Length 60:23 Hooray for Boobies
(1999) Hefty Fine
(2005) Release date 4 October 1999 | Label Interscope Artist Bloodhound Gang Genres Alternative rock, Rapcore | |
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Released October 4, 1999 (EU)
February 29, 2000 (US) Recorded 1998–1999, Dome Studios in Royersford, PA Producers Jimmy Pop, Richard Gavalis Awards Echo Award for Best International Newcomer Similar Bloodhound Gang albums, Rapcore albums, Other albums | ||
Hooray for Boobies is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Bloodhound Gang, released on October 4, 1999, in Europe and February 29, 2000, in the US. The album, produced by Jimmy Pop and Richard Gavalis, was the band's second release on Geffen Records following the gold-selling One Fierce Beer Coaster. The musical style of Hooray for Boobies is grounded in the alternative rock, rapcore, and electronica genres, with prominent rap-metal guitar riffs, samples, electronic instruments, and lyrics rife with toilet humor.
Contents
- Background and development
- Style
- Lyricism
- Release and Promotion
- Critical response
- Chart performance
- Track listing
- Charts and certifications
- Songs
- References
The album received generally favorable reviews and was a commercial success. Hooray for Boobies effectively broke the Bloodhound Gang into the mainstream. The album initially debuted at number two on the US Top Heatseekers chart, but managed to peak at number 14 on the US Billboard 200. The album also hit number one in Australia, Austria, and Germany. Since its release in 1999, the album has sold over 4 million copies internationally.
Five singles were released from the album including "Along Comes Mary", "The Bad Touch", "The Ballad of Chasey Lain", "Mope", and "The Inevitable Return of the Great White Dope". The album's second single, "The Bad Touch", was an international hit, charting on fourteen different charts worldwide, and managing to hit number one on five of them.
Background and development
In March 1995 the Bloodhound Gang signed a record deal with Columbia Records and released their first full-length album, titled Use Your Fingers (1995), but were subsequently dropped by the label. After adjusting its lineup, the group began working on their newest album, One Fierce Beer Coaster.
Released on December 3, 1996, it eventually sold over 500,000 copies in the US. The album's first single, "Fire Water Burn," played a major role in the slow build of interest that ultimately led to the band's mainstream breakthrough. Geffen Records signed the band within two months as word-of-mouth praise for the album spread. After the success of One Fierce Beer Coaster, the band entered the studio in 1998 to record their newest album.
Style
The album, reminiscent of the band's first album, features various skits in between songs. The first of these skits, entitled "Mama's Boy" is an impromptu phone conversation between Jimmy Pop and his mother. "R.S.V.P." features a short monologue from Vivid pornstar Chasey Lain. "That Cough Came With a Prize" is fifteen seconds of coughing. "This Is Stupid" is an arbitrary track performed by the vocal duo who feature in "Right Turn Clyde." Finally, "The Ten Coolest Things About New Jersey" is simply ten seconds of silence. According to the liner notes, Jimmy Pop had to explain the track to certain members of the band.
Lyricism
"A Lap Dance Is So Much Better When the Stripper Is Crying" is a parody of the narrative of Red Sovine's "trucker songs".
Release and Promotion
Originally, "Take the Long Way Home" featured the words "May I have your attention please?" repeated twice before the first and second verses and "That's enough. I said that's enough!" at the end of the song. It was later removed and released as such. "Right Turn Clyde" features a chorus parodying Pink Floyd's hit single "Another Brick in the Wall Part II"; "All in all you're just another dick with no balls." Because of these issues, the album was delayed in the US. Both were eventually resolved and the album was finally released in the US. In Europe, the album was initially released without the two songs, thus containing only 45 CD tracks. Later pressings featured the complete track list. The original version of "Take the Long Way Home" can be heard on the 1999 acetate CD. Australian editions of the album only ever contained 45 tracks – the album was never reissued there with the complete track list.
A "clean" version of the CD was released titled simply Hooray. It featured an alternative cover image of a cow's udder.
The track "The Inevitable Return of the Great White Dope" appeared on the Scary Movie soundtrack.
The track "Magna Cum Nada" appeared in the movie Loser.
A double vinyl version of the album, conforming to the American track listing, was released in 2000 and is currently out of print. A new single vinyl release, on blue vinyl and conforming to the Australian track list, was released on 22 July 2016. Neither vinyl release includes the hidden track.
Critical response
Hooray for Boobies has received moderately favorable reviews. Many reviewers complimented the album's duncical, but ultimately enjoyable, humor. Allmusic reviewer Stephen Thomas wrote, "on one hand, it's easy to hate the Bloodhound Gang. [...] On the other hand, you almost have to admire the lengths that they go to be, well, defiantly stupid." Many reviewers also complimented the album's eccentric plunderphonic-esque approach to music. Popmatters reviewer Patrick Schabe compared the Bloodhound Gang to Beck, saying, "if anomalous characterization, synthesis, and a popular culture repertoire make Beck the big brother of postmodern music, then surely he’s part of a family? If so, then perhaps the Bloodhound Gang are the snotty, juvenile, teenage brother in that family."
But not all reviews were complimentary. Many critics criticized the band for its heavy use of outdated music and its toilet and sex-based humor. Entertainment Weekly writer Doug Brod decried the album, saying "on Hooray for Boobies these knuckleheads tap into '80s-style metal and New Orderish dance-wave to back their dumbbell odes to oral sex, porn stars, revenge, and – did I mention oral sex?"
Chart performance
On March 18, 2000, Hooray for Boobies debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 19. Four weeks later, on April 15, the album peaked at number 14, after selling 85,924 copies. Twenty-four weeks later, the album fell to number 199, and disappeared from the chart a week later, having spent a total of 29 weeks there.
On May 17, 2000, Hooray for Boobies was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and was also certified platinum on the same day.
Track listing
All tracks written by Jimmy Pop except when noted.
"Take the Long Way Home" and "Right Turn Clyde" do not appear on the European or Australian releases of the album.
Charts and certifications
Singles
Songs
1I Hope You Die3:41
2The Inevitable Return of the Great White Dope4:04
3Mama's Boy0:37