"I Want Out" is a song by English rockabilly band Matchbox featuring Kirsty MacColl. It was released in 1983 as the third and final single from the band's sixth studio album Crossed Line (1982). It was written by Brian Hodgson, Ray Peters and Tony Colton, and produced by Hodgson.
| "I Want Out" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Matchbox featuring Kirsty MacColl | ||||
| from the album Crossed Line | ||||
| B-side | "Heaven Can Wait" | |||
| Released | February 1983[1] | |||
| Length | 2:42 | |||
| Label | Magnet | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Brian Hodgson | |||
| Matchbox singles chronology | ||||
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| Kirsty MacColl singles chronology | ||||
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Background
edit"I Want Out" failed to make an appearance in the top 100 of the UK Singles Chart, but reached number 137 in the top 200 chart compiled by Gallup. It also appeared at number 86 on Record Business magazine's Top 100 Airplay chart on 31 January 1983.[2] The song reached number 58 on the West German Singles Chart in March 1983.[3]
To promote the single in Germany, Matchbox and MacColl performed the song on Musikladen, which was broadcast on 10 February 1983.[4] In the UK, MacColl made an appearance at a Matchbox concert at the Venue in London in 1983. She performed "I Want Out" with the band, along with her own hit "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis".[5]
Critical reception
editUpon its release as a single, the Hartlepool Mail described "I Want Out" as a "belting rocker" and wrote, "The backing at the beginning sounds as if it's straight out of a Sixties Eddie Cochran session and the midway break is in the style of Buddy Holly. The duet overlaying this is exciting and could be a massive hit."[6] Mansfield and Sutton Recorder considered it to have "a true Matchbox sound with the added magic of Kirsty MacColl, sharing the lead vocal with Graham Fenton".[7] Smash Hits wrote, "There's not many rock 'n' roll acts who are worse than Shakin' Stevens but here's one. Nevertheless, this is saved by a real rootsy-tootsy vocal from Kirsty."[8] Frank Edmonds of the Bury Free Press gave the song a six and a half out of 10 rating and wrote, "So would I if I made a record like this! No, seriously, it's not too bad, really."[9] Jim Reid of Record Mirror commented, "English people trying to be redneck Americans, nearly as embarrassing as Kajagoogoo's imitation of a vibrant new pop group."[10]
Track listing
edit- 7" single
- "I Want Out" – 2:42
- "Heaven Can Wait" – 3:03
Personnel
editMatchbox
- Graham Fenton – lead vocals
- Dick Callan – lead guitar
- Gordon Scott – guitar
- Brian Hodgson – bass
- Jimmie Redhead – drums
Additional musicians
- Kirsty MacColl – lead vocals
Production
- Brian Hodgson – producer
- Bazza – engineer
- Dave Bellotti, Phil Vinall – assistant engineers
Charts
edit| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[11] | 137 |
| West Germany (GfK)[12] | 58 |
References
edit- ^ "I Want Out". Kirsty MacColl. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ^ "Top 100 Airplay" (PDF). Record Business. 31 January 1983. p. 14. Retrieved 21 May 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Matchbox feat. Kirsty MacColl – I Want Out". Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ^ "1978-86 TV spots and the Ballrooms". Kirsty MacColl. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ^ Balls, Richard (2014). Be Stiff: The Stiff Records Story. Soundcheck Books. ISBN 9780957570061. Retrieved 21 May 2021 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Discdate: Singled out". Hartlepool Mail. 23 February 1983. p. 10. Retrieved 31 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Matchbox strike out". Mansfield and Sutton Recorder. 10 February 1983. p. 20.
- ^ "Singles". Smash Hits. 17 February 1983. p. 28.
- ^ Edmonds, Frank (4 February 1983). "Soundscene". Bury Free Press. p. 9.
- ^ Reid, Jim (12 February 1983). "Singles". Record Mirror. p. 23.
- ^ "Gallup Top 200 Singles". Gallup. 19 February 1983. Retrieved 19 September 2022 – via ukmix.org.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Matchbox feat. Kirsty MacColl – I Want Out" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 21 May 2021.