10cc – How Dare You!

How Dare You! is the fourth album by British band 10cc. It was released in 1976 and included the UK hits “I’m Mandy Fly Me” and “Art For Art’s Sake”. The album was the band’s third to feature cover art by the creative team at Hipgnosis Studio.

It was also the last 10cc album by the original lineup of Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman, Kevin Godley and Lol Crème, the latter two departing shortly afterwards to form Godley & Creme, until the four reunited, albeit briefly, for the 1992 album …Meanwhile.

In an interview at the time of the album’s release, Gouldman told music newspaper Melody Maker: “It’s as different as any album from the same band can be and I think it’s an evolution from our last work. I think there’s been a progression on every album and I think we’ve done it again. It’s a strange mix of songs. There’s a song about divorce, one about schizophrenia, one about wanting to rule the world, the inevitable money song and an organic one”.

So when 10cc entered the studio in 1975 to record the album, they were preparing their biggest hit, without even knowing it at the time.

How Dare You! contains beautiful songs and there was never any doubt that there were no natural creative forces among the 4 members of the group. Godley, Creme, Stewart and Gouldman had a history during the British Invasion in the early 60s. They were young and involved in that scene, and had an interesting musical background.

They were not just a band that came out of nowhere, but in the 70s their background was not particularly important to everyone who bought the 45 “I’m Not In Love”. The album leaves a taste of a sad closure with the departure of Godley & Creme and perhaps the last creation of timeless compositions for the group.

The How Dare You! sounds like a single album, with the first track that has the title name being organic, highlighting the unique talents of 10cc, in a neither hard nor soft rock, with changes in melodies and great musical variety as it moves from theme to theme.

“I Wanna Rule The World” is hilarious. The repeated chorus, supported by Kevin Godley’s bass voice, says: “I wanna be a boss, I wanna be a big boss, I wanna boss the world around, I wanna be the biggest boss that ever bossed the world around”. A very innovative track for many. “Iceberg” is a terrifyingly crazy track about a serial rapist, “Head Room” about a man who can launch himself, and “Don’t Hang Up,” a romantic song about a desperate obsessive, with the band stretching all their skills by presenting significant compositions with a myriad of musical styles.

From this excellent album I select the track “I Wanna Rule The World”.

Tracklist

1. How Dare You 4:14
2. Lazy Ways 4:18
3. I Wanna Rule The World 3:57
4. I’m Mandy Fly Me 5:22
5. Iceberg 3:43
6. Art For Arts Sake 5:59
7. Rock ‘n’ Roll Lullaby 3:59
8. Head Room 4:21
9. Don’t Hang Up 6:19