If I Were Brittania I'd Waive the Rules

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If I Were Brittania I'd Waive the Rules
Studio album by
Released23 April 1976
Recorded1976
StudioRockfield Studios, Monmouth, Wales
GenreHard rock
Length35:51
LabelA&M
ProducerBudgie
Budgie chronology
Bandolier
(1975)
If I Were Brittania I'd Waive the Rules
(1976)
Impeckable
(1978)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

If I Were Brittania I'd Waive the Rules is Budgie's sixth album, released in April 1976.[2]

The album is the band's first new release with A&M Records, having signed with them in late 1975 to distribute the US pressings of Bandolier. Musically, the band's usual hard rock style is augmented on this album with funk elements in two songs, and progressive rock in two others.[1]

The title is a pun on the concept of Britannia ruling the waves. Professor Irene Morra of Cardiff University wrote that Budgie used this title to "declare an essential lack of agency within Britain" which helped portray a countercultural identity, lacking in national ambition.[3]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Burke Shelley and Tony Bourge

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Anne Neggen"4:04
2."If I Were Brittania I'd Waive the Rules"5:50
3."You're Opening Doors"4:14
4."Quacktor and Bureaucats"3:52
Side two
No.TitleLength
5."Sky High Percentage"5:52
6."Heaven Knows Our Name"3:52
7."Black Velvet Stallion"8:07
2010 remaster bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
8."You're Opening Doors" (2006 version)3:38
9."Black Velvet Stallion" (2006 version)7:56

Personnel[edit]

Budgie
  • Burke Shelley – bass, lead vocals
  • Tony Bourge – guitar, backing vocals; lead vocals (track 6)
  • Steve Williams – drums
Guest musicians
  • Richard Dunn – keyboards
Production
  • Pat Moran – mix engineer
  • Fabio Nicoli – art director
  • Alun Hood – illustrator
  • Gered Mankowitz – photography[4]

Charts[edit]

Chart (1976) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[5] 98

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Budgie: If I Were Brittania I'd Waive the Rules" at AllMusic. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin (1992). The Guinness encyclopedia of popular music. Guinness Publishing. p. 361. ISBN 9780851129396.
  3. ^ Morra, Irene (2013). Britishness, Popular Music, and National Identity: The Making of Modern Britain. Routledge. p. 39. ISBN 9781135048952.
  4. ^ If I Were Brittania I'd Waive The Rules. A&M Records. 1976. SP-4593.
  5. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.