Dumb Waiters

For the elevator, see Dumbwaiter (elevator). For the song by The Psychedelic Furs, see Dumb Waiters (song).

Dumb Waiters is the second studio album by English pop band the Korgis. It was released on Rialto Records in the UK in 1980.

Dumb Waiters
Studio album by The Korgis
Released	July 1980 (1980-07)
Recorded	October 1979 – March 1980
Genre	Pop new wave synthpop
Length	34:33
Label	Rialto Records (UK) Asylum Records (U.S.)
Producer	The Korgis, David Lord
The Korgis chronology
The Korgis (1979) Dumb Waiters (1980) Sticky George (1981)

The album peaked #40 at UK chart and includes the singles "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime", UK #5, US #18, Australia #18; "If It's Alright with You Baby" UK #56; "Dumb Waiters" and "Rover's Return".

Dumb Waiters was re-issued on CD by Edsel Records in 1999 but is currently out of print.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Record Mirror
Smash Hits	7½/10

Upon its release, Simon Ludgate of Record Mirror described Dumb Waiters as being full of "wistful, romantic pop songs" and concluded, "Although definitely a case of filing under 'easy listening', this album is of sound body and mind." Ian Cranna of Smash Hits noted that "skilful borrowing" of "elements as varied as the Regents, old film songs, disco and electronics" have been "blended into this simple, very tuneful and very appealing album". He continued, "Add a bright, modernised feel, the distinctive soft shoe vocal delivery behind that massive string synthesiser, some quirky humour plus a large, unabashed streak and you get the Korgis' intelligent candyfloss for sentimental types." James Belsey of the Bristol Evening Post called it a "delicious album". He picked the "near-Giorgio Moroder" "Drawn and Quartered" as "particularly strong" and described "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" as "beautiful".

Peter Trollope of the Liverpool Echo gave the album "ten out of ten for effort" and commented that the Korgis had successfully produced "an album of singles" to match the standard of "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime". He wrote, "Some of the songs, like the new single, are superb, while others almost reach perfection. The lyrics are, sometimes, a bit too twee and tacky, while at other times, they are just right. Even if you don't like the Korgis, you'll find it hard not to like Dumb Waiters." Paul Screeton of the Hartlepool Mail called it a "good pop album with thought behind it and commerciality oozing from it". He continued, "The Korgis have a knack for musical subtlety and understatement and a craftsmanlike approach to songwriting." Jim Whiteford of the Kilmarnock Standard considered it a "worthwhile follow-up" to the band's debut album and noted their "sweet melodic approach".

Aberdeen's Press and Journal praised "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime", but believed some of the other tracks "sound a little overproduced and too 'busy'", with the Korgis "sound[ing] best with a fairly sparse backing". Peter Kinghorn of Newcastle's The Journal commented that "inevitable comparisons with [their] excellent debut album produce disappointment". He stated, "Slow numbers have meandering melodies, like 'Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime' whose success astounded me, while more uptempo songs lack meat."

Track listing

Side A

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Silent Running"	Warren	3:05
2.	"Love Ain't Too Far Away"	Davis	3:29
3.	"Perfect Hostess"	Davis	3:21
4.	"Drawn and Quartered"	Warren	3:20
5.	"Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" (1999 CD edition includes alternate version)	Warren	4:24

Side B

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"Intimate"	Davis	3:08
7.	"It's No Good Unless You Love Me"	Warren	3:24
8.	"Dumb Waiters"	Warren	2:42
9.	"If It's Alright with You Baby"	Warren	4:06
10.	"Rover's Return"	Davis	3:34

Charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	72
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)	48
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)	32
UK Albums (OCC)	40

Personnel

• James Warren - lead vocals, background vocals, bass guitar, electric guitar, keyboards
• Stuart Gordon - acoustic guitar, violin
• Andy Davis - electric guitar, keyboards, drums, percussion, background vocals
• Phil Harrison - keyboards, percussion

Additional personnel

• David Lord - percussion
• Stephen Paine - programming
• Jo Mullet - background vocals
• Ali Cohn - background vocals

Production

• The Korgis - producers
• David Lord - producer, sound engineer
• Nick Heath - direction
• Tim Heath - direction
• Jeffery Edwards - cover painting
• Tim Simmons - photography
• Nick Heath, George Rowbottom - art direction
• Julian Balme - art direction
• Recorded at Crescent Studios, Bath, Somerset, England from October 1979 to March 1980.

Release history

• 1980 LP Rialto Records TENOR 104 (UK)
• 1980 LP Asylum Records 290 (US)
• 1999 CD Edsel Records EDCD 622

Single releases

Format: 7" unless otherwise noted

• "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" / "Dirty Postcards" (Rialto TREB 115, April 1980)
• "If It's Alright with You Baby" / "Love Ain't Too Far Away" (TREB 118, July 1980)
• "If It's Alright with You Baby" (Remix) - 3:46 / "Love Ain't Too Far Away" (12" TREBL 118, July 1980)
• "Dumb Waiters" / "Perfect Hostess" (TREB 122, October 1980)
• "Rovers Return" / "Wish You a Merry Christmas" (non-album track) (Warren/Harrison) - 2:53 (TREB 131, December 1980)