Men Opening Umbrellas Ahead

The initial LP pressing was deleted by Warner Bros. Records soon after release, having sold only the initial vinyl pressing of 5,000 copies. The album remained out of print for over 35 years.

In 2010, an unauthorized CD reissue was made available by Harkit Records. The CD featured notes by Dutch dada-ist Freek Kinkelaar and featured two bonus tracks not on the original LP: "Baba Tunde" and "Lakonga".{{cite web |url=http://www.harkitrecords.com/stanshall.html |title=Vivian Stanshall – Men Opening Umbrellas Ahead |publisher=Harkit Records |year=2013 |access-date=3 April 2013}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/3926869-Vivian-Stanshall-Men-Opening-Umbrellas-Ahead|title=Vivian Stanshall – Men Opening Umbrellas Ahead (2012, Vinyl)|access-date=29 December 2021|website=Discogs.com}} The bonus tracks come from a rare 1974 Warner Bros. single.{{Cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/k16424-2|title=Vivian Stanshall – Lakonga|access-date=29 December 2021|website=45cat.com}}

Poppydisc Records released a properly authorized remastered edition, on LP and CD, on 21 May 2012.{{Cite AV media notes |id=POPPYCD015 |type=booklet |page=10 |title=Men Opening Umbrellas Ahead |publisher=Poppydisc |year=1974 }} The remastered CD contains the two bonus tracks, while the vinyl version is the same as the original vinyl LP.{{Cite web |url=https://www.piccadillyrecords.com/counter/404.php |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 December 2021 |archive-date=30 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130184422/https://www.piccadillyrecords.com/counter/404.php |url-status=dead }}

All songs written and arranged by Vivian Stanshall, except where noted:

1. "Afoju Ti Ole Riran (Dead Eyes)" (Vivian Stanshall, Gaspar Lawal)
2. "Truck-Track"
3. "Yelp, Bellow, Rasp Et Cetera"
4. "Prong"
5. "Redeye"

6. "How The Zebra Got His Spots"
7. "Dwarf Succulents"
8. "Bout of Sobriety"
9. "Prong & Toots Go Steady"
10. "Strange Tongues"

11. "Lakonga" (single A-side)
12. "Baba Tunde" (single B-side)

:(Both tracks written by Stanshall and Lawal){{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2568316-Vivian-Stanshall-Men-Opening-Umbrellas-Ahead|title=Vivian Stanshall – Men Opening Umbrellas Ahead (2010, CD)|access-date=29 December 2021|website=Discogs.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6027332-Vivian-Stanshall-Men-Opening-Umbrellas-Ahead|title=Vivian Stanshall – Men Opening Umbrellas Ahead (2012, CD)|access-date=29 December 2021|website=Discogs.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/500992-Vivian-Stanshall-Lakonga|title=Vivian Stanshall – Lakonga|website=Discogs.com|access-date=29 December 2021}}

• Vivian Stanshall – vocals, recorder, euphonium, ukulele, Chelonian pipes
• Anthony "Bubs" White – electric guitar
• Steve Winwood – bass guitar, organ
• Gasper Lawal – talking drums, congas, xylophone, drum kit ("How The Zebra Got His Spots")
• Neil Innes – piano, slide guitar, organ ("How The Zebra Got His Spots")
• Jim Capaldi – drum kit, lesser log
• Deryk Quinn – cabassa, Nigerian coffee tables, greater log
• Ric Grech – violin
• Rebop Kwaku Baah – congas ("Prong & Toots")
• Doris Troy, Madeline Bell, Barry St. John – backing vocals
• Ayus Ape, Gani, Gasper Lawal – male Yoruba chorus
• unidentified West Indian taxi driver – bass guitar ("Lakonga" and "Baba Tunde")
• unidentified West Indian taxi driver's friend – drum kit ("Lakonga" and "Baba Tunde")

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.gingergeezer.net/moua.html Men Opening Umbrellas page] on Ginger Geezer website

{{Vivian Stanshall}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1974 debut albums

Category:Vivian Stanshall albums

Category:Warner Records albums