1984 studio album by The Boomtown Rats

In the Long Grass is the sixth studio album by The Boomtown Rats, released in 1984 in the UK and 1985 in the US.[1] It was the band`s last studio material for well over three decades until 2020`s Citizens of Boomtown, and the last album to featured keyboardist Johnnie Fingers, as he didn`t returned when the band was reunited in 2013, and the last to be released as five-piece band.

The Boomtown Rats` least commercially favourable effort, it failed to appear altogether in the UK Albums Chart, but did reach No. 188 in the US Billboard 200.[3]

Track listing

All songs written by Bob Geldof except where indicated.

1. "A Hold of Me" - 4:57
2. "Drag Me Down" - 4:31
3. "Dave" - 4:19
4. "Over Again" - 3:45
5. "Another Sad Story" (Johnny Fingers) - 3:42
6. "Tonight" - 3:53
7. "Hard Times" - 3:54
8. "Lucky" (J. Fingers) - 3:37
9. "An Icicle in the Sun" - 3:50
10. "Up or Down" (Simon Crowe, Pete Briquette)[1] - 3:33

1985 US listing

For the US, the record company insisted that the track "Dave" needed to be reworked before it could be released in that country. Geldof had written "Dave" for Dave MacHale, an Irish saxophonist and keyboard player, after his girlfriend died of a heroin overdose in 1983. New lyrics were written and sung over the same backing track; the new track was called "Rain".

All songs written by Bob Geldof except where indicated.

1. "A Hold of Me"
2. "Drag Me Down"
3. "Rain"
4. "Over Again"
5. "Another Sad Story" (J. Fingers)
6. "Tonight"
7. "Hard Times"
8. "Lucky" (J. Fingers)
9. "An Icicle in the Sun"
10. "Up or Down" (S. Crowe, P. Briquette)

2005 bonus tracks

1. "Dave" (Single Version)
2. "Walking Downtown" (B. Geldof, P. Briquette) (B-side)
3. "Precious Time" (S. Crowe) (B-side)
4. "She`s Not the Best" (Home Demo)

Personnel

The Boomtown Rats

• Bob Geldof – vocals
• Pete Briquette – bass, vocals
• Johnnie Fingers – keyboards, vocals
• Simon Crowe – drums, vocals
• Garry Roberts – guitar, vocals[4]

Additional personnel

• Peter Thoms - trombone (credited on the sleeve as Pete "Gidday" Thomas)
• Luke Tunney - trumpet
• Guy Barker - trumpet
• Gary Barnacle - saxophone
• Martin Dobson - saxophone
• Peter Claridge - guitar
• Molly and Polly - backing vocals on "Hard Times"
• Ian Ritchie - saxophone
• Bob Carter - arrangement on "Tonight"

Technical

• Martin Rex - engineer
• Bob Clearmountain - mixing
• Ashworth - photography