The Raven (The Stranglers album)


The Raven is the fourth studio album by English new wave band The Stranglers. It was released on 21 September 1979, through record label United Artists.

Background

The first two songs, much of the artwork and the album title refer to Norse mythology. The album deals with a variety of issues, including Japanese ritual suicide, heroin use, the Iranian Revolution and genetic engineering.

Release

The Raven was released on 21 September 1979. It reached No. 4 in the UK albums chart, remaining in the chart for eight weeks.
The album was originally released with a limited-edition 3D cover. Another limited edition had to be created when the band was forced to remove an image of Joh Bjelke-Petersen from the inner sleeve artwork. Bjelke-Petersen was the subject of the album's sixth track, "Nuclear Device ".
"Duchess" was the first and most successful single from the album, released on 10 August 1979 and reaching No. 14 on the UK singles chart. "Nuclear Device " was the second single released; this reached No. 36 on the same chart. An EP, Don't Bring Harry, was released in November, consisting of the title track, "Wired", "Crabs " and "In the Shadows ". It reached No. 41.

Track listing

Side A:
  1. "Longships" – 1:10
  2. "The Raven" – 5:13
  3. "Dead Loss Angeles" – 2:24
  4. "Ice" – 3:26
  5. "Baroque Bordello" – 3:50
  6. "Nuclear Device " – 3:32
Side B:
  1. "Shah Shah a Go Go" – 4:50
  2. " Harry" – 4:09
  3. "Duchess" – 2:30
  4. "Meninblack" – 4:48
  5. "Genetix" – 5:16

    Personnel

; The Stranglers
; Technical