Hit and Run (Girlschool album)

Hit and Run is the second studio album by the British heavy metal band, Girlschool, released in 1981 on Bronze Records.

Hit and Run
Studio album by
Released20 April 1981
RecordedDecember 1980–January 1981
StudioJackson's Studios, Rickmansworth, UK
GenreHeavy metal
Length35:51
62:18 (re-issue)
LabelBronze (UK)
Stiff America (US)
Solid Gold Records (CAN)
ProducerVic Maile
Girlschool chronology
St. Valentine's Day Massacre
(1981)
Hit and Run
(1981)
Live and More EP
(1982)
Singles from Hit and Run
  1. "Yeah Right" / "The Hunter"
    Released: 7 November 1980
  2. "Hit and Run" / "Tonight"
    Released: April 1981
  3. "C'mon Let's Go" / "Tonight (live)"
    Released: July 1981

Overview

The album represented Girlschool's sophomore effort, and like its predecessor Demolition (1980) it was recorded at Jackson's Studios, England. The band were in the studio from December 1980 to January 1981 with Vic Maile again serving as producer.

Hit and Run is the most successful Girlschool album, having reached No. 5 in the UK Albums Chart,[1] with the single of the title track climbing to No. 32 in the UK Singles Chart.[2] The band appeared on the BBC show Top of the Pops on April 16, 1981, miming to the hit song. The 7-inch single (Bronze BRO 118) had "Tonight" as B-side, with the 10-inch adding the cover version of the famous ZZ Top song "Tush". Lead track "C'mon Let's Go" was featured in the Gemini Award winning 2005 documentary film Metal: A Headbanger's Journey.

The car on the cover is a 1972 Buick Riviera.[3]

The album was reissued on CD in 2004 by Castle, a subsidiary of Sanctuary Records, with bonus tracks and extensive sleevenotes by Record Collector's Joe Geesin.[4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal7/10[6]
Sounds[7]

In 2005, Hit and Run was ranked number 289 in Rock Hard magazine's book of The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.[8]

Track listings

Side one
No.TitleMusicLength
1."C'mon Let's Go"Kim McAuliffe, Kelly Johnson3:35
2."The Hunter"McAuliffe, Johnson3:15
3."(I'm Your) Victim"McAuliffe, Denise Dufort2:42
4."Kick It Down"McAuliffe, Johnson3:03
5."Following the Crowd"Enid Williams, McAuliffe, Johnson3:08
6."Tush" (ZZ Top cover)Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard2:16
Side two
No.TitleMusicLength
7."Hit and Run"McAuliffe, Johnson3:08
8."Watch Your Step"Williams, McAuliffe, Johnson3:22
9."Back to Start"Johnson, Williams3:32
10."Yeah Right"McAuliffe, Johnson, Dufort3:21
11."Future Flash"Johnson, McAuliffe4:27
2004 remastered CD edition bonus tracks
No.TitleMusicSourceLength
12."Please Don't Touch" (Performed with Motörhead)Johnny Kidd, Guy RobinsonSt. Valentine's Day Massacre EP2:49
13."Bomber" (Motörhead cover)Eddie Clarke, Ian Kilmister, Phil TaylorSt. Valentine's Day Massacre EP3:28
14."Tonight"Williams, McAuliffe, Johnson, DufortB-side to "Hit and Run"2:34
15."Demolition Boys" (live)McAuliffe, JohnsonB-Side to "C'mon Let's Go" 10-inch single3:07
16."Tonight" (live) B-side to "C'mon Let's Go" single2:40
17."Yeah Right" BBC Radio session broadcast on the Richard Skinner Show, 26 January 19812:35
18."The Hunter" BBC Radio session broadcast on the Richard Skinner Show 26 January 19813:00
19."Kick It Down" BBC Radio session broadcast on the Richard Skinner Show 26 January 19813:06
20."Watch Your Step" BBC Radio session broadcast on the Richard Skinner Show 26 January 19813:08

Other Versions

Hit and Run did not get a proper release in North America. Instead compilation albums featuring the title and artwork from Hit and Run, and tracks from both Demolition and Hit and Run, were released. Canada and the United States each received their own unique releases.

In the United States Stiff Records released an album titled Hit and Run on both vinyl and cassette.

1981 US Release [9]
No.TitleLength
1."Hit and Run"3:07
2."Watch Your Step"3:20
3."Race with the Devil"2:50
4."Yeah Right"3:20
5."Not for Sale"3:30
6."Future Flash"4:26
7."C'mon Let's Go"3:36
8."The Hunter"3:13
9."Kick It Down"3:02
10."Take It All Away"3:40

The Canadian release was put out by Solid Gold Records and featured the same songs as the American release, however the order of the tracks was different.

1981 Canadian Vinyl Release [10]
No.TitleLength
1."Race with the Devil"2:50
2."Hit and Run"3:07
3."Watch Your Step"3:20
4."Yeah Right"3:20
5."Take It All Away"3:40
6."Future Flash"4:26
7."C'mon Let's Go"3:36
8."The Hunter"3:13
9."Kick It Down"3:02
10."Not for Sale"3:31

Personnel

Band members
  • Kim McAuliffe – rhythm guitar, vocals on track 4
  • Kelly Johnson – lead guitar, vocals on tracks 1, 2, 7, 11, 12
  • Enid Williams – bass, vocals on tracks 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14
  • Denise Dufort – drums
Production

Release history

Date Region Label Catalogue Format Notes
20 April 1981 UK Bronze BRON 534 vinyl [4] included a limited pressing in red vinyl
1981 Europe Bronze 203,556-320 vinyl
1981 Japan Bronze VIP-6779 vinyl
1981 Canada Solid Gold SGR 1003 vinyl actually a compilation of songs from Demolition and Hit and Run
1981 USA Stiff USE 18 vinyl actually a compilation of songs from Demolition and Hit and Run
1991 UK Dojo/Castle LOMA CD1 CD published in a double album compilation with Demolition
2004 Worldwide Castle/Sanctuary CMRCD950 CD

Certifications

Country Organization Year Sales
Canada CRIA 1981 Gold (+ 50,000)[11]

References

  1. "Girlschool – Hit and Run chart stats". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  2. "Girlschool – Hit and Run (single) chart stats". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  3. "Buick Riviera 3rd generation versions & types". Automobile-catalog.com. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  4. "Girlschool Hit and Run (1981)" (in German). Musik Sammler.de. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  5. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Girlschool Hit & Run review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  6. Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 133. ISBN 978-1894959315.
  7. Millar, Robbi (4 April 1981). "One woman's personal paradise". Sounds.
  8. [...], Rock Hard (Hrsg.). [Red.: Michael Rensen. Mitarb.: Götz Kühnemund] (2005). Best of Rock & Metal die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten. Königswinter: Heel. p. 97. ISBN 3-89880-517-4.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. "Girlschool - Hit And Run (US Vinyl details)". Discogs. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  10. Hit and Run (vinyl), Canada: Solid Gold Records, 1981
  11. "Gold Platinum Search for Girlschool". Music Canada. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
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