From the start, Album opinions, Strong Arm Of The Law

[macc189]

I know its been a while (I forgot!) but heres the next one, known to some as the 'white' one, others as the album that really did it as opposed to Wos. Myself I must have got through three vinyl versions (one of them the gatefold cover) of this before getting the expanded double album with Wos. What I remember most about this, and this is without the album in front of me or playing is Taking your chances and Sixth form girls, dont know why but they just stand out from the rest in my opinion. A lot will probably start on about hungry years or Strong arm, which even though good tracks, in my opinion dont stand up as well as some of the album cuts. A mixed album imho but with some definite gems all the same.

Always remember our kid coming to see me years ago in the eighties in his old TR7 with Sixth form girls blaring out, you could hear it three streets away, ample time to get the kettle on ready apparently!

 

[papadoc]

This is the album that introduced me to Saxon, and as such, has always remained my favourite.

The first I ever heard of them was when I saw their performance on 'The Old Gray Whistle Test' (Hungry Years), and as a very impresionable 13 year old I was hooked!

I saved up my pocket money for weeks and weeks, trudged down to the local record store to get it and to my absolute horror there were 2 Saxon LP's there, Strong Arm and WOS (Thank god 'Saxon' wasn't there or I would have never made my bloody mind up!!). After what seemed an age deliberating which one to get Strong Arm got the vote, due to the free patch that came with it and the fact that it was also a gatefold sleeve.

I got home and played it for months on end with Dallas 1pm and HMT being my favourite tracks.

After a few more months of saving I also finally got WOS, but Strong Arm has, as I said before, always remained my favourite.

I was also glad to see a small clip of the 'OGWT' on the Chronicles DVD, it brought back some fond memories.

 

[Black Lagoon]

What an album. I actually prefer this one to WOS as well, possibly as I got this one I got WOS as well.
The gatefold version of it has some brilliant pictures inside it and just look at the track listing!
Any album that has Dallas 1pm, SAOTL, HMT, Hungry Years etc has to be a great one. In fact I must go home tonight and play it again as I ain't heard it for a while.

 

[RicknRoll]

No argument here that this is a great album as far as song favorites for me the aformentioned sixth form girls, Dallas 1, hungary years and the title track pretty much do it for me. you all are sure lucky over there with nice little things that they give away with albums like the patch that papadoc mentioned.

I know its been a while (I forgot!) but heres the next one, known to some as the 'white' one, others as the album that really did it as opposed to Wos. Myself I must have got through three vinyl versions (one of them the gatefold cover) of this before getting the expanded double album with Wos. What I remember most about this, and this is without the album in front of me or playing is Taking your chances and Sixth form girls, dont know why but they just stand out from the rest in my opinion. A lot will probably start on about hungry years or Strong arm, which even though good tracks, in my opinion dont stand up as well as some of the album cuts. A mixed album imho but with some definite gems all the same.

Always remember our kid coming to see me years ago in the eighties in his old TR7 with Sixth form girls blaring out, you could hear it three streets away, ample time to get the kettle on ready apparently!

 

[WILKS]

Wow what an album.Is it better than the mighty wos.Lets look at live sets more tracks from that album get played than any other.The album is the way you can follow an album like wos.Its heay as fuck,its got more cassics20000ft heavy metal thunder,dallas 1pm,saotl and great album tracks.

Ibrought in about 82ish it was the gatefold with the patch about the same time i got number the beast. So it got pushed to the back a bit.But when I went back to it a year or so later it became one of my all time favs.I always see it as wos evil twin dont know why but i do.Fav track to hell and back again,but that means leaving saotl out so i will have to dalls 1pm or hungry and 6th form girls.....oh fuck it ,it rocks like fuck.

 

[Paxoman]

Certainly a great album, but I think I prefer WOS. But what with WOS coming out, and quickly followed by 'Strong Arm' less than a year later, it's no wonder Saxon became very big with two great releases.

With songs like 'Heavy Metal Thunder', '20,000 ft', 'Hungary Years', 'Taking Your Chances', 'Hell and Back Again', the album couldn't go wrong. My favourite song on the album? Well that's a tough one. But without doubt the high point of the album for me is the solo in 'Dallas 1pm'. That has to be one of the all time great guitar solo's in my opinion. Sheer class.

 

[CRUSADER747]

Good album. i think it is slightly better than wheels of steel. my fave tracks are, Heavy Metal Thunder, To Hell And Back Again, 20,000 Feet, and Sixth Form Girls. I bought the gatefold album second hand (in mint condition) in about 1992. its quite interesting to look at all the tiny photos in it. :Spin:

 

[RocketQueen]

I agree!

 

[mmurnau]

What a marvellous album!

I originally bought this in the 2CD pack with WoS so I tend to think of them as one (totally great) continuous album. Its hard to find a weak track on the album at all and picking a favourite is not very easy ... I think I'll plump for 20,000 Feet this time.

Just goes to show how great this album is -- there's hardly even any discussion here because everyone just agrees that it's good. Looking at the date this was released I was not even born (but probably was conceived) when this came out, and it still sounded excellent to me hearing it for the first time 20 years or so later.

The late-80s albums where everyone has a different opinion will probably be longer and more interesting threads with everyone disagreeing, but for now we can just relax and bask in the glory of a true classic!