‘Boys Will Be Boys!’ Rabbitt’s first long player really is a phenomenal record and a heady mixture of pop and progressive styles.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Rabbitt
ALBUM: Boys Will Be Boys!
LABEL: Joburg Records
SERIAL: TJL 13008
YEAR: 1975
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: South Africa
LINEUP: Trevor Rabin – lead guitar, vocals, keyboards, synthesizers * Ronnie Robot – bass * Neil Cloud – drums, percussion * Duncan Faure – keyboards, vocals
TRACK LISTING: 01 Something’s Going Wrong With My Baby * 02 Savage * 03 Lifeline * 04 Locomotive Breath * 05 Hard Ride * 06 Babys Leaving * 07 Eventides * 08 Looking For The Man * 09 Death Of Tulio * 10 Charlie
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
Arguably the most popular band in 1970’s South Africa, Rabbitt had all the ingredients for world domination that political realities would never allow. ‘Apartheid’ was in full swing when Rabbitt were topping the charts, touring to sell-out audiences with a Beatles-like ferocity and this didn’t go unnoticed outside South Africa.
Jet Records mogul and ELO manager Don Arden expressed interest in the band, UK and US tours were discussed, but the politics of supporting a band from a country whose human rights record was a major issue of the day, became a liability for the band.
After two studio albums, guitarist Trevor Rabin saw the writing on the wall and left Rabbitt for a solo career and superstar status in Yes, while continuing as a trio 1977’s ‘Rock Rabbitt’ LP would become the group’s epitaph with keyboardist Duncan Faure finding a second chance in The Rollers and their brilliant ‘Elevator’ album.
The Songs
‘Boys Will Be Boys!’ Rabbitt’s first long player really is a phenomenal record and a heady mixture of pop and progressive styles heavier than 10cc, yet not as candy coated as Pilot or Sherbet. Their obvious nod to glam rock ‘Something’s Going Wrong With My Baby’ is a great start.
An early Rick Springfield meets Bay City Rollers rave-up complete with hand claps but Rabbitt were multifaceted with a variety of musical tricks up their sleeves. Including a bit of heavy progressive rock starting with ‘Savage’ which sounds a lot like Blue Oyster Cult and early Styx to these well worn ears and moving into Pink Floyd territory with the mysterious and sparkling ‘Lifeline’.
Evidently, the band’s first single was a cover of Jethro Tull‘s ‘Locomotive Breath’ and the song appears on this record as well, although I couldn’t tell you if this is the same version or not and while it’s an interesting take on the classic, it’s debatable if the record really needed its inclusion as the originals are so strong.
Kansas fans will dig ‘Hard Ride’ with Faure slipping into the lead vocal position and it’s just another example of why this group was so ripe for American audiences. Major 10cc influences show up in the ballad ‘Baby’s Leaving’ but one of the records best cuts has to be the sweet Mersey-styled pop of ‘Eventide’.
A real charmer, although ironically it’s followed by two of the record’s weakest cuts, the rocker ‘Looking For The Man’ and the thirty second goofball instrumental ‘Death Of Tulio’. Neither does much for me although ‘Charlie’, the albums closer and a huge hit in South Africa more than makes up for these brief musical transgressions with a fine slice of pop and Sherbet vibe which is always good by me.
In Summary
In 1976 Rabbitt finally landed a contract in the States on the Capricorn label, but the record was never easy to find and without any support of a tour, disappeared very quickly. This version featured different art work with cartoon rabbits and looking more like a Disney soundtrack if you ask me. The Voiceprint label reissued ‘Boys Will Be Boys!’ on CD a few years back as have the Japanese in a mini-LP sleeve with the original artwork although both issues might be out of print at the moment.
Video
Entire Album (Select Tracks)
