Album · Sparks
Whomp That Sucker by Sparks
Whomp That Sucker is an album by Sparks, released in 1981. 4 songs from it have charted on rock radio countdowns, with 10 countdown appearances in total. The biggest is “Tips for Teens”, on 4 lists with a best position of #67.
Whomp That Sucker, Sparks' tenth album, came out on RCA in 1981 and found Ron and Russell Mael plugging back into rock after two disco records with Giorgio Moroder, No. 1 in Heaven and Terminal Jive. Those had done well enough, but the brothers found the electronic gear too unwieldy to haul on tour, so this time they worked without Moroder himself, cutting the album at Musicland Studios in Munich under his company's umbrella, with Mack producing fresh off Queen's The Game.
For muscle they hired a band called Bates Motel: Bob Haag on guitar, Leslie Bohem on bass and David Kendrick on drums, a lineup that stayed put through Music That You Can Dance To in 1986. The result is wiry, hopped-up power pop, Ron's keyboards ticking in tight rhythmic patterns and Russell's voice bouncing all over its range, while titles like "Tips for Teens" and "I Married a Martian" show the acerbic wit still sharp.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from Whomp That Sucker on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tips for Teens | 4 | #67 | – | 1981–2003 | |
| 2 | Upstairs | 3 | #28 | – | 1981–2003 | |
| 3 | Funny Face | 2 | #15 | – | 1981–1988 | |
| 4 | I Married a Martian | 1 | #59 | – | 1981 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.