Born on a Pirate Ship

Infobox Album
Name = Born on a Pirate Ship
Type = Album
Artist = Barenaked Ladies


Released = March 19, 1996
Recorded = April-July 1995
The Gas Station, Toronto
Reaction Studios, Toronto
Manta Eastern, Toronto
Right Tracks Studio, Saskatoon
Genre = Alternative Rock
Length = 51:39
Label = Reprise
Producer = Barenaked Ladies,
Michael Phillip Wojewoda
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:2kdsa9rgu238~T1 link]
Last album = "Maybe You Should Drive"
(1994)
This album = "Born on a Pirate Ship"
(1996)
Next album = "Rock Spectacle"
(1996)

"Born on a Pirate Ship" (sometimes abbreviated "BOAPS" [Used by fans, and by the band, as exemplified on the [http://www.bnlblog.com/viewQ.asp BNL Blog] ] ) was the third full-length album by Barenaked Ladies. Its well-known tracks are "Shoe Box", "The Old Apartment", "When I Fall" and "Break Your Heart." "The Old Apartment" would become BNL's first US hit in 1997 and began the process of winning many new American fans.

Tracks recorded for this album but left off the finished record are: "Trust Me" (earlier recorded for "Maybe You Should Drive" but left off the album -- included on the "Shoe Box" EP) and "Back" (included on the "Brian Wilson 2000" single). As with each of their early albums, the band recorded one song completely naked. On this album, "Back" was the "naked track".

The front cover features a boy in a newspaper hat pulling at his cheeks, in reference to the childhood prank alluded to by the album's title. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a childhood picture of BNL bassist Jim Creeggan, but simply an actor hired for the photos.

The band was a fourpiece during the recording of this album. Kevin Hearn was asked to join the band for the 1995 tour that preceded the album's release and first appears on the live album "Rock Spectacle". He is thanked in the liner notes for "injecting new spirit."

Although a hit in Canada, the album only managed #111 in the US. "Born On A Pirate Ship" was awarded gold status in the U.S. in 2000, after the band became more popular there.

Track listing

#"Stomach Vs. Heart" (Page, Robertson) – 2:29
#"Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank" (Page, Robertson) – 3:23
#"I Know" (Page, Robertson) – 3:02
#*includes a sample of televangelist Robert Tilton saying "and you have faith! You just need to use it, saith the Lord."
#"This Is Where It Ends" (Page, Robertson) – 2:53
#"When I Fall" (Page, Robertson) – 4:04
#"I Live With It Every Day" (Duffy, Page) – 4:30
#"The Old Apartment" (Page, Robertson) – 3:29
#"Call Me Calmly" (Page) – 2:52
#"Break Your Heart" (Page) – 4:57
#"Spider in My Room" (Creeggan) – 4:03
#"Same Thing" (Robertson) – 4:01
#"Just a Toy" (Page, Robertson) – 3:42
#"In the Drink" (Creeggan) – 5:12
#"Shoe Box" (Page, Robertson) – 5:27
#"If I Had $1000000" (Page, Robertson), (edit version, appears on UK edition only)

Personnel

Barenaked Ladies
*Jim Creeggan - vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, dobro, fiddle, piano, electric double bass, percussion
*Ed Robertson - vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, pedal steel guitar, bass, cowbell
*Steven Page - vocals, electric guitar, piano, percussion
*Tyler Stewart - piano, vibraphone, drums, xylophone, shaker, tambourine, percussion, background vocals

Additional personnel
*Bryan Adams - yells
*Chris Brown - organ
*Mark Fewer - violin
*Gene Hardy - tenor saxophone, saw
*Hugh Marsh - fiddle
*Michael Phillip Wojewoda - sound effects, background vocals, tambourine
*Tony Rapoport - viola
*Tim Walsh - trombone

Production

*Producers: Barenaked Ladies, Michael Phillip Wojewoda
*Engineer: Michael Phillip Wojewoda
*Assistant engineers: Jeff Elliott, Tom Heron, Dale Morningstar
*Mixing: Michael Phillip Wojewoda
*Piano preparation: Robin Billinton, Steven Page

Singles

References