The Right to Be Italian

The Right to Be Italian is the only studio album by the new wave band Holly and the Italians.[4] The album had a troubled recording process that took more than a year to be completed; it was released in February 1981 by Virgin Records. The album was reissued in 2002 in the US by Wounded Bird Records with bonus tracks.[5]

The Right to Be Italian
Cover photo by Lynn Goldsmith
Studio album by
Holly and the Italians
ReleasedFebruary 1981
RecordedSeptember–December 1980
StudioRecord Plant Studios, New York City
GenreNew wave, pop punk
Length36:37
LabelVirgin[1]
ProducerRichard Gottehrer[2]
Holly Beth Vincent chronology
The Right to Be Italian
(1981)		 Holly and the Italians
(1982)
Singles from The Right to Be Italian
  1. "Miles Away" / "It's Only Me"
    Released: 1980 (Europe only)
  2. "I Wanna Go Home" / "Fanzine"
    Released: 1981 (Europe only)
  3. "Youth Coup" / "Poster Boy"
    Released: 1981
  4. "Just for Tonight" / "Baby Gets It All"
    Released: 1981 (UK only)
  5. "Miles Away" / "Means to a Den"
    Released: 1981 (US only)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[1]

The album peaked at No. 177 on the Billboard 200.[6]

Critical reception

Trouser Press called The Right to Be Italian "a new wave classic of romantic ups and downs, leather-jacket rebellion and kitsch culture, carried mightily on Vincent’s tough-girl attitude, full-throated singing, gale-force Brill Building melodies and chunky rhythm guitar presence."[7] The Rough Guide to Rock deemed the album "a lost masterpiece."[8]

Track listings

All songs written by Holly Beth Vincent, except where indicated

Side one
  1. "I Wanna Go Home" – 3:57
  2. "Baby Gets It All" – 3:14
  3. "Youth Coup" – 2:41
  4. "Just Young" – 5:23
  5. "Miles Away" (Mark Sidgwick) – 3:38
Side two
  1. "Tell That Girl to Shut Up" – 2:59
  2. "Just for Tonight" (Larry Kusik, Ritchie Adams, Wes Farrell) – 2:38 (The Chiffons cover)
  3. "Do You Say Love" – 3:15
  4. "Means to a Den" – 3:13
  5. "Rock Against Romance" – 5:39

2002 CD edition
  1. "I Wanna Go Home" – 3:58
  2. "Rock Against Romance" – 5:41
  3. "Youth Coup" – 2:44
  4. "Just Young" – 5:25
  5. "Miles Away" – 3:40
  6. "Tell That Girl to Shut Up" – 3:02
  7. "Just for Tonight" – 2:40
  8. "Do You Say Love" – 3:17
  9. "Baby Gets It All" – 3:16
  10. "Means to a Den" – 3:31
  11. "Fanzine" – 2:59
  12. "It's Only Me" – 2:17
  13. "Poster Boy" – 2:28
  14. "Miles Away" (single edit) – 3:27

Other editions

There is a 2010 Japanese CD reissue that preserves the original track order for the tracks from the original album, but with the same bonus tracks, in the same order, as the 2002 reissue.

Personnel
Holly and the Italians
  • Holly Beth Vincent – lead vocals, guitars
  • Mark Sidgwick – bass, additional guitars, backing vocals
  • Steve Young – drums, backing vocals
  • Mike Osborn – drums, African clan drums, percussion, backing vocals
Additional musicians
Production

References
  1. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 333.
  2. Gimarc, George (February 25, 2005). Punk Diary: The Ultimate Trainspotter's Guide to Underground Rock, 1970-1982. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879308483 – via Google Books.
  3. Gordon, Keith A. "Holly & the Italians – The Right to Be Italian review". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  4. "Holly & the Italians | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  5. "Declarations of Independents". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. January 12, 2002 – via Google Books.
  6. "Holly And Italians". Billboard.
  7. "Holly and the Italians". Trouser Press. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  8. Buckley, Peter (February 25, 2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. ISBN 9781843531050 – via Google Books.
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