A Little Madness to Be Free

A Little Madness to Be Free was the sixth album to be released by Australian band The Saints. This time around, frontman Chris Bailey persuaded original members, Kim Bradshaw (bass) and Ivor Hay (drums), to rejoin the band. On the album tour, the bass player was Tracy Pew, formerly of The Birthday Party. The title of the album is a reference to the quote "A person needs a little madness, or else they never dare cut the rope and be free," by Kazantzakis.[2] The album saw the Bailey moving further towards more ambitious arrangements including horns and strings. Bailey stated in a retrospective interview about this approach that he wanted to "make strings as powerful as Les Pauls and Marshalls".[3]

A Little Madness to Be Free
Studio album by
The Saints
ReleasedJuly 1984
RecordedA Studio Sydney, Australia. Additional recording at Richmond Recorders Melbourne, Australia. Mixed at Alberts Studio Sydney, Australia[1]
Genre
LabelLost (France)
RCA (Australian 1984)
Mushroom Records (Australian 1989 Reissue)
ProducerLurax Debris (Chris Bailey)
The Saints chronology
Casablanca
(1982)		 A Little Madness to Be Free
(1984)		 All Fools Day
(1986)
Singles from A Little Madness to Be Free
  1. "Ghost Ships"
    Released: 1984
  2. "Imagination"
    Released: 1984
  3. "Angels (Remix)"
    Released: 1984

Reception

Retrospectively, All Music gave the album a positive review writing "By this point in his career, Bailey had come into his own as an arranger and it really shows. Certainly one of their most obscure discs, but ultimately as rewarding as their classics I'm Stranded, Eternally Yours, and All Fools Day.".[4] The Guardian cited "Ghost Ships" in their The Saints: Their Five Greatest Moments retrospective.[5]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link

Track listing

All tracks composed by Chris Bailey

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Ghost Ships"3:41
2."Some One to Tell Me"2:48
3."Down the Drain"2:28
4."It's Only Time"3:26
5."Imagination"3:00
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Wrapped Up and Blue"3:35
2."Walk Away"3:00
3."Photograph"3:56
4."The Hour"5:43
5."Angel"3:34

The New Rose version

The French label New Rose released an alternate track listing included an extra track "Heavy Metal" and an omitting "Wrapped Up and Blue".

New Rose release
No.TitleLength
1."Down the Drain"2:28
2."Walk Away"3:00
3."Photograph"3:56
4."The Hour"5:43
5."Angel"3:34
6."Imagination"3:00
7."It's Only Time"3:26
8."Some One to Tell Me"2:48
9."Heavy Metal"2:57
10."Ghost Ships"3:41

Personnel
  • Performers - Chris Bailey, Alex Hamilton, Chris Burnham, Emile Kiss, Fiona Morphett, Iain Shedden, Ivor Hay, Janine Hall, Michael Charles, Pearl Bayly, Richard Daniell, Sally Schinckel-Brown
  • Engineers – Tony Cohen and David Hemmings[1]
  • Executive producers - Neville Bicci Henderson and Paul Comrie-Thompson
  • Photography - Bob King

References
  1. "A Little Madness To Be Free". The Saints Directory - The Saints Official Homepage. SCANDO BABES INC...!. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  2. Chang, Larry (2006). Wisdom for the soul : five millennia of prescriptions for spiritual healing (1st ed.). Gnosophia Publishers. p. 412. ISBN 978-0977339105.
  3. "Foster Child Fanzine Interview". Foster Child. February 1998. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  4. Ginsberg, Geoff. "A Little Madness to Be Free - The Saints | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  5. Street, Andrew P. (27 November 2013). "The Saints: their five greatest moments". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
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