Nick the Knife
Nick the Knife is the third solo album by Nick Lowe, released in 1982 and his first since the 1981 breakup of his band Rockpile.
Background
The record still has several ties to Rockpile with Lowe's former bandmates Billy Bremner and Terry Williams both playing on the album. The album includes Lowe's slower remake of the Rockpile song "Heart"; the original version can be found on the band's album Seconds of Pleasure, sung by Bremner.Nick the Knife reached #50 on the Billboard 200, and #99 on the UK album charts. No singles from the album made the US or UK charts, although in Canada "Stick It Where The Sun Don't Shine" hit the top 40.
Nick the Knife is notable for being one of only two Lowe solo albums with no cover versions, including only songs written or co-written by Lowe, the other album being his 1990 Party of One.
A 1990 CD of the album was issued on Demon Records with the catalog number FIEND CD 183.
The album was reissued by Yep Roc Records in 2017.
Critical reception
Writing in The Boston Phoenix, Joyce Millman felt that "Lowe sounds uncharacteristically somber here, as if he'd just lost his best friend. Which he has — this is his first album without long-time pal Dave Edmunds.... Whereas Lowe once sang his love songs from the safety of the pack, on Nick the Knife he sets himself apart from the other men and addresses the woman as a partner — and not merely a sexual one."Track listing
All tracks composed by Nick Lowe except where noted.- "Burning" – 2:07
- "Heart" – 3:41
- "Stick It Where the Sun Don't Shine" – 3:42
- "Queen of Sheba" – 2:30
- "My Heart Hurts" – 2:39
- "Couldn't Love You " – 2:36
- "Let Me Kiss Ya" – 2:56
- "Too Many Teardrops" – 2:33
- "Ba Doom" – 2:19
- "Raining Raining" – 2:45
- "One's Too Many " – 2:37
- "Zulu Kiss" – 3:22
- "Heart " – 3:53
- "Raining Raining " – 1:55
- "I Got a Job" – 3:01
Personnel
- Nick Lowe – vocals, backing vocals, guitars, bass
- Ben Barson – acoustic piano, Hammond organ
- Paul Carrack – acoustic piano, Hammond organ
- Carlene Carter – acoustic piano, Hammond organ
- Neill King – acoustic piano, Hammond organ
- Steve Nieve – acoustic piano, Hammond organ
- Martin Belmont – guitars
- Billy Bremner – guitars
- Aldo Bocca – guitars, drums
- James Eller – more bass
- Bobby Irwin – drums, backing vocals
- Terry Williams – drums
- Nick Lowe – producer, recording, honing
- Aldo Bocca – engineer
- Neill King – audio grip
Singles
Three songs from the album were released as singles:- "Stick it Where the Sun Don’t Shine" b/w "My Heart Hurts"
- "Burning" b/w "Zulu Kiss"
- "My Heart Hurts" - released in four versions:
- promo b/w same
- b/w "Stick it Where the Sun Don’t Shine"
- double 45 with three live songs "Pet You and Hold You", "Cracking Up" and " Peace, Love and Understanding"
- b/w "Pet You and Hold You"