Absurd-Ditties

Absurd-Ditties
Studio album by Toy Dolls
Released	January 1993
Recorded	September 1992
Genre	Punk rock, Oi!
Length	36:46
Label	Receiver Records
Producer	Michael Algar
Toy Dolls chronology
Fat Bob's Feet (1991) Absurd-Ditties (1993) Orcastrated (1995)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Robert Gomez	(9/10)[2]

Absurd-Ditties is the seventh full-length album by the punk rock band Toy Dolls, recorded in September 1992 and released in January 1993 by Receiver Records.^[1] It is considered by many, including vocalist and guitarist Olga, to be one of the band's best albums.

The album title is a pun on the word "absurdities", merging "absurd", meaning "unreasonable or ridiculous in manner", with "ditties", meaning "short simple songs", which when combined to form Absurd-Ditties describe the album's songs itself as "absurd ditties".^[3] Mark Brennan of Captain Oi! Records wrote album the album in the liner notes of its 2002 remastered edition.

In 2012, the website of music venue SO36 said that Absurd-Ditties, along with the band's first album Dig That Groove Baby (1983), are "recognized as [two] of the best punk albums of all time."^[4] That same year, Olga was asked in an interview with For the Love of Punk "What is the favorite album you’ve done & why?," to which he replied "Absurd Ditties, best songs, best production!"^[5] He then was asked "what’s been the most popular Toy Dolls album?," to which he said "Absurd Ditties! and Dig that Groove Baby."^[5] He had been previously quoted as saying the album was his personal favourite, commenting "great songs, great production and a great guitar sound."^[6] Ian Glasper also called the album "brilliant" in his 2004 book Burning Britain: The History of UK Punk 1980–1984.^[6]

Critical reception

Allmusic rated the album three stars out of five.^[7]

Track listing

All songs written by Michael "Olga" Algar.

1. "Absurd-Ditties"  – 0:44
2. "I'm a Telly Addict"  – 2:48
3. ""Terry Talking""  – 2:35
4. "Ernie Had a Hernia"  – 3:17
5. "Toccata in Dm"  – 2:37
6. "My Wife's a Psycopath!"  – 2:52
7. "Sod the Neighbours"  – 2:28
8. "Melancholy Margaret"  – 2:24
9. "Drooling Banjos"  – 3:53
10. "Alecs Gone"  – 2:59
11. "When You're Jimmy Savile"  – 3:07
12. "Caught up the Reeperbahn!"  – 3:19
13. "Dez the Demon Decorator"  – 2:57
14. "Absurd-Ditties (End Bit)"  – 0:46

Personnel

• Michael "Olga" Algar – Vocals, Guitar
• John "K'Cee" Casey – Bass, Vocals
• Martin "Marty" Yule – Drums, Vocals

References

External links

• Absurd-Ditties page on The Toy Dolls website