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"[1] and "Pharaoh's Chant"[2] were released as singles from the album. It was not as warmly received as the group's debut album, Skin 'Em Up, and they disbanded shortly after its release.[3]

Celts and Cobras
Studio album by The Shakin' Pyramids
Released	9 May 1982
Genre	Rockabilly
Label	Cuba Libre (Virgin)
The Shakin' Pyramids chronology
Skin 'Em Up (1981) Celts and Cobras (1982) The Shakin' Pyramids (1983)

Track listing

Side A:[4]

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

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]
Rolling Stone	[6]
Trouser Press	(mixed)[7]

Celts and Cobras was seen by some as a departure from the band's original sound, and the group disbanded soon after its release. While debut album Skin 'Em Up had garnered a 5/5 star rating from Rolling Stone, the magazine awarded Celts and Cobras only 3 stars.[6] Trouser Press wrote, "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. More dismaying is the band's descent into schlock-pop consciousness: instead of Eddie Cochran and Link Davis tunes, we get the Everly Brothers and Gene Pitney. The band still rocks, but they'd better figure out where they're going."[7] AllMusic gave the album 3/5 stars,[5] and opined that "the energy and verve of their debut had been replaced by a stultifying maturity."[3]

Personnel

The Shakin' Pyramids

• Davie Duncan – lead vocals
• James G. Creighton – guitar, background vocals
• "Railroad" Ken McLellan – guitar, background vocals

References

1. discogs.com. "Shakin' Pyramids, The - Just A Memory". Retrieved 2009-12-02.
2. discogs.com. "Shakin' Pyramids, The - Pharaoh's Chant". Retrieved 2009-12-02.
3. allmusic.com. "Shakin' Pyramids". Retrieved 2009-12-02.
4. discogs.com. "Shakin' Pyramids, The - Celts And Cobras". Retrieved 2009-09-06.
5. allmusic.com. "Celts & Cobras". Retrieved 2009-12-02.
6. "Celts and Cobras review". Rolling Stone. May 1982.
7. Trouser Press. "Shakin' Pyramids at". Retrieved 2009-12-02.