All Over the Place (The Bangles album)

All Over the Place
Studio album by The Bangles
Released	May 23, 1984 (1984-05-23)
Recorded	October 1983 – February 1984
Studio	Crystal Sound and Soundcastle (Hollywood, CA); Skyline Recording (Topanga, CA).
Genre	Pop rock new wave power pop
Length	31:33
Label	Columbia
Producer	David Kahne
The Bangles chronology
Bangles (1982) All Over the Place (1984) Different Light (1986)
Singles from All Over the Place
"Hero Takes a Fall" Released: June 1984 "Going Down to Liverpool" Released: September 1984

Retrospective professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Christgau's Record Guide	A−
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Spin Alternative Record Guide	8/10

All Over the Place is the debut studio album by American pop rock band the Bangles. Released in May 1984 by Columbia Records, the sound is lively and shows more Bangles collaboration and fewer keyboard overdubs than were used later on their more commercially successful albums. Although the album was not a major commercial success – peaking at number 80 on the Billboard 200 albums chart – and did not produce a hit, it sold respectably, mostly through steady airplay on college stations. It also gave them the chance to perform as an opening act for Cyndi Lauper and Huey Lewis and the News, and brought the group to the attention of Prince, who would write "Manic Monday", their first hit.

Two singles were released from this album: "Hero Takes a Fall", which peaked outside the UK Top 40, and "Going Down to Liverpool", written by Kimberley Rew of Katrina and the Waves, which won the Bangles the BPI Award, the British equivalent of the Grammy. The video for "Going Down to Liverpool" features Leonard Nimoy, who plays the part of the band's chauffeur.

The album was reissued in 2008 on the Wounded Bird Records label (WOU 9220) adding a bonus track: "Hero Takes a Fall" (Single Remix). In 2010, UK label Cherry Pop re-released the album with one bonus track, their cover of The Grass Roots "Where Were You When I Needed You", which was originally released as the b-side to "Hero Takes a Fall".

Commercial performance

The album spent 30 weeks on the U.S. Billboard album charts and reached its peak position of number 80 in November 1984.

Critical reception

Reviewing for The Village Voice in October 1984, Robert Christgau found the songs "thoroughly realized in both the writing and playing", with "familiar heart-stopping harmonies", and wrote in conclusion: "Though the style is as derivative and even retro as on EP, they don't seem to be dabbling any more. Maybe they project such confidence because they know exactly what they want to say: don't fuck me over."

Cashbox stated "the debut single from this Los Angeles—based all female combo displays a lyrical intelligence while capturing a musical sound appealing to both album oriented and hit radio formats. Forget about comparisons to that other girl group, the Bangles have forged a unique, commercially satisfying sound. Susanna Hoff’s straight ahead vocals backed by Vicki Peterson’s guitar artistry produce a down to earth rock and roll cut sure to find its way on to summer playlists."

Allmusic called it "easily their best and most satisfying LP." Their review noted that "it's the record that most openly embraces the folk-rock and garage rock influences that fueled their earliest music...Susanna Hoffs hadn't yet been singled out as the star of the show, and the round-robin lead vocals, stellar harmonies, and tight, concise arrangements make them sound like a real-deal rock band."

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Hero Takes a Fall"	Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson	Hoffs	2:54
2.	"Live" (cover of The Merry-Go-Round, 1967)	Emitt Rhodes	Debbi Peterson	2:36
3.	"James"	V. Peterson	Hoffs	2:36
4.	"All About You"	V. Peterson	V. Peterson	2:26
5.	"Dover Beach"	Hoffs, V. Peterson	Hoffs	3:48
6.	"Tell Me"	Hoffs, V. Peterson	Hoffs and V. Peterson	2:15
7.	"Restless"	Hoffs, V. Peterson	V. Peterson	2:41
8.	"Going Down to Liverpool" (cover of Katrina and the Waves, 1983)	Kimberley Rew	D. Peterson	3:41
9.	"He's Got a Secret"	V. Peterson	Hoffs	2:42
10.	"Silent Treatment"	V. Peterson	V. Peterson	2:07
11.	"More Than Meets the Eye"	V. Peterson	V. Peterson and D. Peterson	3:19

Notes

"James" was originally sung by Vicki Peterson but the lead vocals were sung by Hoffs by the time the album was recorded. The song's opening chords echo their arrangement of "The Rock and Roll Alternative Program Theme Song", recorded in 1982 for DJ George Gimarc's syndicated radio show (and later included on the band's Ladies and Gentlemen... The Bangles! retrospective of early material, released in 2014).

"Hero Takes a Fall" was given a subtle remix for its single release. It was backed by the non-album track "Where Were You When I Needed You", a cover of The Grass Roots tune by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri. The single mix and B-side were both included on the Bangles' Greatest Hits compilation in 1990.

Personnel

The Bangles

• Susanna Hoffs – rhythm guitar, lead and backing vocals
• Vicki Peterson – lead guitar, lead and backing vocals
• Debbi Peterson – drums, lead and backing vocals
• Michael Steele – bass guitar, backing vocals

Guest musician

• Jimmie Haskell – string arrangement on "More Than Meets the Eye"

Production

• Producer and Engineer – David Kahne
• Additional Engineering – Andrew Berliner
• Mixing – Joe Chiccarelli
• Mastered by Jack Skinner at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)
• Art Direction – Nancy Donald and Tony Lane
• Inner Sleeve Collage Design – Pete Lamson
• Collage Photography – Ed Colver, Mike Condello, Terry Dorn, Bruce Kalberg, Pete Lamson, Larry Rodriguez, Jeffrey Scales and Bob Seidemann

Charts

Chart performance for All Over the Place

Chart (1984–1985)	Peak position
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)	32
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)	40
UK Albums (OCC)	86
US Billboard 200	80
US Cash Box Top 200 Albums	64

External links

• The Bangles official website