Let's Call It Quits (1976)
Let's Call It Quits is Slade's second single from their sixth studio album Nobody's Fools. Released by Polydor on 30 January 1976, it reached No. 11 in the UK and remained in the charts for seven weeks. The song was written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler.
Background
By 1975, the band began feeling stale and felt they had achieved as much success in the UK and Europe that they could. Slade and their manager Chas Chandler decided that the next best career move was to try and crack America. The band agreed to move to there and build a reputation for their live performances from scratch, just as they had in the UK. In between touring, the band recorded their next album, Nobody's Fools, which saw the band move towards a more "American" soul/pop sound in attempt to gain a commercial break on the American charts.
In November 1975, the lead single "In for a Penny" was released, with "Let's Call It Quits" following in January 1976 as the album's second single. Like its predecessor, it too reached No. 11 in the UK. The song would become Slade's last Top 20 single in the UK for five years, as the band entered a period of low popularity later in 1976 on their return from America to Britain.
Upon release, the band suffered legal issues over "Let's Call It Quits" as the American musician Allen Toussaint felt the song was similar to his 1973 track "Brickyard Blues". Although Lea maintained that he had never heard the song, the band settled out of court and agreed to give Toussaint 50% of the song's royalties. In a 1986 fan club interview, Lea recalled: "We had a court case taken against us once for "Let's Call It Quits" because it sounded like a song called "Brickyard Blues", a song that I had never heard before or since. We settled it out of court and agreed to give them 50%."
In 2000, Holder appeared on The Frank Skinner Show to promote his biography Who's Crazee Now?. At the end of the show, Skinner performed "Let's Call It Quits" with Holder and Katy Hill providing backing vocals.
Release
"Let's Call It Quits" was released on 7" vinyl by Polydor Records in the UK, Ireland, across Europe, Scandinavia, Yugoslavia, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The B-side, "When the Chips Are Down", was exclusive to the single and would later appear on the band's 2007 compilation B-Sides.
Promotion
In the UK, the band performed the song on the TV shows Supersonic and Jim'll Fix It.
Music video
A music video was filmed to promote the single, which featured the band performing the song in a room with a black and white chequered floor and surrounded with large mirrors. The band's manager Chas Chandler was reported as being disappointed with the video at the time.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
Retrospective reviews
Chart performance
UK Singles Chart: #11
Formats
7" single
Personnel
Slade
Additional personnel
Background
By 1975, the band began feeling stale and felt they had achieved as much success in the UK and Europe that they could. Slade and their manager Chas Chandler decided that the next best career move was to try and crack America. The band agreed to move to there and build a reputation for their live performances from scratch, just as they had in the UK. In between touring, the band recorded their next album, Nobody's Fools, which saw the band move towards a more "American" soul/pop sound in attempt to gain a commercial break on the American charts.
In November 1975, the lead single "In for a Penny" was released, with "Let's Call It Quits" following in January 1976 as the album's second single. Like its predecessor, it too reached No. 11 in the UK. The song would become Slade's last Top 20 single in the UK for five years, as the band entered a period of low popularity later in 1976 on their return from America to Britain.
Upon release, the band suffered legal issues over "Let's Call It Quits" as the American musician Allen Toussaint felt the song was similar to his 1973 track "Brickyard Blues". Although Lea maintained that he had never heard the song, the band settled out of court and agreed to give Toussaint 50% of the song's royalties. In a 1986 fan club interview, Lea recalled: "We had a court case taken against us once for "Let's Call It Quits" because it sounded like a song called "Brickyard Blues", a song that I had never heard before or since. We settled it out of court and agreed to give them 50%."
In 2000, Holder appeared on The Frank Skinner Show to promote his biography Who's Crazee Now?. At the end of the show, Skinner performed "Let's Call It Quits" with Holder and Katy Hill providing backing vocals.
Release
"Let's Call It Quits" was released on 7" vinyl by Polydor Records in the UK, Ireland, across Europe, Scandinavia, Yugoslavia, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The B-side, "When the Chips Are Down", was exclusive to the single and would later appear on the band's 2007 compilation B-Sides.
Promotion
In the UK, the band performed the song on the TV shows Supersonic and Jim'll Fix It.
Music video
A music video was filmed to promote the single, which featured the band performing the song in a room with a black and white chequered floor and surrounded with large mirrors. The band's manager Chas Chandler was reported as being disappointed with the video at the time.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
- Ray Fox-Cumming of Record Mirror & Disc said: "One of Slade's best. A slow, heavy rocker with rude words that are just about oblique enough to get by on any radio play and some deliciously lascivious guitar, the whole beautifully produced by Chas Chandler."
- Caroline Coon of Melody Maker wrote: "After two bars, Slade's Noddy Holder, still in marvelous, raucous form, slams into "Let's Call It Quits". And it's a laidback, slow-rocking number, very much weaker than the humping package this lot of bovver boys used to deliver."
- Sounds said: "A free album to the first reader who puts me out of my misery by identifying the chugging tune which carries the verse on this record. By coincidence, exactly the same riff runs through Eric Carmen's "That's Rock 'n' Roll". I couldn't identify it then, and I still can't. Is it an old Fats Domino tune? Anyway, it's helped Slade come up with their best record in ages, with Noddy bellowing tender words of love as only he can."
- Liverpool Echo commented: "According to the press release sent with the single - "It's a good solid, medium to slow paced stomper." And that's just what it is, but it will be interesting to see what it does chartwise."
- Acton Gazette stated "This, like their last few releases, is mellower than used to be the case and quite a bit more tuneful. In fact, I would probably have said it was their best yet if the tune hadn't been a direct theft from Frankie Miller's "Brickyard Blues"."
- John Hutson of Thanet Times wrote: "The return of Slade as producers of stomp music. It is a good solid medium to slow paced stomper."
- In a review of Nobody's Fools, Peter Barnett of the East Kent Times described the song as "instantly appealing with its Lennon-type vocals and some fine, solid bass from Jim Lea".
Retrospective reviews
- In a retrospective review of Nobody's Fools, Geoff Ginsberg of AllMusic said: "And "Let's Call It Quits" is a real screamer where Noddy Holder coughs up a great vocal."
- In 2010, Classic Rock described the song as "throbbing" and "suggestive", adding that the song, along with "In for a Penny" are among the album's "most immediate moments".
Chart performance
UK Singles Chart: #11
Formats
7" single
- "Let's Call It Quits" - 3:30
- "When the Chips are Down" - 4:16
Personnel
Slade
- Noddy Holder - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Dave Hill - lead guitar, backing vocals
- Jim Lea - bass, piano, backing vocals
- Don Powell - drums
Additional personnel
- Chas Chandler - producer