Groovy Decay was the second solo album by Robyn Hitchcock, released in 1982. His backing band for the record featured Sara Lee of Gang of Four on bass and Anthony Thistlethwaite later of the Waterboys on saxophone. Hitchcock refuted claims that he held contempt for the record itself in a 1990 interview. He explained, "The recording of Groovy Decay was a drag, so we released the demos for it and called it Groovy Decoy because it was fractionally different ... I'm quite happy with all of it. I don't sit around wishing I hadn't done it." Groovy Decoy was issued in 1986 with completely different cover art, substituted demo versions of five of the tracks, and a different playing order. A Rhino CD reissue in 1995 incorporated the two sets of tracks together under the title Gravy Deco. In 2007, Yep Roc Records remastered Groovy Decay and made it available exclusively as a digital download on its website. The download includes the bonus tracks, "How Do You Work this Thing?", "It Was the Night", and "Falling Leaves", as well as demo versions of four of the album's tracks as previously issued on Groovy Decoy. The demo of "Midnight Fish" is the only Groovy Decoy track not included on this re-issue.

Track listing

All songs written by Robyn Hitchcock, except as indicated.

Groovy Decay

Side one

Side two

1st CD issue bonus tracks (Albion Records 1985)

Groovy Decoy (Midnight Records 1986)

Side one

Side two

2nd CD issue bonus tracks (Midnight Records 1986)

Gravy Deco (Rhino Records 1995)

CD issue bonus tracks (Rhino Records 1995)

Download Only version (Yep Roc Records 2007)

Personnel