Buster Goes Berserk

Buster Goes Berserk is the second album by Buster Poindexter, an alter ego of singer David Johansen.^[2][3] It was released in 1989 by RCA Records.^[1] The version of "Hit the Road Jack" reached No. 40 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart ^[4] and also appeared on the soundtrack to The Dream Team.^[5]

Buster Goes Berserk
Studio album by Buster Poindexter
Released	1989
Recorded	1988–1989
Genre	R&B[1]
Length	37:12
Label	RCA
Producer	Hank Medress
Buster Poindexter chronology
Buster Poindexter (1987) Buster Goes Berserk (1989) Buster's Happy Hour (1994)

Production

Members of the cast of Sarafina! performed on the album.^[6] "Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well" is a cover of the song made famous by Wynonie Harris.^[1] "International Playboy" is a cover of the Wilson Pickett song.^[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[8]
Robert Christgau	B−[9]
Los Angeles Times	[10]

Robert Christgau wrote that "Buster's no better at bigtime schmaltz than David was."^[9] The Los Angeles Times determined that "this ice-breaking-if scarcely ground-breaking-disc is still a purr-fect poolside party platter for too-hepcats 'n' snake-hipped kittens as well as fine, fine, superfine grist for the live show's gin mill."^[10]

The Washington Post deemed the album "lite beer beach music."^[11] The New York Times concluded that "the best cuts are those that suggest scenes from a wild party in progress where the host is the rambunctious, half-pickled singer, who has immersed himself in the persona of a funky soul man."^[12]

Track listing

1. "All Night Party" (Ashley "Grub" Cooper) - 3:53
2. "Hit the Road Jack" (Percy Mayfield) - 3:14
3. "International Playboy" (Bernard Broomer, Bunny Sigler, Lee Phillips, Ugene Dozier) - 4:34
4. "Poorest People" (Roy Brown) - 4:31
5. "Juicy Lucy" (Albert Chancy) - 4:04
6. "Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well" (Eddie DeLange, Johnny Brooks) - 3:21
7. "At the Party" (Johnny Rivera) - 3:01
8. "Imitation of Life" (Arno Hecht, Crispin Cioe, David Johansen, Bob Funk, "Hollywood" Paul Litteral) - 4:32
9. "Debourge Yourself" (Arno Hecht, Crispin Cioe, David Johansen, Bob Funk, "Hollywood" Paul Litteral) - 3:41
10. "Deep in a Dream" (Eddie DeLange, Jimmy Van Heusen) - 3:11

Personnel

• Buster Poindexter - vocals

The Banshees of Blue:

• Charlie Giordano - keyboards and accordion, musical director
• Brian Koonin - electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, conductor
• Tony Machine - drums
• Tony "Antoine Fats" Garnier - upright bass and electric bass
• Fred Walcott - percussion
• Soozie Tyrell - vocals and violin
• Ivy Ray - vocals
• Randi Michaels - vocals

The Uptown Horns:

• Crispin Cioe - alto and baritone saxophone
• Bob Funk - trombone
• Arno Hecht - tenor saxophone
• "Hollywood" Paul Litteral - trumpet

Additional vocals provided by Martha Wash, Jocelyn Brown, Brenda White, Lisa Lowell, Hoy Boy, John Collins, Kevin Trainor, Terry Gabis, Futz, Steve Paul, and from the cast of Sarafina!: Baby Cele, Lindiwe F. Dlamini, Lindiwe C. Hlengwa, Thamsanga Hlatywayo, Leleti Khumalo, Thandini Mavimbela, Nhlanhla Ngema, Pat Mlaba, Thandekile Nhlanhla and Thandi G. Zulu.