Never Mind the Ballots

Never Mind the Ballots^[a] is the second studio album by the anarchist punk band Chumbawamba. Most of the songs center on lying politicians and their search for more voter control. It was originally released on cassette and LP, and re-released in the 1990s as half of the Chumbawamba compilation CD First 2, which is a combination of their first two LP albums released on a single CD.

Never Mind the Ballots
Studio album by Chumbawamba
Released	1 May 1987[1]
Recorded	1987
Genre	Anarcho-punk folk punk
Length	35:32
Label	Agit-Prop (UK) Reprise (France)
Chumbawamba chronology
Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records (1986) Never Mind the Ballots (1987) English Rebel Songs (1988/2003)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Maximum Rocknroll	(favourable)[2]
Vox	[3]

Composition

The album's lyrics have been noted for criticizing all sides of the United Kingdom's political parties, particularly in the case of the song "The Candidates Find Common Ground."^[8]

Release

The album was initially released in 1987. It was reportedly "rush-released" so that it would be available in time for the 1987 United Kingdom general election.^[8] In 1991, it was reissued on CD along with Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records; the pair was released under the name First 2.^[9]

The album was rereleased digitally on May 4, 2012, by Westpark Music.^[10]

Impact

Chart performance

The album attained a peak of number two on the UK Indie chart.^[11]

Legacy

The album was retrospectively awarded a rating of four stars out of five in The Encyclopedia of Popular Music.^[12]

Track listing

Adapted from the record's rerelease via Bandcamp.^[1]

1. "Always Tell the Voter What the Voter Wants to Hear" – 2:51
2. "Come on Baby (Let's Do the Revolution)" – 1:39
3. "The Wasteland" – 4:23
4. "Today's Sermon" – 2:28
5. "Ah-Men" – 2:29
6. "Mr. Heseltine Meets His Public" – 3:51
7. "The Candidates Find Common Ground" – 4:29
8. "Here's the Rest of Your Life" – 13:22

Personnel

• Lou Watts – vocals, guitar
• Harry Hamer – drums, percussion, vocals
• Mavis Dillon – bass guitar, trumpet, vocals
• Alice Nutter – vocals
• Danbert Nobacon – vocals
• Boff Whalley – guitar, vocals
• Dunstan Bruce – vocals

Additional personnel

• Simon "Commonknowledge" Lanzon – keyboards, vocals
• Neil Ferguson – engineer, keyboards
• Patrick Gordon – engineer

Notes

1. On streaming services, the album is titled Ballots.^[4][5][6][7]

References

1. "Never Mind the Ballots". Bandcamp. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
2. Hayes, David (August 1987). "Never Mind the Ballots LP". Maximum Rocknroll. No. 51. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
3. Shutkever, Paula (1 May 1992). "Chumbawamba - First 2". Vox. No. 20. p. 77. Retrieved 5 March 2024 – via ProQuest.
4. "Ballots - Albums by Chumbawamba". Spotify. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
5. "Ballots / Chumbawamba". Tidal. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
6. "Ballots - Album by Chumbawamba". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
7. "Ballots - Album by Chumbawamba". Amazon Music. Archived from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
8. Roswell, Martin (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock (1 ed.). Rough Guides. p. 195. ISBN 1843531054. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
9. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2002). All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. Backbeat. p. 214. ISBN 087930653X. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
10. "Releases: Never Mind the Ballots". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
11. Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock: Third Ear - The Essential Listening Companion (1 ed.). Miller Freeman. p. 265. ISBN 0879306076. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
12. Larkin, Colin (2012). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus. p. 133. ISBN 978-0857125958. Retrieved 7 December 2020.