DAN BAIRD
''LOVE SONGS FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED''
OCTOBER 1991
41:22
1/The One I Am
Terry Anderson / Dan Baird /3:57
2/Julie + Lucky /4:57
3/I Love You Period
Terry Anderson/4:24
4/Look at What You Started
Terry Anderson / Dan Baird/5:10
5/Seriously Gone /2:52
6/Pick up the Knife /4:29
7Knocked Up
Terry Anderson / Dan Baird /3:08
8/Baby Talk /3:54
9/Lost Highway /3:49
10/Dixie Beauxderaunt
Terry Anderson / Dan Baird /4:42
Terry Anderson /Composer, Vocals (Background)
Dan Baird /Composer, Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals
Patrick Buchanon /Vocals (Background)
Keith Christopher /Bass
George D. /Organ
Mauro Magellan /Drums
Brendan O'Brien /Guitar, Organ, Organ (Hammond), Piano, Producer, Vocals (Background)
Rick Rubin /Producer
Benmont Tench /Guest Artist, Piano
REVIEW
by John Franck
It's too bad that Dan Baird's always going be remembered as that gap-toothed guy singing "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" from the back of a pickup truck on a primitive Georgia Satellites video. Always a great a live band, it's unfortunate that the band never quite got it together on the album front. Although they made some good records, they would never come close to capturing their in-concert abandon on tape. On his first solo effort, Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired, Satellite frontman Dan Baird finally managed to cut loose and assemble a string of first-rate tunes highlighted by the tongue in cheek radio hit "I Love You Period." Brilliantly produced by ex-Satellite Brendan O'Brien, Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired gets off to a rip-roaring start with the call and response of "The One I Am." Baird admits, "I can't afford to buy you no four star dinner/but by god, my love's a winner." And heck, how could you not believe him? As the singer bows in with his next tale of down-home, dysfunctional romance (and pregnancy) on "Julie + Lucky," his acute sense of the English vocabulary allows him to juxtapose a series of serious themes spinning them into some not so serious ones. The celebratory, singalong of "Look at What you Started" once again examines themes of disillusionment and communication breakdown. Bolstered by some great boogie-woogie piano courtesy of Tom Petty-man Benmont Tech, the track eventually explodes into a full on Faces romp with some Jerry Lee Lewis barroom smugness thrown in for good measure -- absolutely riveting. After the very Georgia Satellites-like "Seriously Gone" (quick, four on the floor drums, boogie-woogie keys -- yes, rock & roll made simple, ladies and gentlemen), the album proceeds to kick into high gear with the stellar "Pick Up the Knife." Almost "Rockin' in the Free World"- ish, it is a straight up rocker which shifts into its imaginative pre-chorus before diving into a deceptively simple chorus. "Knocked Up," another hilarious Chuck Berry inspired rip-off is next. Full of double-entendre, "Knocked Up" is, again, another wonderful tale of teenage pregnancy (must be a pattern or something), highlighted by an astonishing chorus: "you got knocked up/and I got locked up/I guess you can say that we both got screwed/you got locked out and I got knocked out/I guess you're going to miss a lot of school." The album is rounded out by "Baby Talk," the rollicking "Lost Highway," and "Dixie Beauxdorant." Although far from perfect, Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired is a joyous and vibrant effort that never gets too caught up in its sometimes obvious musical references and counterpoints.
BIOGRAPHY
by Greg Prato
Dan Baird was the frontman for late-'80s roots rock/one-hit wonders the Georgia Satellites, before launching his own solo career. Born on December 12, 1953, in San Diego, CA, but raised in Atlanta, GA, Baird picked up the guitar early on and began playing with local bands during his teenage years. By December of 1980, Baird had formed the Georgia Satellites (who would eventually consist of both Baird and Rick Richards on vocals/guitar, Rick Price on bass, and Mauro Magellan on drums). The quartet quickly found their musical niche -- a bar band version of such classic three-chord rockers as AC/DC and the Rolling Stones -- and in 1985 issued their debut recording, an independently issued six-song EP titled Keeping the Faith.
The mini-album helped land the Satellites a recording contract with Elektra, which led to the release of their full-length, self-titled major-label debut a year later. It took a while for the album to pick up steam, but it eventually became a surprise platinum certified hit by the summer of 1987, due to the number five hit single "Keep Your Hands to Yourself," and another popular single/video, "Battleship Chains." Baird and the Satellites issued two more releases during the late '80s, 1988's Open all Night and 1989's In the Land of Salvation and Sin, but neither matched the success of their self-titled debut, and led to the group's split by the dawn of the '90s.
It didn't take long for Baird to regain his footing and begin a solo career, as evidenced by 1991's Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired (issued on Rick Rubin's Def American label). The album appeared to put Baird back on the right track commercially, as it spawned a popular single/video with "I Love You Period." But a long break ensued before the appearance of his sophomore solo effort, 1996's Buffalo Nickel, which sunk from sight shortly after release (the same year, the Georgia Satellites re-formed, but without Baird). He set his sights on producing and/or guesting on other artist's recordings, including Fred Haring's This Grand Parade, Will Hoge's Carousel, and Chris Knight's Pretty Good Guy. Baird, along with his group the Yayhoos (which formed in the midst of the unsuccessful Buffalo Nickel tour), released two albums: 2001's Fear Not the Obvious and 2006's Put the Hammer Down. Out of Mothballs, a collection of outtakes and rarities, appeared early in 2008, followed later in the year by Dan Baird & the Homemade Sin.
''LOVE SONGS FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED''
OCTOBER 1991
41:22
1/The One I Am
Terry Anderson / Dan Baird /3:57
2/Julie + Lucky /4:57
3/I Love You Period
Terry Anderson/4:24
4/Look at What You Started
Terry Anderson / Dan Baird/5:10
5/Seriously Gone /2:52
6/Pick up the Knife /4:29
7Knocked Up
Terry Anderson / Dan Baird /3:08
8/Baby Talk /3:54
9/Lost Highway /3:49
10/Dixie Beauxderaunt
Terry Anderson / Dan Baird /4:42
Terry Anderson /Composer, Vocals (Background)
Dan Baird /Composer, Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals
Patrick Buchanon /Vocals (Background)
Keith Christopher /Bass
George D. /Organ
Mauro Magellan /Drums
Brendan O'Brien /Guitar, Organ, Organ (Hammond), Piano, Producer, Vocals (Background)
Rick Rubin /Producer
Benmont Tench /Guest Artist, Piano
REVIEW
by John Franck
It's too bad that Dan Baird's always going be remembered as that gap-toothed guy singing "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" from the back of a pickup truck on a primitive Georgia Satellites video. Always a great a live band, it's unfortunate that the band never quite got it together on the album front. Although they made some good records, they would never come close to capturing their in-concert abandon on tape. On his first solo effort, Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired, Satellite frontman Dan Baird finally managed to cut loose and assemble a string of first-rate tunes highlighted by the tongue in cheek radio hit "I Love You Period." Brilliantly produced by ex-Satellite Brendan O'Brien, Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired gets off to a rip-roaring start with the call and response of "The One I Am." Baird admits, "I can't afford to buy you no four star dinner/but by god, my love's a winner." And heck, how could you not believe him? As the singer bows in with his next tale of down-home, dysfunctional romance (and pregnancy) on "Julie + Lucky," his acute sense of the English vocabulary allows him to juxtapose a series of serious themes spinning them into some not so serious ones. The celebratory, singalong of "Look at What you Started" once again examines themes of disillusionment and communication breakdown. Bolstered by some great boogie-woogie piano courtesy of Tom Petty-man Benmont Tech, the track eventually explodes into a full on Faces romp with some Jerry Lee Lewis barroom smugness thrown in for good measure -- absolutely riveting. After the very Georgia Satellites-like "Seriously Gone" (quick, four on the floor drums, boogie-woogie keys -- yes, rock & roll made simple, ladies and gentlemen), the album proceeds to kick into high gear with the stellar "Pick Up the Knife." Almost "Rockin' in the Free World"- ish, it is a straight up rocker which shifts into its imaginative pre-chorus before diving into a deceptively simple chorus. "Knocked Up," another hilarious Chuck Berry inspired rip-off is next. Full of double-entendre, "Knocked Up" is, again, another wonderful tale of teenage pregnancy (must be a pattern or something), highlighted by an astonishing chorus: "you got knocked up/and I got locked up/I guess you can say that we both got screwed/you got locked out and I got knocked out/I guess you're going to miss a lot of school." The album is rounded out by "Baby Talk," the rollicking "Lost Highway," and "Dixie Beauxdorant." Although far from perfect, Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired is a joyous and vibrant effort that never gets too caught up in its sometimes obvious musical references and counterpoints.
BIOGRAPHY
by Greg Prato
Dan Baird was the frontman for late-'80s roots rock/one-hit wonders the Georgia Satellites, before launching his own solo career. Born on December 12, 1953, in San Diego, CA, but raised in Atlanta, GA, Baird picked up the guitar early on and began playing with local bands during his teenage years. By December of 1980, Baird had formed the Georgia Satellites (who would eventually consist of both Baird and Rick Richards on vocals/guitar, Rick Price on bass, and Mauro Magellan on drums). The quartet quickly found their musical niche -- a bar band version of such classic three-chord rockers as AC/DC and the Rolling Stones -- and in 1985 issued their debut recording, an independently issued six-song EP titled Keeping the Faith.
The mini-album helped land the Satellites a recording contract with Elektra, which led to the release of their full-length, self-titled major-label debut a year later. It took a while for the album to pick up steam, but it eventually became a surprise platinum certified hit by the summer of 1987, due to the number five hit single "Keep Your Hands to Yourself," and another popular single/video, "Battleship Chains." Baird and the Satellites issued two more releases during the late '80s, 1988's Open all Night and 1989's In the Land of Salvation and Sin, but neither matched the success of their self-titled debut, and led to the group's split by the dawn of the '90s.
It didn't take long for Baird to regain his footing and begin a solo career, as evidenced by 1991's Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired (issued on Rick Rubin's Def American label). The album appeared to put Baird back on the right track commercially, as it spawned a popular single/video with "I Love You Period." But a long break ensued before the appearance of his sophomore solo effort, 1996's Buffalo Nickel, which sunk from sight shortly after release (the same year, the Georgia Satellites re-formed, but without Baird). He set his sights on producing and/or guesting on other artist's recordings, including Fred Haring's This Grand Parade, Will Hoge's Carousel, and Chris Knight's Pretty Good Guy. Baird, along with his group the Yayhoos (which formed in the midst of the unsuccessful Buffalo Nickel tour), released two albums: 2001's Fear Not the Obvious and 2006's Put the Hammer Down. Out of Mothballs, a collection of outtakes and rarities, appeared early in 2008, followed later in the year by Dan Baird & the Homemade Sin.
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