Rhythm of Youth

Rhythm of Youth is the debut studio album by Canadian new wave and synth-pop band Men Without Hats, released in April 1982 by Statik Records in Europe and Canada and in 1983 by Backstreet Records in the US. It propelled them to fame with its second single, "The Safety Dance". It was released under the Statik Records label in Canada, distributed by Warner Music Canada (then called WEA Canada) where it achieved Platinum status for sales of 100,000 units.^[3] The album entered the Canadian Top 100 on the 5th of March, 1983^[4] and reached number 15 on the 11th of June, 1983^[5].

Rhythm of Youth
Studio album by Men Without Hats
Released	April 1982
Recorded	January–March 1982
Studio	Listen Audio (Montreal, Quebec)
Genre	Synth-pop new wave
Length	34:05 (original Canada LP release) 36:18 (original US LP release) 42:08 (original US MC release) 53:11 (original UK CD release) 57:45 (2010 CD remaster)
Label	Statik (Europe) Backstreet (US) Sire/Virgin (Canada)
Producer	Marc Durand
Men Without Hats chronology
Folk of the 80's (1980) Rhythm of Youth (1982) Folk of the 80s (Part III) (1984)
Singles from Rhythm of Youth
"I Like" Released: January 24, 1982 "The Safety Dance" Released: 1982 "I Got the Message" Released: May 27, 1982 "Living in China" Released: July 29, 1982

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Village Voice	C+[2]

Release history

The US releases of this album featured a different track listing, replacing "Living in China" with an edited version of "Antarctica" (the full version of which appeared on Folk of the 80's) and including an extended version of "The Safety Dance".

In 1984, the album was released on CD in Europe by Statik Records, featuring the Folk of the 80's EP (albeit including the single edit of "Antarctica") and the extended mix of "The Safety Dance" as bonus tracks. It was re-released on CD in Canada in 1997 by Oglio Records as part of a "two-fer" including Folk of the 80's (Part III) and the single edit of "Antarctica".

In 2010, the album was remastered and reissued in Canada by the band's label, Bulldog Brothers, featuring the original US track list (with "Antarctica" replaced with "Living in China") and including all the tracks from both the US and UK LP releases, plus a demo version of "Ban the Game" (known as "Ban the Game II"), an extended mix of "I Got the Message" and a club mix of "The Safety Dance".

Critical reception

Cashbox called the single "I Like" "a forceful performance, grounded...on songwriter Ivan Doroschuk’s sardonic vocal" and particularly praised the production.^[6]

Track listing

1982 Canada/UK LP/CD

Source:^[7]

All tracks are written by Ivan Doroschuk unless otherwise noted.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Ban the Game"		0:48
2.	"Living in China"		3:04
3.	"The Great Ones Remember"	I. Doroschuk Allan McCarthy	4:41
4.	"I Got the Message"		4:44
5.	"Cocoricci (Le tango des voleurs)"	I. Doroschuk McCarthy	3:24
6.	"The Safety Dance"		2:44
7.	"Ideas for Walls"		2:59
8.	"Things in My Life"	I. Doroschuk Jeremie Arrobas	4:56
9.	"I Like"		4:19
10.	"The Great Ones Remember" (Reprise)	I. Doroschuk Stefan Doroschuk	1:59

1984 UK CD bonus tracks

No.	Title	Notes	Length
11.	"Antarctica"	Single edit	3:29
12.	"Modern Dancing"	Also known as "Modern(e) Dancing"	4:13
13.	"Utter Space"		2:45
14.	"Security (Everybody Feels Better With)"		4:01
15.	"The Safety Dance" (Club Mix)	Also known as "Extended Dance Version"	4:32

1983 US LP

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Notes	Length
1.	"Ban the Game"			0:48
2.	"The Safety Dance"		"Extended Dance Version"	4:32
3.	"Antarctica"			3:29
4.	"The Great Ones Remember"	I. Doroschuk Allan McCarthy		4:41
5.	"I Got the Message"			4:44
6.	"I Like"			4:19
7.	"Ideas for Walls"			2:59
8.	"Things in My Life"	I. Doroschuk Jeremie Arrobas		4:56
9.	"Cocoricci (Le tango des voleurs)"	I. Doroschuk McCarthy		3:24
10.	"The Great Ones Remember" (Reprise)	I. Doroschuk Stefan Doroschuk		1:59

1983 US cassette

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Notes	Length
1.	"Ban the Game"			0:48
2.	"The Safety Dance" (Extended Dance Version)			4:32
3.	"Antarctica"			3:29
4.	"The Great Ones Remember"	I. Doroschuk Allan McCarthy		4:41
5.	"Ideas for Walls"			2:59
6.	"Living in China"		Bonus track	3:04
7.	"I Like"			4:19
8.	"I Got the Message"			4:44
9.	"Things in My Life"	I. Doroschuk Jeremie Arrobas		4:56
10.	"Cocoricci (Le tango des voleurs)"	I. Doroschuk McCarthy		3:24
11.	"The Safety Dance" (Short Version)		Bonus track	2:44
12.	"The Great Ones Remember" (Reprise)	I. Doroschuk Stefan Doroschuk		1:59

2010 Canadian CD remaster

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Ban the Game"		0:48
2.	"The Safety Dance"		4:32
3.	"Living in China"		3:04
4.	"The Great Ones Remember"	I. Doroschuk Allan McCarthy	4:41
5.	"I Got the Message"		4:44
6.	"I Like"		4:19
7.	"Ideas for Walls"		2:59
8.	"Things in My Life"	I. Doroschuk Jeremie Arrobas	4:56
9.	"Cocoricci (Le tango des voleurs)"	I. Doroschuk McCarthy	3:24
10.	"The Great Ones Remember" (Reprise)	I. Doroschuk Stefan Doroschuk	1:59
11.	"Antarctica"		3:29

Bonus tracks

No.	Title	Notes	Length
12.	"Ban the Game" (Full Version)		3:49
13.	"I Got the Message" (Long Version)		5:57
14.	"The Safety Dance" (Video Version)	Also known as "Short Version"	2:44
15.	"The Safety Dance" (Club Mix)	Different than "Club Mix" on original 1985 CD	5:50

Personnel

Musicians

• Ivan Doroschuk – vocals, guitars, piano, percussion, electronics
• Allan McCarthy – keyboards, piano, electronics, percussion
• Stefan Doroschuk – guitars, violin
• Martin Cartier – percussion
• Colin Doroschuk – additional guitars
• Anne Dussault – female vocals
• Michel Jermone – castanets
• Daniel A. Vermette – acoustic guitars

Production

• Marc Durand – producer
• Dixon Van Winkle – recording and engineering

Charts

Chart (1982)	Peak Position
Canadian Albums Chart[8]	15
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9]	56
US Billboard Chart[10]	13
UK Albums Chart[11]	96
German Albums Chart[12]	9

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[13]	2× Platinum	200,000^
United States (RIAA)[14]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.