So-Lo

So-Lo is the debut studio album by American musician Danny Elfman, released in 1984 by MCA Records. Recorded primarily by Elfman,^[1] but also featuring the members of his band, Oingo Boingo, it was recorded when Elfman was offered a solo contract with MCA after the band had been dropped from I.R.S. Records.^[2] The album marked the band's last release to feature bassist Kerry Hatch and keyboardist Richard Gibbs.

So-Lo
Studio album by Danny Elfman
Released	November 1984
Recorded	April 1983; July 1984
Studio	Ground Control (Santa Monica)
Genre	New wave synth-pop ska
Length	38:34
Label	MCA
Producer	Danny Elfman, Steve Bartek, Paul Ratajczak
Danny Elfman chronology
So-Lo (1984) Big Mess (2021)
Oingo Boingo chronology
Good for Your Soul (1983) So-Lo (1984) Dead Man's Party (1985)
Singles from So-Lo
"Gratitude / Tough As Nails" Released: 1984

Background

So-Lo was produced during a hiatus for Oingo Boingo, following the departure of Hatch and Gibbs. Elfman described the album as "a chance to experiment with slower tempos"^[3] and added that "it was fun to do some ballads and try to snap out of that image that a lot of people have of me just writing real fast (...) tunes."^[1]

While much of the instrumentation features synth programming from Elfman, Oingo Boingo's remaining members all performed on the album,^[1] with Flea of the then-recently formed Red Hot Chili Peppers providing "additional bass guitar". The tracks "Cool City" and "Lightning" originated from the 1983 sessions for Good for Your Soul.^[4]

Despite rumors at the time of the band breaking up, Elfman later stated that So-Lo was "not made out of frustration" and that he was more committed to the group than ever before.^[1] However, a 1987 article published in BAM magazine, in which Elfman was interviewed about the band's past, suggested that Oingo Boingo had in fact considered disbanding in 1984.^[5]

In 2020, Oingo Boingo guitarist Steve Bartek stated that So-Lo was "mostly a band record", but that MCA "wasn't particularly interested" in Oingo Boingo and so had signed Elfman as a solo artist. However, Elfman wanted to continue the band and convinced MCA to change his recording contract to Oingo Boingo following the release of So-Lo.^[2]

"Gratitude" versions

Original vinyl and cassette releases contained an alternate, earlier mix of the opening song, "Gratitude". Among other differences, this 5:04 mix included a spoken verse cut from all other versions; this was also the version used on the soundtrack to the film Beverly Hills Cop (1984).^[6] The original CD release contained the full 5:12 album mix.

The missing verse is as follows:

I used to eat people like you for breakfast
I used to fly, high up in the sky
I used to chew up rocks and spit out gravel
I had a heart as cold as ice

This verse was retained for live performances of the song, sometimes with slightly different lyrics,^[7][8] and was also featured on the re-recording of the song for Boingo Alive in 1988.

The 12-inch single release for "Gratitude" used a shorter 4:42 mix, parenthetically named the "Short Version", and the accompanying music video featured an even shorter 4:08 edit. Confusingly, CD releases erroneously titled the 5:12 album mix as the "Short Version", while later vinyl reissues replaced the album mix with the 12-inch "Short Version".

Reissues

In 2014, So-Lo was reissued on CD by Varèse Sarabande, with one bonus track.^[9] In 2022, a remaster was issued by Rubellan Remasters as an expanded edition CD with five bonus tracks, as well as a colored vinyl LP.^[10]

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Gratitude" (5:04 early vinyl & cassette; 4:42 "Short Version" on later issues)	5:12
2.	"Cool City"	3:26
3.	"Go Away"	4:00
4.	"Sucker for Mystery"	5:15

All tracks are written by Danny Elfman.

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"It Only Makes Me Laugh"	4:03
2.	"The Last Time"	4:07
3.	"Tough as Nails"	4:35
4.	"Lightning"	3:44
5.	"Everybody Needs"	3:50
Total length:		38:34

2014 CD bonus track

No.	Title	Length
10.	"Gratitude (Single Edit)" (Video Edit)	4:08
Total length:		42:42

2022 CD bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
10.	"Gratitude (Original Version)"	5:05
11.	"Gratitude (Extended Dance Version)"	6:44
12.	"Gratitude (Single Version)"	4:04
13.	"Gratitude (Tornado Version)"	7:02
14.	"Gratitude (Short Version)"	4:47
Total length:		66:16

Personnel

"The Cast"

• Danny Elfman – vocals, percussion, programming
• Steve Bartek – guitars, programming
• Rich Gibbs – synthesizers, special DX-7 programming
• Paul Fox – synthesizers
• Kerry Hatch – basses
• John Hernandez – drums, percussion
• Leon Schneiderman – baritone sax
• Sam Phipps – tenor sax
• Dale Turner – trumpet, trombone

Additional musician

• The liner notes on some versions (including the 2014 CD reissue) list "Special Thanx" to "Michael Flea for his extra bass work."

Technical

• Steve Bartek – co-producer, arrangements
• Danny Elfman – co-producer, arrangements
• Paul Ratajczak – co-producer, engineer
• Spozzi the "Spazz" – assistant engineer
• Laura Engel – production assistant
• Greg Fulginiti – mastering
• Georganne Deen – art direction, illustration
• Aaron Rapoport – photography