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Rod Stewart: When We Were The New Boys

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Warner Bros. Records
Released: 1998
Time:
 41:49
Category: Pop/Rock
Producer(s): Rod Stewart
Rating: ******.... (6/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.rodstewart.com
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2001.01.20
Price in €: 2,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Cigarettes and Alcohol (Gallagher) - 4:03
[2] Ooh la La (Lane/Wood) - 4:16
[3] Rocks (Gillespie/Innes/Young) - 4:45
[4] Superstar (McAliden) - 4:20
[5] Secret Heart (Sexsmith) - 4:07
[6] Hotel Chambermaid (Parker) - 3:49
[7] Shelly My Love (Lowe) - 3:39
[8] When We Were the New Boys (Savigar/Stewart) - 4:40
[9] Weak (Dyer/France/Kent/Lewis) - 4:37
[10] What Do You Want Me to Do? (Scott) - 3:34

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


ROD STEWART - Vocals

RICHARD GREENE - Fiddle
JEFF PARIS - Piano
JEFF BAXTER - Acoustic Guitar, Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar, Electric Guitar
RICK BRAUN - Trumpet
PAULINHO DA COSTA - Percussion, Maraccas, Tambourine
MICHAEL LANDAU - Guitar, Electric Guitar
NICK LANE - Trombone
OLIVER LEIBER - Guitar, Horn Arrangements
LANCE MORRISON - Bass
KEVIN SAVIGAR - Organ, Bass, Accordion, Arranger, Horn, Keyboards, Programming, Producer, Horn Arrangements
ERIC RIGLER - Low Whistle
JIMMY ROBERTS - Tenor Saxophone
STEVE RICHARDS - Cello
DANIEL SMITH - Cello
SUZIE KATAYAMA - Cello
DAVID PALMER - Drums
JOHN SHANKS - Guitar, Mandolin, Slide Guitar
CAROLINE CORR - Bodhran
ANDREA CORR - Penny Whistle
SHARON CORR - Fiddle

SUE ANN CARWELL - Backing Vocals
D. HARVEY - Backing Vocals
RICHARD PAGE - Backing Vocals
JEFF PESCETTO - Backing Vocals
JACKIE SIMLEY - Backing Vocals
WILL WHEATON - Backing Vocals
FRED WHITE - Backing Vocals
LAMONT VANHOOK - Backing Vocals

CHRIS LORD-ALGE - Producer, Mixing
ROB DICKINS - Liner Notes, Executive Producer
BARRY RUDOLPH - Engineer
STEVE HARRISON - Engineer, Drum Recordings
JEFF THOMAS - Assistant Engineer
RAFA SARDINA - Assistant Engineer
ALAN SANDERSOn - Assistant Engineer
JIM HORETSKI - Assistant Engineer
GREG COLLINS - Assistant Engineer
LAWRENCE AZERRAD - Art Direction, Design
ED FOTHERINGHAM - Artwork
KEN SHARP - Photography
MIKE RUIZ - Photography

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


Includes liner notes by Rob Dickins. After spending most of the 90s traveling the same adult contemporary path as Michael Bolton by covering the likes of Dan Hill, Rod the Mod reaches back to his critically-respected, early-70s roots with WHEN WE WERE THE NEW BOYS. This time out, Stewarts choice of credible songsmiths to interpret include Graham Parker (Hotel Chambermaid), Ron Sexsmith (Secret Heart) and Nick Lowe (Shelly My Love). He even lends a sympathetic ear to contemporary U.K. groups (Oasis and Primal Scream) whose love of bawdy behavior and gritty rock are in line with what the Faces were doing 25 years before. Stewart also returns to his youth with a Celtic version of Ooh La La overflowing with bodhran and penny whistle, that was recorded as a tribute to the late Ronnie Lane, a longtime friend and former bandmate. As always, Stewarts interpretations remain interesting, particularly his emotive take on Skunk Anansies Weak and the Dylan-flavored reading of Mike Scotts What Do You Want Me To Do? that close out the record.

From "Rod the Mod" to disco boy-toy, Stewart has ridden pop's many waves. So it's awful to hear him sound so clumsy and stagnant on this album of covers. He pays questionable tribute to old pals Graham Parker and Nick Lowe, as well as new loves like Skunk Anansie and Oasis. He only succeeds once, with "Ooh La La," a lovely, deft, pathos-packed song by the late Small Faces leader Ronnie Lane. Hearing the rest is like watching a T-Rex try to waltz: Stewart stumbles into a bland, warmed-over, Stones-blues with Oasis' seize-the-day anthem "Cigarettes and Alcohol" and techno-rock band Primal Scream's "Rocks." Most unforgivably, he massacres Ron Sexsmith's "Secret Heart," stomping all over its gauzy innocence with his rough-ridden, bourbon-and-sandpaper voice.



Nobody stays forever young, so it's heartening to hear signs of life on When We Were the New Boys, Rod Stewart's strongest studio recording in years. Once reduced to cooing trifles like "Love Touch (Love Theme From Legal Eagles)," he sounds here like a man who ordered the credibility combo platter. Stewart heads back to the future and forward into his past on When We Were the New Boys, covering suitable Nineties songs such as Oasis' "Cigarettes and Alcohol," Primal Scream's ultra-Stonesy "Rocks" and Skunk Anansie's "Weak," all of which he somehow turns into Rod rock. Less surprising, Stewart also tears into Graham Parker's simpatico "Hotel Chambermaid" and does poetic justice to Ron Sexsmith's exquisite "Secret Heart" -- arguably the best song Stewart has interpreted since Tom Waits' "Downtown Train." In a lovely, rocking tip of the cap, Stewart movingly salutes his fallen Face mate Ronnie Lane by covering "Oh La La," which Lane wrote with Ronnie Wood. These are savvy choices, particularly from a guy who saw fit to cover Leo Sayer's When I Need You last time around. Stewart's only songwriting contribution here is the wistful and uncharacteristically thoughtful title track -- an affecting reverie about past glories on an album that boasts a few new ones. The goal on the short but sweet When We Were the New Boys was clearly to get back to the amazing grace and relatively stripped-down sound of Every Picture Tells a Story, and while it never quite rises to that extraordinary height, this time it's still a genuine pleasure to meet the new Rod. He's nearly the same as the old Rod. (RS 789)

DAVID WILD
Copyright © 1968-1999 Rolling Stone Network. All Rights Reserved.



The man whose voice sounds like he gargled with molten lava is back, and this time he's hungry for rock. The overly slick production that saturated Stewart's '80s albums has been replaced here by a raw, rocking style reminiscent of his early work with the Faces. When We Were The Boysfeatures impressive versions of songs written by new, mostly British artists.

© 1978-1999 College Media Inc. All rights reserved.



After years of singing works from professional songwriters, adding a handful of classic covers along the way, Rod Stewart began to explore more challenging material on A Spanner in the Works. That album paved the way for When We Were the New Boys, a record that finds Stewart tackling the music of his Brit-pop offspring as well as coming to terms with his pub-rock roots. It's a bold move and a risky one, as well — he could have exposed himself as an old man out of touch with new rock & roll. He could have embarrassed himself, but surprisingly, he does not. Granted, he doesn't rock with the same energy as he used too, and he can't quite make Skunk Anansie's "Weak" sound convincing, but he recasts Oasis' "Cigarettes and Alcohol," Primal Scream's "Rocks" and Graham Parker's "Hotel Chambermaid" as comfortable pub-rockers in the vein of "Hot Legs." It might not appeal to those that love the rolling thunder of the Gallaghers or Bobby Gillespie's ironic classicism, but they nevertheless are the best rockers Rod has cut in ages. Still, he really shines on the ballads. Ron Sexsmith's "Secret Heart," Nick Lowe's gorgeous "Shelly My Love" and Mike Scott's "What Do You Want Me To Do" are all given direct, unadorned arrangements that emphasize both Stewart's affecting delivery and the overall beauty of the songs. But the two most affecting moments are Stewart's original "When We Were the New Boys" and his cover of the Faces' "Ooh La La," which was originally sung by Ronnie Lane. He invests these two numbers with bittersweet reminiscences, yet they are ultimately comforting, much like the album itself. It may be the sound of an older Rod Stewart, but he hasn't sounded this comfortable with a batch of songs in years.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine - All Music Guide



Rod Stewart ist seit über 35 Jahren im Pop-Geschäft und er weiß offensichtlich auch heute noch, was gute Musik ist. Auf diesem Album präsentiert er Cover-Versionen, die er durch den unverwechselbaren Klang seiner Stimme direkt für sich vereinnahmt. Berührungsängste kennt der blonde Stoppelkopf dabei überhaupt nicht. Ist Rods Version der Oasis-Komposition "Cigarettes and Alcohol" auch musikhistorisch folgerichtig und ein echter Hammer, so wird es spannend aber leider auch nicht ganz unproblematisch, wenn er sich an "Weak" von Skunk Anansie versucht. Die Verbeugung vor der Vergangenheit gelingt ihm da weit überzeugender: "Oh lala" ist ein alter Faces-Titel, mitkomponiert von Rods Wegbegleiter Ronnie Lane. Die Folk-Einflüsse dieses Songs gestalten das Album noch ein Stück abwechslungsreicher. Ansonsten garantieren Komponisten wie Ron Sexsmith, Nick Lowe oder Graham Parker, daß Rod sich hier von seiner besten, seiner rockigen Seite präsentieren kann. Und: Was er so aus "Rocks" von Primal Scream macht ist einfach geil.

Wolfram Lumpe - Amazon.de



"Was soll ich tun?", will der Altrocker auf der neuen CD vom Hergott wissen. Es scheint, als fühle sich Rod Stewart von tiefer Ratlosigkeit gepeinigt. An der ersten Studioaufnahme seit '93 kann's kaum liegen: Mit unnachahmlicher Stichsägen-Stimme zerlegt der in London geborene 53jährige genüßlich das Oasis-Opus "Cigarettes & Alcohol" und streicht zärtlich über Nick Lowes "Shelly My Love" oder die in eine warme Folk-Decke gehüllte, alte Faces-Nummer "Ooh La La". Ein souveränes Comeback!

© Audio



Erwachsen werden? Nein, das ist wohl das letzte, wad Roderick David Stewart in diesem Leben noch so vor hat. Ein anderes mal vielleicht. Lieber gibt er auch mit 53 Jahren noch den rauhbeinigen (wenngleich inzwischen etwas faltigen) Rock'n'Soul-Shouter, den juvenilen Herz-Buben ohne Verfallsdatum, der glatt als kleiner Bruder von Tom Jones durchgehen könnte. Nun wagt der Schotte einen neuerlichen Sprung zurück in die Vergangenheit, els er und die Seinen eben noch die "New Boys" waren. Die Ron Wood / Ronnie Lane-Nummer "Ooh La La" aus glorreichen Faces-Zeiten muß ebenso dran glauben wie Songgut der 90er Jahre, Oasis' "Cigarettes And Alcohol" etwa, oder "Weak As I Am" von Skunk Anansie. Und Primal Screams "Rocks", einer der stärksten Titel, den die Rolling Stones nie schrieben, erlaubt einen Abstecher in saftige Rock-Gefilde. Nun kann ein solches Unternehmen leicht peinlich werden: ein älterer Herr auf der Suche nach der verlorenen Jungend. Doch scheitert er nur ein Mal richtig: Dem zarten Charme von "Secret Heart" (aus der Feder des Songwriter-Talents Ron Sexsmith) spürt Stewart vergebens nach. Besser steht ihm das krachlederne Bluesrock-Arrangement von Graham Parkers "Hotel Chambermaid". Folkig-poppig geht es im Titelsong und "Weak" zu, stilistisch der "Vagabond Heart"-Phase zuzurechnen. Das alles ist weder neu noch sonderlich relevant, aber einmal mehr von liebenswert knittrigem Charme. ** M: 6-7

© Stereoplay



An intriguing concept: Rod sings a batch of credible songs. Some of these - Oasis' "Cigarettes and Alcohol," Graham Parker's "Hotel Chambermaid" - are particularly sharp choices in light of his persona. Still, the rockers are too often ground out by rote (the Oasis song might as well be the lame "Hot Legs"), while ballads by Nick Lowe and Ron Sexsmith receive sympathetic yet bland production and arrangement.

Rickey Wright - Amazon.com



Though Stewart's randy rasp can still marvel and move, he can't help but turn Oasis' "Cigarettes and Alcohol" and Primal Scream's "Rocks" into hammy, irony-challenged showbiz rock.

Entertainment Weekly



With When We Were the New Boys the resurgent 53-year-old lets the rocker within come out to play. Just as he did in his early ‘70s prime, Stewart alternates chunky, bass-thumping songs ... and weep-in-your-pint story songs about lost mates and long-gone good times.... Clearly, the old rooster is back on his feet again.

People



Rod Stewart's decision to try to recapture that early energy with stripped-down arrangements and harder-edged material is definitely a move in the right direction. Unfortunately, When We Were the New Boys is less an attempt at something fresh than a ham-fisted mishmash of old and new songs jacked up with self-consciously raw guitar sounds that scream, I'm back!

The Los Angeles Times



Rod Stewart lets it all hang out... Back from the brink of turning into a rock 'n' roll Barry Manilow, Rod the Mod is back with his most upbeat, Faces-like album in years. Equal parts politically incorrect swagger and sentimentality, When We Were the New Boys contains songs written by such young and young-thinking artists as Noel Gallagher and Ron Sexsmith. Whether or not this is a shameless grab at the youth market is irrelevant. Rod always had a hammy side, a sense of excessive rock 'n' roll theatrics that tended to give even his most vital hits a hint of burlesque, as if the songs were merely vehicles for him to pose and show off. That's just the way he is - and, on this mindlessly fun summer album, he lets it all hang out.

MIKE ROSS - Express Writer



Here's a riddle: What do you call a useless South African fisherman? Answer: Rodney. That's also what you would call an elderly, bottle-blonde, spiky-haired would-be Scottish footballer who had to settle for being the oldest bagel on the rock block; but you can call him Rod.

On this, his first self-produced album in over two decades, Rod Stewart has attempted to emulate the live sound and quality content of his early Seventies classic 'Every Picture Tells A Story'. On that album, as with 'When We Were The New Boys', Rod hauled his favourite musicians into a studio and had a great time turning out cover versions of songs written by Tim Hardin ('Reason To Believe') and Bob Dylan ('Tomorrow Is A Long Time') among others. That album's massive hit, 'Maggie May' was written by Rod himself. 'Every Picture Tells A Story' has aged gracefully and is still generally preferred over Rod's other big record, 'Atlantic Crossing'.

The 'When We Were The New Bafanas' album adheres to the 'Every Picture' formula. The songs on this CD are a mixture of sentimental ballads and mike-swinging high-octane rockers.

For the covers, Rod has decided to take on the "Young Turks", as he once described them in a hit single, and wraps his Frosties-coated larynx around Oasis's 'Cigarettes And Alcohol', Primal Scream's 'Rocks', Skunk Anansie's 'Weak' and (the slightly older) Graham Parker's 'Hotel Chambermaid'. These strutting, kick-ass versions add extra dimensions to the originals except for 'Weak' where Rod's voice battles to reach the high notes and then just quits, er, weakly

He gets all yearning and soppy on Mike (ex-Waterboys) Scott's 'What Do You Want Me To Do?', Superstar's 'Superstar' and 'Secret Heart', the Ron Sexsmith song that will hopefully have fans rushing off to search out the two essential albums by this new artist. The title track was written specially for this album by Rod and is as laddish and nostalgic as it sounds.

Stewart then sums up his entire career with his wonderful redo of the Faces' hit 'Ooh La La', a song he wrote with Ronnie Wood but which he did not sing on the original version. The rousing chorus of this song: "I wish that I knew what I know now, when I was younger", is moving but not really accurate as Rod has had a great time actualising his rock star fantasies these past years and even if he had known then what he knows now, he probably wouldn't have done it any different at all.

This is the best album he's made in years.

Stephen "Sugar" Segerman



Rumors about the comeback of The Rooster Of Rock were flying the moment this album's concept was leaked to the press last year; the common thread being that Rod was making a rock record that could stand alongside Every Picture Tells A Story or any Faces disc. As fans became excited and critics sharpened their axes (for the inevitable failure), the further details regarding the "cover song" concept became available, leading both fans and critics ready to write the old man's epitaph - not only has he lost his way musically, but now even his muse has left him.

As someone from the other side of the pond might say, "Bollocks"!

Scrape away all the surface crap about Rod's Hollywood image, his tabloid romance diary fodder and every other preconceived notion and you just might remember that Mr. Stewart is one of the best interpretive performers of the last thirty years. Whether breathing fire into the classic "I'm Losing You", celebrating the joyous "People Get Ready" or rocking out with covers of his beloved Sam Cooke, Stewart has always peppered his records with inspired versions of other's work; casual fans might be surprised how many of his covers are superior to the originals.

But the big misnomer here is the "rock album" tag - while half the songs light a bigger fire than most of recent memory, the others fall into that literate ballad category that Rod has mined for gold. On this record, Rod digs down a little deeper and sings in his upper register more than usual - a bold step for an elder singer, but perhaps his own way of proving a point. "Superstar", complete with the opening fanfare that screams "sensitive ballad", is a prime example; Rod's pleading vocals cascading above the melody. Ron Sexsmith's "Secret Heart" follows, framing Rod's voice in a beautiful acoustic arrangement that proves his pipes are as strong as his phrasing. Perhaps the most beautiful song on the record is Nick Lowe's "Shelly My Love", yet another ballad that boldly leaves Rod's vocals naked against the framework of the song. They might be mellow, but they are among the most beautifully fragile performances of his career. Perhaps his most challenging vocal is on "Weak", the passionate power ballad by Skunk Anasie that truly pushes his gravel voice to the limit.

A nod and a wink to his departed bandmate Ronnie Lane, the arrangement of "Ooh La La" recalls the atmosphere of his early records when Pete Sears and Mickey Waller and Martin Quittenton and others brought his folksy vision to life. Ditto the closing track, the Dylanesque "What Do You Want Me To Do" from Waterboy Mike Scott, simple acoustic and harp easing the record to a close. This is the first record that Rod has self-produced in years, and it reinforces the fact that he has always been his own best producer, balancing sparse ballads and full band rock and making it cohesive.

As far as pure adrenaline rock, there are really only three kick-ass moments. The opening track and single "Cigarettes And Alcohol" (Oasis) gets full "Brown Sugar" treatment, complete with horns and saucy background vocalists (take THAT, Liam!). Turn the knob up as well for the vastly underrated Graham Parker's raucous "Hotel Chambermaid" and especially the Stones arrangement of Primal Scream's "Rocks", a no-brainer for his upcoming live show. But the arrangements and playing here are far more reminiscent of his post-emigration American bands than classic Faces material. As talented as any of his bands and sidemen have been over the years (and make no mistake, there have been many heavy-hitters), there will never be another song that will recapture the magic of the golden era. Why? Because as much as neither one will ever say so publicly, the combination of Ron Wood and Rod Stewart created a magic that neither has been able to match without the other. Watching the video of Unplugged And Seated, even with the acoustic setting, it is obvious how the two naturally feed off each other. So while he may be recapturing his roots (the album art's little side joke), the rock is more along the level of "Hot Legs" than "Stay With Me".

But he knows that better than anyone. The centerpiece of When We Were The New Boys is the title song, the lone track penned by Stewart (co-written with band mate Kevin Savigar). The tempo and lyrical framework will immediately recall both "Forever Young" and "I Was Only Joking", and like those, contain autobiographical lyrics that perhaps here are more poignant than ever. Stewart's well aware of his past glories, and also that he cannot turn back that clock, no matter how much his fans (and probably himself) might want him to. But while he's not trying to recapture the torch, he's not passing it either - if you want it, Noel, come on and get it. The lyrics are among the best he has ever written, and I suspect one of the most introspective looks he has permitted us to share:

"We never dreamed it could ever end / This was our moment, this was our space / This was a jewel of a time to have graced / But they're all sweet memories now / When we were the new boys..."

At ten songs and forty-one minutes, even the time recalls the vinyl era (and if you consider "Secret Heart" the end of side one, "Hotel Chambermaid" is the ass-kicker that every side two needs to open with). While this might be a little short for his ever-zealous fans, it should be just long enough to prove his point. Rod The Mod has still got it in spades, and his finest record since Never A Dull Moment shows a man comfortable with his past, not jealous of it.

Bill Holmes



When We Were The New Boys
By Mary Ellen Gustafson

Although I don't normally write many reviews these days, when I decided this month's Feature would be Rod Stewart, I had to share my own experiences - including seeing the "When We Were The New Boys" tour. Now that I've sat down to write about this legendary rocker/balladeer, I'm having a hard time thinking of what to say - after all, what CAN you say about a guy that's been putting out records for over 30 yrs., who EVERYBODY (unless they've lived under a rock for a long time) recognizes, with the spiky hair, wiry frame, and that rough voice that he plays like an instrument. Well, I've come to the conclusion there isn't a whole lot of history to repeat here, since you can find "statistics" on Stewart just about anywhere.

For just a little background, in September of 1964, Rod recorded his very first single, "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl," with John Paul Jones on bass. Previously he played guitar in group at school, "The Kool Kats." Stewart was "discovered" by John Baldry, singing to himself at Twickenham railway station, in January of 1964. This all sounds so ancient, but you would NEVER know this guy is 53, as he prances around the stage live, putting on a 25 song set without stopping!

Stewart was with the "Jeff Beck Group" for 3 years ('67-'69) and two albums, then moved on to the "Faces" for 6 years ('70-'76), while starting his solo career in the same period. "The Rod Stewart Album" was released in 1969 on Mercury Records, "Gasoline Alley" in 1970, "Every Picture Tells A Story" in 1971, "Never A Dull Moment" in 1972, "Sing It Again, Rod" in 1973, "Smiler" in 1974 and "Atlantic Crossing" in 1975. After "Snakes And Ladders: Best of The Faces" was released in 1976, Rod was off and running on his own, right up through his latest release, "When We Were The New Boys," in 1998, a whopping 27 solo releases from '69-'98. Stewart is nothing if not prolific!

I have to admit that I wasn't aware of Rod Stewart until September of 1971 when "Maggie May" from "Every Picture Tells A Story" took over the radio airwaves. This was Rod's first #1 single on his first #1 album in both the U.K. and U.S. I still have a soft spot for this song, because I heard it a whole lot around the time my son was born.

Since that time, I've heard hit after hit from this Rock & Roll Hall of Famer they say "Wrote the book of love," but never really considered myself a big fan - at least not until I saw him in Concert on 9/6/98, and discovered I knew every single song in his set except the three new ones from "WWWTNB." I wasn't even all that particularly excited about going to this concert. I set it up for my photographer (and husband), because he's such a HUGE Rod Stewart fan, but I think I had almost more fun than he did! And what a concert it was! (See Concert secion in this month's issue.) First, a quick review of the new album

"When We Were The New Boys" gets off to a good start with a semi-slow rocker, "Cigarettes and Alcohol," a song by "Oasis." If you haven't heard it by now, it's a typical 4/4 beat rock song, similar in sound to the "Faces," and Rod loved it when it was presented to him. The lyrics aren't anything special - mostly repitition of "Cigarettes and alcohol" and "You got to make it happen," but it's definitely a good "bar" song.

"Ooh La La" harks back to the days of the "Faces" as well - only this time it's a song written by Ronnie Lane, who died during the recording of this album, along with Ron Wood. Rod had never sung this song, and decided to use it as a tribute to Ronnie. The chorus of this song has really stuck with me. "I wish that I knew what I know now/ When I was Younger/ I wish that I knew what I know now/ When I was stronger." The use of and accordian, organ and fiddle give this song even more "oomph!" "Rocks" is another rocker, this time from "Primal Scream," with it's irreverant, tongue-in-cheek lyrics and chorus of "Get your rocks off . . ." It's a movin' and groovin' number, and probably the liveliest, most fun song on this album. (Read more about this song in the concert review.) "Superstar" has a "large" quality to it, this one penned by Indie band "Superstar." This is the first ballad on the album, and although the song itself isn't fantastic compared to several of his other love songs, the emotion and emphasis on the longing lyrics are enough to melt any female heart.

"Secret Heart," written by Ron Sexsmith, is another slow, pretty, love song, with basically just an acoustic background to the sensitive vocals. This number is definitely good one for a very slow dance with your special someone. Picking things up again is the bawdy "Hotel Chambermaid," with lyrics by Graham Parker, and lively, almost southern rock type, music. This one is a toe tapper for sure. Moving on to the other serious ballad on the album is "Shelly My Love," written by Nick Lowe. With an almost hearbreaking quality to the vocal, Rod pulls on the old heart strings in this song. The baladeer is at his best on this particular track.

The title track, "When We Were The New Boys," is the only song that has the lyrics printed in the liner notes. The lyrics are also strung out in the concert program, with no other information provided (except on the band page). This song is about the "good old days" with the "Faces," and how they wrote songs, checked out girls, practiced in garages and thought none of it would ever end. This tribute to the beginning of an illustrious career, that led all "the new boys" in different directions, is sung to music that is unmistakably Rod Stewart. When you listen to this one, you immediately recognize the super star behind it.

"Weak" has a very different intro than any Rod Stewart song I've ever heard. Interesting instrumentals lead into a quiet verse that swells into a huge chorus. " . . . 'Cause I wanted you/ I wanted you/ Weak as I am/ No tears for you/ Weak as I am/ Too much for you/ Weak as I am/ I'm almost Through/ Weak as I am/ With this tainted soul/ And this weak old heart/ Baby I'm too much for you. This song was written by "Skunk Anansie," and Rod fell in love with it. This is another one of the better tracks on the album - mainly because it's kind of a departure from your "typical" Rod Stewart song, but he certainly does it justice!

Closing out the the album is the slice of southern rock, harmonica and all, "What Do You Want Me To Do?" written by Mike Scott of the "Waterboys" for his own solo album, but it was agreed the song was in the "Dylan" tradition for a Rod Stewart album. The song is medium paced, but emotional, with a lot of emphasis on the vocals and not a lot of backing music. The closing lyric kinda gets to you, especially with the harmonica accompaniment. "What do you want me to do Lord?/ I'm listenin'/ (fade) I'm listenin'/ (more fade) I'm listenin.' " I've heard better Rod Stewart albums, but this one should fit in right up there with some of his biggies. On a few songs I thought there was more potential than what actually came through on the album, which is why I only rated "When We Were The New Boys" a 4. Still, it's a pretty good mix of styles and pace, there's fun, there's hearbreak, there's beautiful love songs and, of course, there's that un-mistakable Rod Stewart voice and style! Even if you're not a huge Rod Stewart fan, I think you'll find this album enjoyable - I'm the proof of that!

© 1998 by Mary Ellen Gustafson



The man whose voice sounds like he gargled with molten lava is back, and this time he's hungry for rock. The overly slick production that saturated Stewart's '80s albums has been replaced here by a raw, rocking style reminiscent of his early work with the Faces. When We Were The Boysfeatures impressive versions of songs written by new, mostly British artists.

D. M. Avery: CMJ New Music Report Issue: 575 - Jun 22, 1998
 

 L y r i c s


Ooh La La

Poor old Grandad I laughed at all his words
I thought he was a bitter man
He spoke of women's ways
They'll trap you then they use you before you even know
For love is blind and you're far too kind
Don't ever let it show

I wish that I knew what I know now
When I was younger
I wish that I knew what I know now
When I was stronger

The can-can such a pretty show
Will steal your heart away
But backstage back on earth again
The dressing rooms are grey
They come on strong and it ain't too long
For they make you feel a man
But love is blind and you soon will find
You're just a boy again (joana)

When you want her lips, you get her cheek
Makes you wonder where you are
If you want some more then she's fast asleep
Leaves you twinkling with the stars

Poor young grandson there's nothing I can say
You'll have to learn, just like me
And that's the hardest way, ooh la la

I wish that I knew what I know now
When I was younger
I wish that I knew what I know now
Whan I was stronger

Fade out

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


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