Celts and Cobras

Celts and Cobras is the second and final studio album from the Scottish neo-rockabilly group the Shakin' Pyramids (billed on the album cover as "Shakin' Pyramids"), released in 1982 by Cuba Libre, a subsidiary of Virgin Records. "Just a Memory" and "Pharaoh's Chant" were released as singles from the album. It features a more diverse instrumental palette than the band's debut album, Skin 'Em Up (1981), but was seen as a departure from the group's original, immediate sound.

Celts and Cobras
Studio album by The Shakin' Pyramids
Released	9 May 1982
Studio	Basing Street Studios, London The Workhouse Studios, London AM-PRO Studios, London Eden Studios, London Rockfield Studios, Rockfield
Genre	Rockabilly
Label	Cuba Libre (Virgin)
Producer	Bob Andrews (tracks 2, 4, 7 and 9), Roger Bechirian (all others)
The Shakin' Pyramids chronology
Skin 'Em Up (1981) Celts and Cobras (1982) The Shakin' Pyramids (1983)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Celts and Cobras features more varied instrumentation than previous Shakin' Pyramids releases, but was seen as a departure from the band's original, immediate sound.^[2][3][4] Trouser Press said, "Celts and Cobras offers a higher percentage of their own songs, but on it they're accompanied by piano, accordion, electric bass and even — gack! — a string section... The band still rocks, but they'd better figure out where they're going."^[3] AllMusic gave the album 3/5 stars, and opined that "the energy and verve of their debut had been replaced by a stultifying maturity."^[1][2] Ethnomusicologist Craig Morrison wrote, "[Celts and Cobras] drifted farther from rockabilly as they broadened their horizons... One writer asked, "From neo-rockabilly to neo-schlock—is this neo-progress?"^[4]

Track listing

Side A:

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Pharaoh's Chant"	2:42
2.	"Like Me With No-One"	3:48
3.	"Pretty Neat Come One"	2:56
4.	"Just A Memory"	2:29
5.	"Plainsailin'"	2:21
6.	"Sugar Bee"	2:15
7.	"Rockin' Mystique"	2:39

Side B:

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Quit And Split"	2:32
2.	"It Hurts To Be In Love"	2:26
3.	"You Can Bet"	1:37
4.	"Just Rockin'"	3:40
5.	"Ferocious"	2:00
6.	"Who Cares"	2:47
7.	"Reeferbilly Polka"	2:23

Personnel

The Shakin' Pyramids

• Davie Duncan – Lead vocals, drums, percussion, tambourine
• James G. Creighton – Acoustic and electric guitar, acoustic bass, mandolin, background vocals
• "Railroad" Ken McLellan – Acoustic guitar, background vocals

Additional Personnel

• Bob Andrews: Piano, electric bass
• Geraint Watkins: Accordion
• Mitch Caws: Slap bass
• John Willoughby: Upright bass
• Andy Powell, Paul Hughes: Electric bass
• Strings arranged by Roy Clark