Vacation (The Go-Go's album)

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Beauty and the Beat1981Talk Show1984studioVacationThe Go-Go's - Vacation.pngFive women water-skiing in formation, wearing pink swimsuits and white tutusthe Go-Go'sTemplate:Start dateMarch–May 1982* Studio 55 and Sunset Sound Recorders (Hollywood, California)

• Indigo Ranch (Malibu, California)* Pop rock
• new wave
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Vacation is the second studio album by American rock band the Go-Go's, released on July 20, 1982, by I.R.S. Records.<ref name="Release"/> The album reached number eight on the Billboard 200,<ref name="US album"/> and has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).<ref name="RIAA"/>

Despite the album's success, the recording period was hampered by several issues. Most of the band's lineup was struggling with drug addiction and they were starting to argue more over creative differences. There was also growing discord between songwriter and lead guitarist Charlotte Caffey, lead singer Belinda Carlisle, and guitarist Jane Wiedlin, who had begun to take more of an interest in songwriting. These problems continued to escalate and would eventually result in the band's dissolution following the disappointing sales of their third album, Talk Show.

Release

Vacation was released on July 20, 1982 by I.R.S. Records,<ref name="Release">Template:Cite magazine</ref> peaking at number eight on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States.<ref name="US album"/> The title track served as the album's lead single and reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.<ref name="US singles">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Notably, it was also issued as the first cassette single released in the US.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In addition to the title track, two more singles were pulled from the album at the time: "Get Up and Go" and "This Old Feeling", the former of which peaked at number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100.<ref name="US singles"/> The song "Speeding", which is not included on the album, is a Caffey/Wiedlin composition used as B-side of the single for "Get Up and Go".

In 2016, Edsel Records reissued remastered deluxe editions, all with bonus tracks, of the first three Go-Go's albums.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Critical reception

Rolling Stone critic Ken Tucker praised Vacation as a significant musical progression for the Go-Go's, observing "a fresh curiosity about the world and a treasure trove of precise details", as well as "first-rate songwriting that offers Carlisle a wide range of emotions and characters." He highlighted "This Old Feeling" as "a perfect pop songTemplate:Nbsp... Rarely has the woozy pleasure of a good daydream been rendered more movingly in rock music."<ref name="Tucker"/> In a more critical review for The Village Voice, Robert Christgau noted "the uniform thinness of the non-Kathy Valentine songs".<ref name="Christgau"/>

Cash Box called "Get Up and Go" a "rousing pop/rocker", saying that "the rhythm is as peppy as the title would indicate."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Billboard called it a "spirited pop/rock anthem" that is "invigorating" despite not being as "seamless" or having as much "mass appeal" as the preceding hit single "Vacation".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Detroit Free Press critic Gary Graff called it a "beach party pop tune."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

The Go-Go's

• Charlotte Caffey – lead guitar, keyboards, back-up vocals
• Belinda Carlisle – lead vocals
• Gina Schock – drums, percussion, back-up vocals
• Kathy Valentine – bass guitar, back-up vocals
• Jane Wiedlin – rhythm guitar, back-up vocals

Additional musicians

• Steve Berlin – saxophone on "This Old Feeling"

Technical

• Richard Gottehrer – production
• Thom Panunzio – recording, mixingTemplate:Efn
• James Ball, Stuart Furusho, David Leonard, Neil Pedinoff – recording assistance
• Greg Calbi – masteringTemplate:Efn

Artwork

• Mick Haggerty – art direction, design, photography
• Ginger Canzoneri – art direction

Charts

Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chart

Chart performance for Vacation

Chart (1982)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	71
US Billboard 200<ref name="US album">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	8