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Rating: After the great success of the album ‘Metal Health’, the Quiet Riot, led by the euphoric singer Kevin DuBrow (sadly recently passed away at the age of 52), faithfully followed by the excellent guitarist Carlos Cavazo, bassist Rudy Sarzo, and the wild drummer Frankie Banali, try to ride the wave of success by releasing just a year later this ‘Condition Critical’.
The album opens with "Sign Of The Times", an excellent track full of energy and with a cheerful rhythm complete with a chorus shouted in unison by DuBrow and company, which sticks in your mind upon first listen.
This album also had to include a cover of Slade; with the catchy "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", they attempt to repeat the commercial strategy of the previous album, releasing the track as the first single and trying to climb the charts: an operation half successful.
This is followed by "Party All Night", the second single chosen by the band, which continues the joyful and happy hard rock melodies, suitable for partying all night without stopping.
"Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet" exudes great energy, thanks to Cavazo's riffs and DuBrow's screams, which halfway through the song almost seem to incite and direct a crowd ready to revel.
The energetic rhythms at the beginning of the album are interrupted by the ballad "Winners Take All" (already played in the '70s with Randy Rhoads), a track that proceeds slowly and offers us melodic riffs and almost melancholic choruses. Then comes the turn of the title track "Condition Critical", which does not resume the initial speed but presents a slowed-down, fascinating, and rather pleasant hard rock.
The typical unrestrained energy of the American combo is then resumed by the following "Scream And Shout", where Frankie Banali hits quite hard, Cavazo proves inspired, and DuBrow makes it clear that he certainly does not want to lower his voice, but continue to scream at the top of his lungs.
"Red Alert" continues to bring electrifying and cheerful rhythms, as does the subsequent "Bad Boy": two tracks that, although not among the best pieces in the batch, are easy and enjoyable to listen to.
The closure is entrusted to "(We Were) Born To Rock", once again in the sign of fast rhythms and shouted choruses, complete with a schizoid laugh by DuBrow at the end.
Obviously, repeating the commercial success of "Metal Health" was a difficult, if not prohibitive, feat, and indeed "Condition Critical" managed to sell only 3 million copies against the previous 6.
But, despite this, the album is still a pleasure to listen to today and turns out to be composed of interesting episodes like the already mentioned "Sign Of The Times", "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" and "Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet", confirming itself, after the acclaimed platter published in 1983, as the quartet's most successful album under the Stars and Stripes.
Tracklist:
01. Sign Of The Times
02. Mama Weer All Crazee Now
03. Party All Night
04. Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet
05. Winners Take All
06. Condition Critical
07. Scream And Shout
08. Red Alert
09. Bad Boy
10. (We Were) Born To Rock
Line Up:
Kevin DuBrow - Vocals
Carlos Cavazo - Guitar
Rudy Sarzo - Bass
Frankie Banali - Drums
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Sign of the Times (05:05)
Well I have street sense radar
Ooh, is supposed be news
You better lock up your daughters
You never know what we'll due
Good news, bad news
It's all the same
Addicts on main streets
They give us the blame
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
We're a sign of the times
Having fun ain't no crime
We're a sign of the times
Having fun all the time, yeah
Great impersonators
We broke all the rules
We laugh with our masks on
The joke is on you
You're getting furry
It does you no good
It's the same old story
It's a human zoo
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
We're a sign of the times
Having fun ain't no crime
We're a sign of the times
Having fun all the time, yeah
My, my, my, my, yeah
Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
Cha!
Cha!
I see a sign up ahead
Got it's lights flashing red
I can see you're the same
These are the words that I read
Long live rock and roll (Roll!)
Long live rock and roll (Roll!)
Long live rock and roll
It's gonna save your soul
Good news, bad news
It's all the same
Addicts on main streets
Please, please give us a break
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
We're a sign of the times
Having fun ain't no crime
We're a sign of the times
Having fun all the time
Hey!
We're just a sign of the times
We're just a sign of the times
We're just a sign of the times, yeah
We're a sign of the times
Having fun all the time
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
02 Mama Weer All Crazee Now (03:36)
Ma mama weer all crazee now
Ma ma mama weer all crazee now
Woo!
I don't want to drink my whiskey like you do
I don't need to spend my money but still do
Well don't stop now come on
Another drop now so come on
I want a lot now so come on
That's why
That's why
I say
Ma mama weer all crazee now
Ma ma mama weer all crazee now, yeah
And you told me fool firewater won't hurt me, but you lied
And you tease me and all my ladies deserve me, I'm gonna get her back
But don't stop now come on
Another drop so come on
I want a lot now so come on
That's why
That's why
I say
Ma mama weer all crazee now
I say
Ma ma mama weer all crazee now
Get crazee
Yeah!
Let's go!
Let's party!
I say
Ma mama weer all crazee now
Ma mama weer all crazee now
Oh yeah
Ma mama weer all crazee now
Ooh
Ma ma ma ma mama weer all crazee now
Get crazee with me
Ma mama weer all crazee now
(Mama, mama I'm going crazee. Help me)
Ma mama weer all crazee now
(Oh help me I'm going wild and crazee)
Ma mama weer all crazee now
I say
Ma ma ma ma mama weer all crazee
I said
Ma ma ma ma mama weer all crazee now
Yeah
woo-hoo!
03 Party All Night (03:32)
Hang loose
Party
Got my head to the grindstone
I'm trying to act like a fool
My head is a lampshade
They can't find me at school
Well I'm an animal
Yes I'm a cannonball
They say I'm out for blood
One thing I wanna do is
Party all night (Oh-oh!)
Party all night (Oh-oh-oh!)
Party all night (Yeah!)
All night long
Driving right way on the wrong side
A bit too much to drink
Women in the backseat
And they don't know what to think
They say I've lost my head
You'll probably end up dead
But they're too blind to see
What's a party to me, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Is to party all night (Oh-oh!)
Let's party all night (Oh-oh-oh!)
Party all night (Yeah!)
All night long
Uh!
Let's have a good time, good time
C'mon
Everybody's parties
I'm on a one way cruise
Lookin' for trouble
We got nothing to lose
They're on the telephone
They're trying to send me home
We're gonna pull the plug
We've got a new kind of school
Let's party all night
Let's party all night
Party all night
Let's party all night
(Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)
Let's party all night (Oh!)
(We're party animals, baby)
Let's party all night (Oh-oh-oh!)
(We've got nothing to lose)
Let's party all night
All night long, yeah!
04 Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet (04:41)
Whoa!
Woo-woo yeah
Turn it up until it bangs your head
Tear it down now mother don't play dead
People stand the noise
All the little toys
Put some more coke on the fire
Stomp your hands
Clap your feet
Stomp your hands
To the beat
Stomp your hands
Clap your feet
Stomp your hands
To the beat
Mixed up kids lookin' for that night
They're getting higher everything in sight, well alright
The music's pretty loud
Someone in the crowd
Think they're gonna cause us a riot
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh
Stomp your hands
Clap your feet
Stomp your hands
To the beat, oh
Stomp your hands
Clap your feet
Stomp your hands
To the beat
Rock on, rock on, rock on
Yow!
How how how how how
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh
(Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh
(Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Whoa-oh-oh-oh ho ho ho
Stomp your hands
Clap those feet, yeah
Stomp your hands
To the beat
C'mon boys
Stomp your hands
Clap your feet
Whoa-whoa, all night, yeah, yeah, yeah
Stomp your hands
(Oh whoa oh oh)
Clap your feet
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh
Stomp your hands
Clap your feet
Stomp your hands
To the beat
All night long
Stomp your hands
(Everybody)
Clap your feet
(Everybody stomp your hands to the beat in the heat yeah yeah yeah yeah woo!)
Stomp your hands
(Oh!)
Clap your feet
(Oh whoa whoa whoa whoa, rock all night, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)
Oh yeah
Stomp your hands
(Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)
Clap your feet
(My my my, my my my my my my, my, my, my, my)
Stomp your hands
Clap your feet
05 Winners Take All (05:35)
Life's been good
Life's been bad
Now I know
What I had
Has taken it's toll on me
Yes we give
And we take
What we get
Is what we make
Believe that dreams come true
Life is crazy
We're not fools, no, no
The price is high
When you keep the score
Take your souls
And your goals
To the top
Together we stand
We won't take no more
Cause we're winners
And winners take all
Together we stand
We won't take no more
Cause we're winners
And winners take all
We have loved
Burned by fate
But for once
Set the record straight
Time does heal all wounds
You have laughed
We have cried
Paid our dues
Yes we're turned the tide
Mistakes are far and few
We need no guidance
Our aim is true
Down the road
There were many tolls
But we know
Cause we've grown
What we need
Together we stand
We won't take no more
Cause we're winners
And winners take all
Together we stand
We won't take no more
Cause we're winners
And winners take all
The price is high
When you keep the score
Take your souls
And your goals
To the top
Together we stand
We won't take no more
Cause we're winners
And winners take all
Together we stand
We won't take no more
Cause we're winners
And winners take all
Na, na, na-na-na na-na
Na-na, na-na-na-na
Na-na-na, na
Na, na, na-na-na na-na
Na-na, na-na-na-na
Na-na-na, na
Na, na, na-na-na na-na
Na-na, na-na-na-na
Na-na-na, na
Na, na, na-na-na na-na
Na-na, na-na-na-na
Na-na-na, na
06 Condition Critical (05:03)
Oh the tension's mounting
The pressure starts to show
All the men in haunting
Please don't let me go
(Don't go)
Try to free my body
(Don't go)
Try to strap me down
(Don't go)
These'll never break me
(Don't go)
Free wheel to look at me
Condition critical
I'm feeling physical
Condition critical
Not really cynical
The bells they are ringing
Or is it in my head
My nerves numb understanding
I'm falling out of bed
(Don't go)
So call it paranoia
(Don't go)
I don't see it that way
(Let's go)
You say I adore ya
(Hell no)
We're gonna rock they way
Condition critical
I'm feeling physical
Condition critical
Not really cynical
Ooh ooh
Whips and chains
Don't feel no pain
What's so wrong
I think I'm going out of my head
Over heels
I can't feel
No pain, only pleasure
Get me out
Take me home
Can't you see my condition
Woo-woo-woo
Condition
Condition
Condition critical, critical
Condition
Condition
Condition critical
Condition critical
I'm feeling physical
Condition critical
Not really cynical
Condition critical
I'm feeling physical
Condition critical
Not really cynical (Cynical)
Condition
Condition
Condition critical, critical
Condition
Condition
Condition critical, critical
Condition
Condition
Condition critical, critical
Condition
Condition
Condition critical, critical
Condition
Condition
Condition critical, critical
The pressure is mounting
I'm on the critical list, hell!
Ooh-ooh-ooh
07 Scream and Shout (04:01)
Yeah
All right
Oh yeah
Oh, come on boys
Your lights sheen nothing like sparkles
You look like you're toast
Put you hands up in the air
Treat me like a host
I wonder if you're ready
But I can't hear you breathe
My nerves are not quite steady
But you will only see that
I want more
(I want more)
So give it all
(Give it all)
Scream
Scream and shout
Lose your minds
Let it out
Take me higher
Higher
Higher
Scream and shout
Coats are smaller in this asylum
I can see what's on your minds
Looking for some truth
Is what you really want to find
Cause we are pure escapists
Yes times are getting tough
We just want to rock and roll
We can't get enough
I want more
(I want more)
So give it all
(Give it all)
Scream
Scream and shout
Lose your minds
Let it out
Take me higher
Higher
Higher
Scream and shout
Hahahahahaha!
You see that from the front row
We are shapes of things to come
You're handcuffed to your seat
And there is no place left to run
Your brains are in our power
We ponder as we feed
A healthy dose of metal
And that's all you'll ever need
I want more
(I want more)
So give it all
(Give it all)
Shout to the car
(Shout to the car)
I want it all, yeah
Scream
Scream and shout
Lose your minds
Let it out
Scream
Scream and shout
Lose your minds
Let it out
Out
Out!
08 Red Alert (04:28)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Oh whoa
Na na na noo noo
Information
Is time to comfort the weak
Invitation to rock with you
They will freak
Ho-ho-ho!
Red alert
This house is a-rockin'
Red alert
Tearin' the walls down
Red alert
No way to stop them
Red alert
Give me more, more, more
Red alert
I'm amazed
All the people that walk down the tower
In a haze
A masseuse will trigger the score
No, no, no
Red alert
This house is a-rockin'
Red alert
Tearin' the walls down
Red alert
No way to stop them
Red alert
Give me more, more, more
Red alert
Oh tear it down
We've been bad
Not as bad as we could have been
Not so sad
Next week we're gonna do it, do it again
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Red alert
This house is a-rockin'
Red alert
Tearin' the walls down
Red alert
No way to stop them
Red alert
Give me more, more, more
Red alert
This house is a-rockin'
Red alert
Tearin' the walls down
Red alert
No way to stop them
Give me more, more, more
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Red alert
09 Bad Boy (04:20)
C'mon!
Yeah!
I thought that I was indestructible
But how could I imagine this
I never gave a second thought
Was only hit or miss
While you feed me and it feel so good
Does that mean that wrong is right?
Guess I got the warning
It happened overnight
Honey, it's only nasty
When it's nasty
And you know that it hurts
When it's right
I'm a bad boy
I'm a bad boy
They call me nasty
They call me bad
'Cause I'm a bad boy
I'm a bad boy
There are the good ways
To be a bad, bad boy
I'm a bad, bad boy
I'm a bad, bad boy
I'm a bad, bad boy
Well my behaviour has been in question
Since the day that I was born
I get on my knees to love and to please
Now you've been warned, yeah
Pay the price if you don't ignite
Now they're trying to pick and choose
You may be the most and know the cost
Yes, come to you
Oh your eyes are on me now
My defence must be bad somehow
Bad boy
I'm a bad boy
Call me nasty
They call me bad
But I'm a bad boy
I'm a bad boy
There are the good ways
To be a bad, bad boy
I'm a bad, bad boy
Show me
And it's only nasty
When it's nasty
And you know that it hurts
When it's right, right, right, right, right
I'm a bad boy
I'm a bad boy
I found all the good ways
Oh show me
Bad boy
I'm a bad boy
I found all the good ways
To be a bad
'Cause I'm a bad boy
I'm a bad boy
Please call me nasty
Please call me bad
'Cause I'm a bad boy
I'm a bad boy
I found all the good ways
To be a bad, bad boy
I'm so bad
So so bad
I'm bad
I'm a bad, bad boy
I'm a bad, bad boy
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