One Step Beyond...

Untitled

One Step Beyond... is the 1979 debut album by the British ska group Madness. The album is often regarded as their best album. It was ranked 90th in a 2005 survey held by British television's Channel 4 to determine the 100 greatest albums of all time. The album peaked at number 2 and remained in the British record charts for over a year. One Step Beyond has a much heavier ska influence than later Madness albums.

The title track, released as a single, was originally written and recorded by the Jamaican ska musician Prince Buster. It was their second single after "The Prince" which was a tribute song to this musician.

Track listing

1. "One Step Beyond" (Campbell)
2. "My Girl" (Barson)
3. "Night Boat to Cairo" (Barson, McPherson)
4. "Believe Me" (Barson, Hasler)
5. "Land of Hope and Glory" (Foreman, Thompson)
6. "The Prince" (Thompson)
7. "Tarzan's Nuts" (Barson)
8. "In the Middle of the Night" (McPherson, Foreman)
9. "Bed and Breakfast Man" (Barson)
10. "Razor Blade Alley" (Thompson)
11. "Swan Lake" (Tchaikovsky arr. Barson)
12. "Rockin' in A-flat" (Wurlitzer)
13. "Mummy's Boy" (Bedford)
14. "Madness" (Campbell)
15. "Chipmunks Are Go!" (Smyth)

Notes/Trivia

• "The Prince" is sometimes referred to as "Prince" on track listings.
• Track 11 is a ska version of Pyotr Tchaikovsky theme from the Swan Lake ballet.
• The song heard between the two last titles on the album's original track list is "Madness", a cover of the Prince Buster song. While it is not listed on the UK LP sleeve or label, it was appended to U.S. Sire LP release and later releases on CD. This recording is different to the version found as the B-side of the "The Prince" single.
• UK LP has following matrix inscriptions; A matrix: "THAT NUTTY SOUND...", B matrix: "DIRECT FROM CAMDEN TOWN".

Personnel

• Suggs – lead vocals
• Mike Barson – keyboards
• Chris Foreman – guitar
• Mark Bedford – bass guitar
• Lee Thompson – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, backing vocals, lead vocals on tracks 5 and 10
• Daniel Woodgate – drums
• Chas Smash – backing vocals, lead vocals on tracks 1 and 15

Singles

Singles from the album:

• "One Step Beyond" / "Mistakes" (October 26 1979)
• "My Girl" / "Stepping Into Line" (December 21 1979)
• Work, Rest and Play EP: "Night Boat To Cairo" / "Deceives The Eye" / "The Young and The Old" / "Don't Quote Me On That" (1980)