195. ISBN 1843531054. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2002). All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. Backbeat. p. 214. ISBN 087930653X. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  4. "Releases: Never Mind the Ballots, Here's the Rest of Your Life". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  5. Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock: Third Ear - The Essential Listening Companion (1 ed.). Miller Freeman. p. 265. ISBN 0879306076. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  6. Larkin, Colin (2012). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus. p. 133. ISBN 0857125958. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
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