Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Warren Zevon . The album was released on February 15, 1980, by Elektra Records . Three singles were released from the album, one of which charted: "A Certain Girl " (a cover of a song previously recorded by Ernie K-Doe and the Yardbirds ) reached No. 57 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Zevon's second and final hit on that chart.
Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School Released February 15, 1980 (1980-02-15 ) Recorded 1979 Studio The Sound Factory, Hollywood, California Genre Rock Length 35 :31 Label Elektra Producer Greg Ladanyi Warren Zevon "A Certain Girl" Released: 1980"Jeannie Needs a Shooter" Released: 1980"Gorilla, You're a Desperado" Released: 1980
The album was dedicated to Ken Millar (1915–1983), popularly known as mystery writer Ross Macdonald , who had assisted Zevon in fighting through substance abuse addiction and successfully completing related treatment.[1]
Record World said of the single "Gorilla, You're a Desperado" that "Zevon paints a picturesque fantasy of LA upper middle class absurdity."[8]
All songs written by Warren Zevon , unless otherwise indicated.
Side one Title Writer(s) 1. "Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School" 3:00 2. "A Certain Girl " Naomi Neville 3:08 3. "Jungle Work" Jorge Calderón , Zevon3:58 4. "Empty-Handed Heart" 3:16 5. "Interlude No. 1" 0:26 6. "Play It All Night Long" 2:53
Side two Title Writer(s) 7. "Jeannie Needs a Shooter" Bruce Springsteen , Zevon3:55 8. "Interlude No. 2" 1:08 9. "Bill Lee" 1:37 10. "Gorilla, You're a Desperado" 2:47 11. "Bed of Coals" T-Bone Burnett , Zevon5:04 12. "Wild Age" 4:19
Warren Zevon – organ, synthesizer, bass guitar, guitar, harmonica, piano, strings, keyboards, vocalsJorge Calderón – guitar on "A Certain Girl"; backing vocals on "Jungle Work"David Lindley – lap steel on "Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School" and "Play It All Night Long"; guitar on "Wild Age"Rick Marotta – percussion, drums, vocals, bells, SyndrumsAdditional personnel Technical Ernie Sheesley, Niko Bolas , Serge Reyes – engineers Jimmy Wachtel – coverGeorge Gruel, Jimmy Wachtel, Michael Curtis – photography Letter to You , a 2020 Bruce Springsteen album, features a different song with a similar title, "Janey Needs a Shooter"^ Browning, Boo (April 18, 1980). "Zevon's 'Turning Point' " . Retrieved January 28, 2018 – via WashingtonPost.com. ^ Mark Deming. "Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School – Warren Zevon | Songs, Reviews, Credits" . AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2015 . ^ Gurr, Ronnie (February 23, 1980). "Linda Ronstadt: Mad Love / Warren Zevon: Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School ". Record Mirror . p. 12. ^ "CG: warren zevon" . Robert Christgau. Retrieved October 23, 2015 .^ "Warren Zevon: Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone" . Rolling Stone . March 6, 1980. Archived from the original on February 18, 2009. Retrieved October 23, 2015 – via Web.archive.org.^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press . ISBN 978-0195313734 .^ "How to buy Warren Zevon". Uncut . October 2023. p. 71. ^ "Single Picks" (PDF) . Record World . May 17, 1980. p. 16. Retrieved February 20, 2023 .^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 348. ISBN 0-646-11917-6 .^ "Charts.nz – Warren Zevon – Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School" . Hung Medien. Retrieved October 27, 2020.^ "Warren Zevon Chart History (Billboard 200)" . Billboard . Retrieved October 27, 2020.