''How to Compose Popular Songs That Will Sell'' is the fifth solo studio album from Irish singer, Bob Geldof. It was released on 12 October 2010. ''How to Compose Popular Songs That Will Sell'' is Geldof's first album since 2001's '' Sex, Age & Death'', and marks his return to the

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it i ...

label. The album reached no. 89 on the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...

in its week of entry on 13 February 2011.

Track listing

''All songs written by Bob Geldof, except as noted.'' # "How I Roll" (Geldof,

Pete Briquette Patrick Martin Cusack (born 2 July 1954), known by the stage name Pete Briquette, is an Irish bassist, record producer and composer. He is a member of the Boomtown Rats and has also played in Bob Geldof's band. Boomtown Rats He was born in B ...

Eliza Gilkyson Eliza Gilkyson (born August 24, 1950, Hollywood, California) is a Taos, New Mexico-based folk musician.Gilkyson moved her base from Austin, Texas, to Taos in 2020. She is the daughter of songwriter and folk musician Terry Gilkyson and his wife, J ...

) – 3:03 # "Blowfish" (Geldof, Briquette) – 4:07 # "She's a Lover" – 4:30 # "To Live in Love" – 4:05 # "Silly Pretty Thing" – 4:02 # "Systematic 6-Pack" – 3:31 # "Dazzled by You" – 2:41 # "Mary Says" (Geldof, Briquette) – 4:52 # "Blow" – 4:55 # "Here's to You" – 7:59

Singles

* "Silly Pretty Thing" (January 2011) * "Here's To You" (April 2011)

Personnel

The Band: *Bob Geldof - lead vocals, backing vocals, electric & acoustic guitar, ukulele, harmonica, Jews harp *

- bass, keyboards, electric guitar, programming, percussion *Alan Dunn - piano, keyboards, accordion, backing vocals * John Turnbull - electric & acoustic guitar, ukulele, backing vocals *Vince Lovepump - violin, mandolin,

Portuguese guitar The Portuguese guitar or Portuguese guitarra ( pt, guitarra portuguesa, ) is a plucked string instrument with twelve steel strings, strung in six courses of two strings. It is one of the few musical instruments that still uses watch-key or Presto ...

, backing vocals *Jim Russell - drums, percussion, backing vocals *Niall Power - drums, percussion, backing vocals Guest Musicians: *

Roger Taylor Roger Taylor may refer to: *Roger Taylor (Queen drummer) (born 1949), drummer for Queen *Roger Taylor (Duran Duran drummer) (born 1960), drummer for Duran Duran *Roger Taylor (author), author of epic fantasy Hawklan series *Roger Taylor (college pr ...

- backing vocals, percussion (on "Here's To You") *Henry Dagg - musical saw *Gary Roberts - electric guitar *Tash Roper - clarinet, backing vocals * Joshua J. Macrae - percussion *Darrell Willis - hand claps, verbals Production Credits: *

- producer * Joshua J. Macrae -

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limit ...

*James Clarke - engineer (Faversham) Recorded at The Priory Studios, Surrey; Briquette Studios, Acton, and Bob's house.

References

{{Authority control 2010 albums Bob Geldof albums Mercury Records albums