Learning English, Lesson One

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Learning English, Lesson One
Compilation album by
Die Toten Hosen
Released11 November 1991
18 October 1994 (USA import version)
2007 (jubilee edition)[1]
Recorded1991
GenrePunk rock, protopunk
Length49:10
77:18 (re-release)
LabelToT
Virgin Records
ProducerJon Caffery & Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen chronology
125 Jahre die Toten Hosen: Auf dem Kreuzzug ins Glück
(1990) 		Learning English, Lesson One
(1991) 		The Nightmare Continues E.P.
(1991)
Alternative cover
USA import cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Robert Christgau(dud)[3]

Learning English, Lesson One or Learning English, Lesson 1 (other punctuation variations possible) is a cover album by the German punk band Die Toten Hosen.[4][5] The album includes covers of mostly British bands, which were big influences on the band.

It is the first all-English album for Die Toten Hosen; the first English language studio album was released three years later. It made the band better known outside of German-speaking countries.[citation needed]

The album features many guest stars, including Johnny Thunders, who died after recording "Born to Lose" for Learning English.[6] According to band members, he already wasn't looking very good when he came to record his part.[citation needed]

The album has a central parody theme of an independent language-learning tape, where "Janet and John" are the teachers. Janet and John are heard in short humorous introductions.

Critical reception[edit]

Trouser Press wrote that "the excellently performed and impressively reverent Learning English is less a tribute than a precise re-creation."[7] People called the album "more than just a quirky collector’s item ... [it] is the perfect way to look back—or discover—where [punk] all began."[8] Washington City Paper deemed it "a sappy, charming album of class-of-'77 covers."[9]

Track listing[edit]

  1. Learning English • Step One − 0:31
  2. "Blitzkrieg Bop" − 1:50 (Ramones)
  3. "Brickfield Nights" − 3:34 (The Boys)
  4. Step Two − 0:11
  5. "Just Thirteen" − 2:30 (The Lurkers)
  6. "If the Kids Are United" − 3:08 (Sham 69)
  7. "Nasty Nasty" − 2:06 (999)
  8. Step Three − 0:17
  9. "Dirty Pictures" − 2:15 (Radio Stars)
  10. "Baby Baby" − 3:13 (The Vibrators)
  11. "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" − 2:15 (The Adverts)
  12. "Born to Lose" − 3:21 (The Heartbreakers)
  13. How the Rockafellas Went to Hollywood − 0:18
  14. "Do You Remember" − 3:25 (The Rockafellas)
  15. "Carnival in Rio (Punk Was)" − 3:08 (Campino, von Holst/Ronald Biggs)
  16. Step Four − 0:18
  17. "Right to Work" − 3:03 (Chelsea)
  18. "Whole Wide World" − 3:19 (Wreckless Eric)
  19. "Smash It Up" − 2:57 (The Damned)
  20. "Stranglehold" − 2:11 (UK Subs)
  21. Step Five − 0:22
  22. "Love and a Molotov Cocktail" − 2:30 (The Flys)
  23. "Do Anything You Wanna Do" − 4:27 (Eddie and the Hot Rods)
  24. Goodbye from Janet & John − 1:01

2007 remastered anniversary edition bonus tracks[edit]

  1. "No One Is Innocent" (Steve Jones/Biggs) – 3:03 (from "Carnival in Rio (Punk Was)"; Sex Pistols cover)
  2. "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" (Mick Jones/Joe Strummer) – 2:43 (from "Warum werde ich nicht satt?"; The Clash cover)
  3. "Rockaway Beach" (Colvin, Cummings, Erdelyi, Hyman) – 1:59 (from "Alles wird vorübergehen"; Ramones cover)
  4. "Eddie & Sheena" (Rogers) – 4:24 (Wayne County & the Electric Chairs cover; recorded for Jürgen Krause's birthday, who is a good friend of the band)
  5. "Richmond" (Billingsley, Allen, Griffiths) – 2:39 (from the US version of Learning English Lesson 1; Pin Point cover)
  6. "In Still of the Night" (Frege, Plain) – 4:11 (Learning English Lesson 1 demo)
  7. "Anything but Love" (Frege, Dangerfield) – 3:58 (Learning English Lesson 1 demo)
  8. "I Met Her at the Jet Grill" (Meurer/Frege, Plain) – 1:56 (Learning English Lesson 1 demo)

Singles[edit]

Personnel[edit]

Charts[edit]

Year Country Position
1992 Germany 30
1991 Switzerland 23
1991 Austria 38
Chart performance for Learning English, Lesson One
Chart (2021) Peak
position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[10] 3

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Learning English, Lesson One - Die Toten Hosen: Releases". allmusic.com. Allmusic. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Learning English: Lesson One - die Toten Hosen | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  3. ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Die Toten Hosen". www.robertchristgau.com.
  4. ^ Thompson, Dave (July 1, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879306076 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (November 26, 1994). "Album Reviews". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ Deming, Mark. "Die Toten Hosen - Biography". Billboard. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  7. ^ "Die Toten Hosen".
  8. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Learning English, Lesson One". PEOPLE.com.
  9. ^ "Learning English, Lesson One". Washington City Paper. 27 September 2002.
  10. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Die Toten Hosen – Learning English - Lesson 1" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
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