I had a Parka like that…

Occasional Albums Thing 072 - The Undertones “All Wrapped Up”

I’ve only ever owned 2 singles by The Undertones, “Teenage Kicks” of course (the Sire re-issue sadly, never the Good Vibrations original) and a green vinyl copy of “Jimmy Jimmy”. “All Wrapped Up” is a 2 LP summary of the band. LP one includes all their A-sides and LP two features, you guessed it, all the B-sides (except “Hard Luck (Again)” the B-side of “My Perfect Cousin”, don't know why they didn't include that one).

Side 1 is fab, from “Teenage Kicks” thru to “Wednesday Week” (where they begin to soften a little) it delivers a perfect pop-punk rush that the likes of Green Day etc. can only gawp at open mouthed and drooling. Side 2 starts well with “It’s Going To Happen” but after that they really did pitch for the 80’s pop market and I can live without most of it.

The B-sides LP hides some treats. Obviously the other tracks from the “Teenage Kicks” EP are great; “Mars Bars”, B-side of “Jimmy, Jimmy”, is as funny as hell (“To anybody out there who still eats Twix? Anybody on packets of Buttons? I gave them up when I was six, I hope your teeth are rotten”) they also manage a creditable blast through The Grodes (and later covered brilliantly by the Chocolate Watchband) garage/psyche banger “Let’s Talk About Girls”. Turns out that The Undertones covering the song on the B-side of “You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!)” finally “refreshed” the memories of some US publishing execs and writer Manny Freiser finally got paid his royalties.

One other point of interest is the cover where a model who looks not unlike Cleo Rocos (who remembers her ?) is dressed in an outfit made of various cuts of meat. The picture is called “Dressed To Grill” and easily predates Lady Ga Ga’s meat dress at the 2010 MTV awards.

The Undertones would have secured their place in musical history even if they’d never made another record after “Teenage Kicks”. They made some other great singles but frittered out toward the end there. As singles collections go though, this is a good un.

Get Over You - https://youtu.be/6Cw5vEGu0EI?si=N7Hdb5lNQJyMZvPe