Shades in Bed

Recording and production

Recording sessions for the album took place from February to April 1979 at Wessex Sound Studios and Townhouse Studios in London. The first four songs recorded, "Teenarama," "Girls That Don't Exist," "Rock and Roll Love Letter" and a new version of the previously released single "Starry Eyes," were produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Lange could not complete the album due to other commitments so the rest of the album was produced by Tim Friese-Greene. The last song recorded, "The Phone," was a late addition to the album and was produced by Huw Gower. "The Phone" replaced "Rock and Roll Love Letter" which was dropped from the album after it was released as a single in April but was not well-received.

Release and reception

Shades in Bed was released on 18 May 1979 in the United Kingdom but did not chart.

In the United States the album was titled The Records and featured a different album cover and track listing. The album version of "Starry Eyes" was replaced with the single version, and the tracks opening each side of the LP were switched. Released on 19 July 1979, the album peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart in October 1979. The single "Starry Eyes" was a minor hit, peaking at No. 56 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Limited edition UK pressings of the album contained a bonus 12-inch EP titled High Heels featuring four cover songs. In the US the EP was included with the first 25,000 copies of the album as an untitled 7-inch record.

AllMusic called the album "a pure pop masterpiece". Trouser Press called it "a wonderful LP".

The album was released on compact disc in 2002 with 10 bonus tracks. The bonus tracks consisted of the four songs from the bonus EP plus the A and B sides of their first three singles, including the US single version of "Teenarama" remixed by Craig Leon.

Track listing

All songs written by Will Birch and John Wicks except where noted.

UK release

1. "Girl" (Birch, Wicks, Phil Brown) – 4:11
2. "Teenarama" – 3:59
3. "Girls That Don't Exist" (Birch, Richie Bull) – 3:38
4. "Starry Eyes" – 4:45
5. "Up All Night" – 4:40

1. "All Messed Up and Ready to Go" – 3:52
2. "Insomnia" – 3:00
3. "Affection Rejected" (Birch, Wicks, Huw Gower) – 3:52
4. "The Phone" (Gower, Birch) – 3:21
5. "Another Star" – 3:58

US release

1. "All Messed Up and Ready to Go" – 3:52
2. "Teenarama" – 3:59
3. "Girls That Don't Exist" (Birch, Richie Bull) – 3:38
4. "Starry Eyes" (single version) – 4:21
5. "Up All Night" – 4:40

1. "Girl" (Birch, Wicks, Phil Brown) – 4:11
2. "Insomnia" – 3:00
3. "Affection Rejected" (Birch, Wicks, Huw Gower) – 3:52
4. "The Phone" (Gower, Birch) – 3:21
5. "Another Star" – 3:58

Bonus EP

1. "Abracadabra (Have You Seen Her)" (Frank Secich, Bill Bartolin) – 2:41
2. "See My Friends" (Ray Davies) – 3:40

1. "1984" (Randy California) – 3:41
2. "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby (Standing in the Shadow)" (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) – 2:52

CD bonus tracks

15. "Starry Eyes" (single version) – 4:23
16. "Paint Her Face" – 3:08
17. "Rock and Roll Love Letter" (Tim Moore) – 3:51
18. "Wives and Mothers of Tomorrow" – 4:15
19. "Held Up High" – 3:33
20. "Teenarama" (remix) – 3:59

Personnel