The Spotlight Kid

Infobox Album | Name = The Spotlight Kid
Type = Album
Artist = Captain Beefheart

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Released = 1972
Recorded = 1972
Genre = Blues rock
Protopunk
Length = 35:54
Label = Reprise
Producer = Captain Beefheart
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:5huk6jah71t0 link]
Last album = "Mirror Man" (1971)
This album = "The Spotlight Kid" (1972)
Next album = "Clear Spot" (1972)

"The Spotlight Kid" is the sixth album by Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band, originally released in 1972. Often cited as the most commercial of Beefheart's albums, it is solidly founded in the blues but also introduces such exotic instruments as marimba and what the liner notes list as jingle bells.

Owing to John Peel moving on from Beefheart to other avant-garde artists, the album failed to match the UK Top 20 success of "Lick My Decals Off, Baby", only peaking at #44 and dropping out after two weeks. However, in the US "The Spotlight Kid" was the first Captain Beefheart album to appear in the "Billboard" Top 200. Its peak of #131 remains the highest attained by any Beefheart album. The album is now available as a "two for one" CD along with Beefheart's follow-up album, "Clear Spot". Separately, the two albums are available as vinyl LP reissues.

Track listing

All songs written by Captain Beefheart except where noted.

ide one

#"I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby" – 4:33
#"White Jam" – 2:55
#"Blabber 'n Smoke" – 2:46 (Lyrics by Jan Van Vliet)
#"When It Blows Its Stacks" – 3:40
#"Alice in Blunderland" – 3:54

ide two

#"The Spotlight Kid" – 3:21
#"Click Clack" – 3:30
#"Grow Fins" – 3:30
#"There Ain't No Santa Claus on the Evenin' Stage" – 3:11
#"Glider" – 4:34

Personnel

*Captain Beefheart - vocals, harmonica, jingle bells
*Zoot Horn Rollo (Bill Harkleroad) - guitar, slide guitar
*Rockette Morton (Mark Boston) - bass, guitar
*Drumbo (John French) - drums, percussion
*Ed Marimba (Art Tripp) - drums, percussion, marimba, piano, harpsichord
*Winged Eel Fingerling (Elliot Ingber) - guitar
*Rhys Clark - drums
*Ted Cactus - drums