Working Class Dog
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Working Class Dog
| type = studio
| artist = Rick Springfield
| cover = working_class_dog.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{start date|1981|02|df=yes}}
| recorded = 1980–1981
| studio = Sound City, Van Nuys, California
| venue =
| genre =
- Power pop{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Breihan |title= The Number Ones: Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl|website= Stereogum |date= May 13, 2020 |url= https://www.stereogum.com/2084046/the-number-ones-rick-springfields-jessies-girl/columns/the-number-ones/|quote= ...he came out with Working Class Dog, an album of solidly punchy power-pop...|accessdate= July 19, 2023}}
- pop rock
| length = {{Duration|m=32|s=11}}
| label = RCA
| producer = Rick Springfield, Bill Drescher, Keith Olsen
| prev_title = Wait for Night
| prev_year = 1976
| next_title = Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet
| next_year = 1982
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Working Class Dog
| type = studio
| single1 = Jessie's Girl
| single1date = February 1981
| single2 = I've Done Everything for You
| single2date = March 1981
| single3 = Love is Alright Tonite
| single3date = November 1981
}}
}}{{About|the album|type of dogs|Working dog}}{{Album ratings
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/working-class-dog-mw0000191833|title=Working Class Dog - Rick Springfield - Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic|accessdate=4 January 2018}}
}}
Working Class Dog is the fifth studio album by Australian rock musician Rick Springfield, released by RCA Records in 1981. The album was certified Platinum in the United States and eventually sold over three million US copies. It produced Springfield's biggest career hit with the #1 million-selling song, "Jessie's Girl". Springfield was awarded the 1982 Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male.
The album was re-released on CD in 2006 as a "25th anniversary edition" with three bonus tracks.
Track listing
All tracks written by Rick Springfield except as indicated.
{{tracklist
| headline = Side one
| title1 = Love Is Alright Tonite
| length1 = 3:28
| title2 = Jessie's Girl
| length2 = 3:14
| title3 = Hole in My Heart
| length3 = 3:12
| title4 = Carry Me Away
| length4 = 3:01
| title5 = I've Done Everything for You
| writer5 =Sammy Hagar
| length5 = 3:17
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = Side two
| title6 = The Light of Love
| length6 = 2:43
| title7 = Everybody's Girl
| length7 = 2:59
| title8 = Daddy's Pearl
| length8 = 2:37
| title9 = Red Hot & Blue Love
| length9 = 2:57
| title10 = Inside Sylvia
| length10 = 4:43
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = 25th anniversary edition
| title11 = Easy to Cry
| note11 = previously unreleased
| length11 = 3:33
| title12 = Taxi Dancing
| note12 = original version, previously unreleased{{Cite web|url=http://www.rickspringfield.us/library/music/wcd/TaxiDancingOrig.htm|title = Rick Springfield - Taxi Dancing Original Version - Lyrics}}
| length12 = 3:35
| title13 = Jessie's Girl
| note13 = demo version
| length13 = 3:11
}}
Album cover
The album cover features a picture of a Bull Terrier{{cite web|url=http://anguspost.com/rick-springfield-reaffirms-his-dog-obsession-and-wins-fans-hearts-with-adorable-photo-evidence/|title=Rick Springfield Reaffirms His Dog Obsession And Wins Fans' Hearts With Adorable Photo Evidence – AngusPost|website=Anguspost.com|accessdate=4 January 2018}} dog dressed in a white shirt with a black tie.{{cite news|last1=Simmons|first1=Charlety|title=Springfield brought dream from Down Under|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1291&dat=19810825&id=_8UxAAAAIBAJ&pg=4952,4036120&hl=en|accessdate=27 February 2016|publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=25 August 1981}} The dog was Springfield’s pet named Ronnie, and he briefly cameoed in the music video for "Jessie's Girl". Ronnie would later be featured in the cover art of his owner's next album Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet. Working Class Dog's cover (credited to Mike Doud) was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Album Package" in 1981.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/|title=The Envelope: Hollywood's Awards and Industry Insider - Los Angeles Times|website=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=4 January 2018}} The 2011 Jonathan Coulton song "Je Suis Rick Springfield" makes reference to the album cover. Ronnie passed away in 1994.{{Cite web |url=http://www.rickspringfield.com/full/timeline.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=7 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061230183742/http://www.rickspringfield.com/full/timeline.html |archive-date=30 December 2006 |url-status=dead }}
Personnel
- Rick Springfield - vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards
- Robben Ford - guitar
- Neil Giraldo - guitar, bass
- Gabriel Katona - keyboards
- Jeff Eyrich - bass
- Mike Baird - drums
- Jack White - drums
- Jeremiah Cox - French horn, background vocals
- Tom Kelly - background vocals
Credits
- Produced by Rick Springfield, Bill Drescher and Keith Olsen
- Engineered by Bill Drescher, Chris Minto and Doug Pakes at Sound City
- Mastered by Greg Fulginiti at Artisan Sound Recorders
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1981)
!Peak |
|---|
| Australia Albums (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=289}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 33 |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|7|artist=Rick Springfield|accessdate=8 September 2021}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable" |
| Chart (1981)
!Position |
|---|
| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1981/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1981|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=8 September 2021}}
|align="center"|38 |
| Chart (1982)
!Position |
| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1982/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1982|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=8 September 2021}}
|align="center"|31 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Working Class Dog}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|artist=Rick Springfield|title=Working Class Dog|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=1981|certyear=1985|access-date=13 September 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Rick Springfield|title=Working Class Dog|award=Platinum|relyear=1981|certyear=1981|access-date=13 September 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Rick Springfield}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Rick Springfield albums