We Buy a Hammer for Daddy

We Buy a Hammer for Daddy is the debut studio album by English experimental rock band Lemon Kittens. It was released in 1980, through record label United Diaries.

We Buy a Hammer for Daddy
Studio album by
Released1980
GenreExperimental rock
Length35:08
LabelUnited Dairies
ProducerLemon Kittens
Lemon Kittens chronology
Spoonfed and Writhing
(1979)
We Buy a Hammer for Daddy
(1980)
The Big Dentist
(1982)

Background

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The phrase "We buy a hammer for Daddy" originates from the caption to an illustration in the 1958 Ladybird book Shopping with Mother.[1]

Track listing

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All tracks composed by the Lemon Kittens

Side L
No.TitleLength
1."Pain Topics"4:24
2."Reversal 2"2:34
3."These Men of Old England"2:25
4."Wrist Job / Once Green and Pleasant Land"2:45
5."Lycanthrothene"3:06
6."Motet"3:10
7."Throat Violence"2:28
8."False Alarm (Malicious)"1:58
Side K
No.TitleLength
1."P.V.S"1:55
2."Small Mercies"2:03
3."Coasters"3:48
4."Up in Arms"2:34
5."The American Cousin"1:50
6."Evidence"2:25
7."Rome Burning"1:31
8."(Afraid of Being) Bled by Leeches"2:14

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [2]

AllMusic's review was highly favourable, writing, "The tracks [...] are all highly original and have little precedent either in or beyond the annals of British pop/rock [...] We Buy a Hammer for Daddy belongs with Alternative TV's Vibing Up the Senile Man and the first This Heat LP as one of the milestones of experimental rock music."[3]

Personnel

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Lemon Kittens

  • Danielle Dax – vocals, bass, keyboards, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, drone guitar, stick synthesizer], penny whistle, squeeze box, sleeve design, artwork
  • Karl Blake – vocals, guitar, drums, bass, keyboards, recorder, stick synthesizer, squeeze box

Technical

  • Bombay Ducks – engineering
  • David Mellor – engineering

References

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  1. ^ M.E. Gagg, Shopping with Mother. Loughborough: Ladybird Books [Wills & Hepworth], 1958.
  2. ^ Warburton, Dan. We Buy a Hammer for Daddy at AllMusic. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  3. ^ "We Buy a Hammer for Daddy – The Lemon Kittens : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
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