10cc - How Dare You! (1976) Original US Pressing - LP/FLAC In 24bit/96kHz

A hugely successful album on its release, “How Dare You” spawned two monster hits “I’m Mandy Fly Me” and “Art for Art’s Sake”. I remember I hardly had this off the turntable at the time. Each song is a gem, there is no filler on this brilliant album.

The first track on Side 1, the title track “How Dare You” is an excellent instrumental which was used in Jack Rosenthal’s successful television play “Barmitzvah Boy”, based around a thirteen year old Jewish boy’s experiences during his coming of age ceremony. “Lazy Ways” is a lush song about “hazy ways and lazy ways” , some interesting arrangements here, and of course some studio and backing vocal chorus effects similar to “I’m Not in Love”. The next song “I Wanna Rule the World” is almost a crazy megolamaniac’s anthem! “Wannabeaboss wannabea Big Boss”, or just could be about an ordinary teenage kid ready to take on the world, though there are dark messages within, including a Despot style rallying speech, and a nightmare teeny tot! “How you gonna do it – little by little, bit by bit “. The next track “I’m Mandy Fly Me”, a huge hit in 1976, is based on a certain Airline’s advertising campaign slogan “I’m……..Fly Me….” featuring pretty air hostesses. In the story the narrator sees Mandy in the poster come to his aid during an air crash either real or in a dream sequence, and it seems Mandy doesn’t exist at all…or does she?? “Iceberg” is a typical example of 10cc’s quirky songwriting skills, ever feel you were being stalked by a maniac?? Puzzling song here ending in pig grunts (?).

Side 2 on the LP kicks of with the excellent song “Art for Art’s Sake”, which includes those dreamy backing vocals and leads into a stomping riff and echo effects, “gimme the readies, gimme the cash”, a satire on art of course, and money talks. “Art for art’s sake, money for god’s sake..!!”. “Rock’n’roll Lullaby” is a doo-wop style song similar to “Donna” about getting the kid to sleep, “it’s daybreak in the land of nod so get to sleep you little sod…” (love it), the song includes a great blues guitar solo and big chorus fade-out. “Head Room” is a boogie-style/country-style rocker about a pre- pubescent boy discovering sex with all its connotations and “drawbacks”! The “telephone” theme of the album artwork comes home on the last track “Don’t Hang Up” (and “How Dare You” to a degree) which is about events we all experience in a lousy relationship of a broken marriage, “lots to learn about women”, they’re not kiddin’ !! The song features very watery piano effects and ends with ….don’t …hang..u…..drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Some may say this could be one of 10cc’s proggiest albums and i can understand that, in many instances while listening I am reminded of other music that was around at the time such as ELO and Supertramp in style, definitely Prog-related IMHO, also an excellent album which stands the test of time very well indeed and I would happily rate it a masterpiece of rock five stars, but on PA Prog ratings a well deserved four stars!

Review by mystic fred, progarchives.com

Vinyl / CUE/ FLAC/ High Definition Cover: