Play It Loud 1970

Polydor Records - 2382-026

This was the first album the group recorded as Slade and it was the first album produced by Chas Chandler. Released in the UK on 28/11/1970 it used the bands new skinhead image to make an impact. The band certainly made an impact, albeit negative, but in terms of sales and chart position the record did very little.


Play It Loud features mainly self-written songs at Chandler's insistence (some of which turn up later on the Sladest compilation) and drummer Don Powell features as one of the main co-writers. It's a shame he didn't stick with it because his songs have an earthy grit and longevity that keeps them sounding good to this day.

The songs on this album show early signs of the developing talent the band had. Noddy Holder is just starting to stretch his vocals. See Us Here, has some great bass, Dapple Rose featuring violin, both played by Jim Lea of course, and Dirty Joker with it's funky chicken scratch guitar work. Far more promising though, the awesome power of both Sweet Box and I Remember, which hint at the shape of things to come.
Express & Star31st October 1970

The group appeared on Disco 2 to promote the album. They made three appearances in 1970. The first featured Shape Of Things To Come and the second in October featured Know Who You Are and Sweetbox and was broadcast in colour. All three performances of Slade are, at present, missing.
New Musical ExpressDecember 19th 1970
SLADE: PLAY IT LOUD (Polydor, 2383 026, 42s 6d)
Aggresive - that's what the music and vocalising of Slade seems to be, though they vary the volume with great skill, at times quiet, then turning it up and shouting at the listener as in Know Who You Are. They also bark out a love song to Angelina, and get a good rhythm going with handclaps on Dirty Joker, and on Sweet Box they attack the music ferociously with guitars and voices.

Of the more tuneful items (and tune isn't given much of a chance on most tracks) is Could I. The lead vocalist is inclined to shout too much, but then, maybe that is the appeal of the group. Pity their names and the instrument they play aren't mentioned on the sleeve, where only their pictures appear. Chas Chandler gets the credit of producing. AE.

Other titles: Raven, See Us Here, Dapple Rose, One Way Hotel, Shape Of Things To Come, I Remember, Pouk Hill.
  • Raven
  • See Us Here
  • Dapple Rose
  • Could I
  • One Way Hotel
  • The Shape Of Things To Come
  • Know Who You Are
  • I Remember
  • Pouk Hill
  • Angelina
  • Dirty Joker
  • Sweet Box
The cover art is here 8.57 MB


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* Special thanks to Chris 'The Historian' Selby for the clippings.




Raven
(Jim Lea, Noddy Holder, Don Powell)

Tell Raven that it's fatal, chasing everything that glitters.
Colour breeds a shadow, he doesn't miss a single thing.

Gold and silver party stone, he doesn't leave a thing alone.
Bound to win every hour. Flies to his lofty tower.
Storing the spoils of the fruits of his toils.
He did well on the side of the roundabout flying.

Often you'll see the Raven, flapping wings and calling loudly.
Doesn't care what others feel, thinks he has the right to steal.

Gold and silver party stone, he doesn't leave a thing alone.
Bound to win every hour. Flies to his lofty tower.
Storing the spoils of the fruits of his toils.
He did well on the side of the roundabout flying.


See Us Here
(Jim Lea, Noddy Holder, Don Powell)

See us here, see us there, pick us out anywhere.
Take a look, we're everywhere, so what makes you stop and stare?
Look at them there, their eyes bent to the ground,
Trying to see their way around.
Don't try to confuse me.

Take our time, take our care, don't break our hole from anywhere
Ain't got time to shed a tear
What we want we'll take from here
Look at them there, their eyes bent to the ground,
Find it hard to move around.
You dare not accuse me.

We'll never get a chance to be left alone - this way, hey hey
Never get a chance to be left alone.
Can't I get it through that I'm on my own?

See us here, see us there, pick us out anywhere.
You can see us everywhere, so what makes you stop and stare?
Look at them there, their eyes bent to the ground,
Trying to see my way around.
Don't try to accuse me.


Could I
(Jimmy Griffin & Robb Royer)

I could I could I keep you come burn you could
I could I could I keep you so have you get
I could I could I make you feel really fine
We could we could we make love this time
We could we could we make love so fine

You're old enough to know from where we come
And where we go and what we're here for
What do you feel for
It's hard enough to bear the thought in mind
But now you're there and then you're gone
Let's get it on

I could I could I keep you come burn you could
I could I could I keep you so have you get
I could I could I make you feel really fine
We could we could we make love this time
We could we could we make love so fine

You never really tried to let yourself be satisfied
And don't deny it until you try it
You've played the game so long
You think that life goes on and on
You better use it before you lose it

So fine
You're old enough to know from where we come
And where we go and what we're here for

You never really tried to let yourself be satisfied
And don't deny it


I Remember
(Jim Lea & Don Powell)

Coming up fast on a different line I was early for once
Stop so I looked all around at the chance and I was early for once
Won't take long to get out of this place
Got to take a chance decide my own fate

It's clear now to see the only past left for me is what the future brings
I'm sadly alone and when I'm all on my own my baby gets to moan
She can't recess me for my name and address
I stumbled for thought at its simple request

(Chorus)
I remember it
I take a long deep look at the things that I took but it still isn't clear

My kid said hello and I didn't reply you see my memory was gone
That the fire in the grass it just wiped out my past and my memory's gone
Won't take long to get out of this place
Got to take a chance decide my own fate

(Chorus)
I remember it
I take a long deep look at the things that I took but it still isn't clear


Pouk Hill
Jim Lea, Noddy Holder, Don Powell)

Did you see us?
We were there, standing bare, with our arms in the air -
Did you see us?
Did you see us?
We were there, standing still, and the temperature was nil -
Did you see us?
Stood in a line.
Dick took a shot and he got us.
And he got us

Did you help us?
Sypathize with us?
Please help we
Pouk Hill is tall, always will be.
Pouk Hill is older than you and me
Than you and me

You passed us by, - not a second glance
Bluer than blue -
We were froze' to the bone, 
Couldn't wait to be home
In the firelight.
We were warm there
As we sat by the fire, getting higher and higher,
Really cool there
Stood in a line.
Dick took a shot and he got us.
And he got us

Did you help us,
Criticise us?
Please help we
Pouk Hill is tall, always will be
Pouk Hill is older than you and me
Than you and me


Angelina
( Neil Innes )

I don't wanna do you no harm
But sometimes I feel the weight of the world
It's so heavy and it's bringing me down
And I need you, I need you, girl

Come little Angelina
I don't wanna do you no harm
Take me where the grass is greener
Take me where the sea is calm
All I want is you
Take me in your arms and give me love

(Hoo shoo shoo come)
(Hoo shoo shoo come)
(Hoo shoo shoo come)
(Hoo shoo shoo come)
All I want is you
Take me in your arms and give me love

Angelina, Angelina, love me, love me
Angelina, Angelina, love me, wanna love you

Come little Angelina
Don't want that you hurt me
Take me where the air is cleaner

Take me where the wind blows free
All I want is you
Take me in your arms and give me love
Give me love Give me love

(Hoo shoo shoo come)
Give me love Give me love
(Hoo shoo shoo come)
Need your love
Want your love
(Hoo shoo shoo come)
(Hoo shoo shoo come)
Hey, All I want is you
Take me in your arms and give me love
I need your love, need your love
(Hoo shoo shoo come)
(Hoo shoo shoo come)
Every day and every now
(Hoo shoo shoo come)
Want your love, want your love
(Hoo shoo shoo come)
Hey, all I want is you
Take me in your arms and give me love
(Hoo shoo shoo come)...


Dirty Joker
(Jim Lea & Don Powell)

He's a dirty joker
He's a dirty joker all through the day
Makes me do as he says
He's mine all the time never wanting to go

This way or that way
This way or that way which way to go
Will I take the right track
Yet he's mine all the time never wanting to go

He calls from his side
Mine is the problem to decide
He knows the weakness I've got
Doesn't it stand out on my face

What a dirty joker
What a dirty joker try to make himself clean
What a fancy powder
You can tell from his smell that he's just like a queen

He calls from his side
Mine is the problem to decide
He knows the weakness I've got
Doesn't it stand out on my face

Ohhh-oh

Ohhh-oh

[Break]

He's a dirty joker
He's a dirty joker all through the day
Makes me do what he says
Yet he's mine all the time never wanting to go

He calls from his side
Mine is the problem to decide
He knows the weakness I've got
Doesn't it stand out on my face

Ohhh-oh

Ohhh-oh

Sweet Box
(Jim Lea & Don Powell)

( FIVE! SHADE! SIX! SIZE! CUT! OUT! )


Put me in your sweet box
I'm coming along in your sweet box
Do I have to take all night to get there

I saw in the load on your back light
What I saw through my glasses was alright
Do I have to take all night to get there

( FIVE! SHADE! SIX! SIZE! CUT! OUT! )


[Break]

Put me in your sweet box
I'm coming along in your sweet box
Do I have to take all night to get there

In your sweet box

I saw in the load on your back light
What I saw through my glasses was alright
Do I have to take all night to get there

In your sweet box

( FIVE! SHADE! SIX! SIZE! CUT! OUT! )


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