Have a Good Time But Get Out Alive! is a studio album by the Iron City Houserockers. Although well-received critically, commercial success eluded the Iron City Houserockers outside of the rust belt. Among the strongest tracks are the title track, "Don't Let Them Push You Around", "We're Not Dead Yet", the two-part medley of "Old Man Bar" and Junior's Bar", and "Rock Ola" - Grushecky's first truly competent ballad.

Background

According to the liner notes present on the 1999 and 2020 reissues, E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt produced and arranged five songs ("Junior's Bar", "Angela", "Running Scared", "Blondie", and "Don't Let Them Push You Around"), assisted in re-writing "Blondie" from its original version, and played lead guitar on "Junior's Bar" before leaving due to creative differences with Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson. The version of "Junior's Bar" released as a single is an entirely different take than the album version. This version was only available on the original 1980 vinyl single until it was reissued on CD on the 1992 compilation Pumping Iron & Sweating Steel: The Best Of Iron City Houserockers by Rhino Records. The album was reissued on CD in remastered form for its 40th anniversary in 2020 by Cleveland International Records with a bonus CD of previously unreleased outtakes and demos.

Track listing

Side one

Side two

40th anniversary edition bonus tracks

"Hypnotized" was produced by Ian Hunter. "Don't Let Them Push You Around", "Angela", "Blondie", "Junior's Bar" and "Runnin' Scared" were arranged by Steven Van Zandt.

Personnel

with:

Chart performance