Cheap Working Class Dog (Music) (Rick Springfield) Price

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Customer Reviews of Working Class Dog

It Still Stands Up
I'm having trouble believing this album was released 21 years ago. Widely considered Springfield's "first" album (he actually had three American releases before this, four if you count the Mission Magic soundtrack) it is a crisp, fresh, high-energy effort that still sounds just as great as it did back in 1981. Springfield's vocal delivery has passion, power, angst, and just a touch of Joe Jackson, and gives the material just the right energy and emotion. It's a real bare-bones record. Nothing fancy, just drums, bass, rhythm and lead guitar (but what lead guitar!! Guests Neal Geraldo and Robbin Ford both shine), and a little synth here and there. I think this is what gives the record such a clean, bright feel. No frills, just high spirits and lots of fun, and of course, flawlessly constructed pop rock songs. Springfield is one of the hookiest writers in the biz, and I've seen people who claim to eschew his music singing the choruses from this record. And he mixes it up here just enough, with a touch of reggae here (Everybody's Girl), a pinch of 40's bluesy big band there (Red Hot & Blue Love). It isn't straight pop, straight rock, straight new wave, or anything else, but it has the taste of all of the above and then some. Two decades later, still a fun ride.

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An unrecognized classic!
This album never got the critical acclaim it deserved when it was released (probably due to the perception that Rick was just another soap actor trying to be a rock star), but it has recently gotten some very belated critical respect. As Rick himself said in VH1's "Behind the Music" about his life and career, "It's about freakin' time!" There isn't a weak track to be found here. The least likable song is arguably "I've Done Everything For You", but Sammy Hagar wrote that one, so..'nuff said. Overall, this is 80's power pop/rock at its finest, the kind of music that simply reminds you of how joyful good rock music can be. "The Light of Love", "Carry Me Away" and "Everybody's Girl", in particular, resonate with the joy of musicians who love what they're doing. This is a must-own for every fan of early 80's pop music. Though it may have been his most commercially successful album, a fact which often renders such releases "too commercial" for true fans to admit liking, no hard-core fan can deny the sheer brilliance of this one.

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Hall Of Fame
Rick Springfield should be in rock's "Hall of Fame" with this one alone (not to mention his other great cd's).
"Jessie's Girl" alone with it's hot guitar intro and great hooks is worth buying this cd. To me, when you can listen to a song or a collection of songs in a cd and they touch you, inspire you, makes you want to get up and stomp your feet to the beat of the music and dance to, and sing along with, and they are over 20 years old - NOW BROTHER AND SISTER - THAT'S GREAT MUSIC!!! If you don't have this cd, buy it. If you don't know who Rick Springfield is go to one of his concerts. Trust me you won't be disappointed. He is also a great performer!