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America's Least Wanted
is the debut
studio album
by American
rock band
released in
September 1992.
The title is a parody
of the famous phrase
"America's Most Wanted".
It is the band's only album
to feature drummer
Mark Davis.
The album was a commercial success,
charting three singles
on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
"Neighbor",
"Busy Bee"
and
"Cats in the Cradle"
"Everything About You"
peaked at No. 3
in the
UK Singles Chart
and at No. 9
in the Billboard
Hot 100.
"Cats in the Cradle"
(a 1974 folk rock song by Harry Chapin),
also made the
Billboard Hot 100,
peaking at number six,
earning the album
two top 10
Billboard hit singles.
The latter song
also made it to No. 11
on the
Top 40
Mainstream.
As of 1995,
the album has been
certified double platinum
in both the
United States
and Australia.
Album information
Two of the songs
had previously been
included on the band's
1991 debut EP
As Ugly as They Wanna Be
"Everything About You"
was given a spoken intro
by actress and then
Saturday Night Live
cast member
Julia Sweeney
as her questionably
gendered character,
Pat.
The rhythm guitar parts
of both songs
originally played by
Roger Lahr
on the debut EP
were replaced by
those of
Dave Fortman
Lahr was present at the time
of the album's recording process
and left the band
halfway through.
However,
he is credited in the song
"Come Tomorrow"
and is included in
the album's liner notes,
as the band thanked him
for spending his time
with them.
"Everything About You"
had previously been included
in the SNL-based movie
Wayne's World,
which was released
seven months before.
Pat also appeared
in the video for
"Neighbor."
The difference between CD
and LP versions
of this album is
that the song
"Goddamn Devil"
appears as its
first track on
the B-side.
Artwork
The album's original artwork
depicts
Ugly Kid Joe's mascot
as the Statue of Liberty
gesturing an
upraised middle finger
in place of the statue's torch
and a pornographic magazine
in place of the
tabula ansata.
Several national chains
refused to sell the album
in their stores
due to this,
and a
"censored"
version was manufactured
for some retailers.
The censored version
depicts the
Ugly Kid Joe mascot gagged,
handcuffed
in one hand
(which is covered with duct tape)
and tied in rope,
while his legs are restrained
with a ball and chain.
This image was originally used
for the back cover
of the album.
The album's artwork,
as well as all other
promotional work and
the As Ugly as They Wanna Be
and
The Very Best of Ugly Kid Joe:
As Ugly as It Gets covers,
was done by
Whitfield Crane's
high school friend
Moish Brennan
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