The Birthday Party (The Idle Race album)

The Birthday Party was the first album by The Idle Race, a psychedelic pop band, released in 1968 (see 1968 in music).

This quasi-concept album was the first to be composed almost entirely of songs by a young Birmingham guitarist/singer named Jeff Lynne. The LP came in a gatefold sleeve. The inside sleeve art included a mock birthday feast attended by many British celebrities, including most of the Radio 1 disc jockeys, the Beatles, the Duke of Windsor, actor Warren Mitchell in his role as Alf Garnett, and group leader Jeff Lynne as an eight-year-old schoolboy. In the U.S. the cover art was different with a rather psychedelic-styled paisley pattern behind the band.

While warmly received by critics, the record failed to chart in the U.K. or the U.S.

The album was re-issued in 1976 by Liberty on their budget-price label Sunset, although in a non-gatefold sleeve with different design, to capitalise on Electric Light Orchestra's success. A further re-issue came in 2014 by Parlophone, as the Liberty back catalogue had long since been acquired by EMI Records, for Record Store Day, in a limited edition on gold vinyl.

Track listing
All tracks composed by Jeff Lynne, except where indicated.

Side 1 Side 2
 * 1) "Skeleton and the Roundabout" – 2:26
 * 2) "Happy Birthday" (Patty Hill, Mildred J. Hill)   – 0:23
 * 3) "The Birthday" – 3:00
 * 4) "I Like My Toys" – 2:12
 * 5) "Morning Sunshine" – 1:48
 * 6) "Follow Me, Follow" – 2:48
 * 7) "Sitting in My Tree" – 1:59 (mono)
 * 1) "On With the Show" – 2:22
 * 2) "Lucky Man" – 2:38
 * 3) "(Don't Put Your Boys in the Army) Mrs. Ward" – 2:14
 * 4) "Pie in the Sky" (Dave Pritchard)   – 2:23
 * 5) "The Lady Who Said She Could Fly" – 2:22
 * 6) "End of the Road" – 2:09

Personnel

 * Idle Race
 * Jeff Lynne - vocals, guitar, piano
 * Dave Pritchard - guitar, vocals
 * Greg Masters - bass guitar, vocals
 * Roger Spencer - drums, vocals