Vacation | 
| Artist: The Go-go's
Label: Interscope Records
Category: Music
List Price: $9.98
Buy New: $3.91
You Save: $6.07 (61%)
New (28) Used (12) from $2.88
Rating:  31 reviews
Sales Rank: 6116
Format: Original Recording Remastered
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 490388
UPC: 606949038823
EAN: 0606949038823
ASIN: B00000JMIR
Release Date: July 13, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Vacation | | • | He's So Strange | | • | Girl of 100 Lists | | • | We Don't Get Along | | • | I Think It's Me | | • | It's Everything but Partytime | | • | Get Up and Go | | • | This Old Feeling | | • | Cool Jerk | | • | Way You Dance | | • | Beatnik Beach | | • | Worlds Away |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Despite a great cover/title concept, the second album from the Go-Go's is the weakest of their original three. Rushed out after the breakthrough of Beauty and the Beat, Vacation sounds affecting in retrospect, but suffers nonetheless from one or three too many so-so songs--a shame, given the top-flight writing throughout Beauty. Frontwoman Belinda Carlisle continues gaining control of her voice, while drummer Gina Schock all but steals the show. But a murky mix obscures the group's charms this time out, and where the debut was sometimes dark in mood, this follow-up too often sounds simply tired. By no means a must-miss, Vacation is still unmistakably weak compared with Talk Show, which came next. --Rickey Wright
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| Customer Reviews: Read 26 more reviews...
 I Think It's Me... February 25, 2002
winkingtiger (Oakland, CA)
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
Don't believe the tripe! This is by far the Go-Go's best album! I was so tired of the mediocre reviews that I thought I'd set the record straight. Every song on 'Vacation' has something good going for it, from the high-energy 'Beatnik Beach' and 'Get Up And Go' to the driving emotion of 'I Think It's Me' and 'This Old Feeling'(my personal fave rave). No sophomore slump of any kind! I guess the other reviewers wanted the gals to repeat 'Beauty And The Beat', but I think this album is slightly better, in that there are no sludgy, dreary moments like 'Automatic' from that LP...everything is upbeat and shows the Go-Go's songwriting at it's near peak. If you like any other Go-Go's release, you won't be sorry you picked this one up.
An outstanding follow-up release to "Beauty and the Beat". April 4, 2006
J. McDonald
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
The Go-Go's are one of those rare occurrences in rock 'n roll; a group that actually never released a bad album! In fact, I would go so far as to say that perhaps only one or two songs from all four major releases could be considered somewhat "lack-luster". Basically, all of the material released by the Go-Go's between 1981 and 1984 was outstanding. Even the 2001 release "God Bless the Go-Go's" is strikingly good! The Go-Go's have always been a group with determination, plenty of ambition, and a genuine love of the rock 'n roll fantasy!
"Vacation" was considered a bit weaker than the debut effort (Beauty and the Beat) by many critics of the day, but I strongly disagree! Songs like "Get Up and Go", "Beatnik Beach", "I Think It's Me" and "Worlds Away" are incredibly well crafted pop songs and are required listening for fans of the Go-Go's. I cannot imagine a stronger follow-up release!
I must point out that the career of the Go-Go's closely paralleled that of another "power pop" group of the late 70's and early 80's, "The Knack". Both groups had a hugely successful debut album that reached number one on the charts. Both groups quickly released a follow-up effort that was very successful and yet was considered a failure when compared to the success of the debut. Both groups released a third effort that received critical praise and yet failed commercially. Both groups broke-up shortly after the third and final album.
Regardless of commercial or critical success, the Go-Go's always delivered GREAT rock 'n roll. "Vacation" may not have escaped (commercially) from the long shadow of "Beauty and the Beat", but it contains some of the best songs by the Go-Go's. Belinda, Jane, Charlotte, Kathy and Gina were destined to deliver some of the most memorable and most perfectly crafted pop songs of the rock 'n roll era.
"Vacation" is highly recommended for fans of "early 80's", "power pop", "new wave", and just plain great rock 'n roll!
-JM
 A fun vacation, but check with your travel agent first! February 14, 2006
James W. Tinder (Stockton, CA USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I first saw the Go-Go's in 1980, some time before their national success, and heard their early demos on college radio stations at the time. So my comments are not without consideration.
When "Beauty and the Beat" was released, I felt it was one of the strongest debut albums ever. Every song was catchy, the performances were crisp, and the production and engineering were sound.
In July 1982, the follow-up "Vacation" was released, and fans like myself everywhere listened to the album from beginning to end. After an initial playing, the verdict was in - "Vacation" was decent, but didn't compare to "Beauty."
The main problem: the album has a rushed feel to it. The older songs written by the group on the album ("He's So Strange," "Beatnik Beach") sound better that the newer songs rushed out for release. Some songs are sluggish and tired ("Girl of 100 Lists," "We Don't Get Along"). Mostly, the problem lies in the mix. The singing is mixed into the background, and the ladies sound like they are playing in an echo chamber. The crisp production values of "Beauty" did not transfer to the muddled sound of "Vacation."
"Vacation" is still the key track to the album, and other good songs ("It's Everything But Partytime," "Get Up and Go" lift the album out of mediocrity.
In retrospect, the Go-Go's themselves don't think highly of the album (as witnessed on VH1's "Behind the Music") and admit they needed a break instead of recording "Vacation" when they did. There are enough good songs to merit constant listening, but ultimately "Vacation" is the weakest of their first three albums.
Vacation--all I ever wanted! December 4, 2001
Daniel J. Hamlow (Narita, Japan)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
In July 1999, Universal Music Company came to their senses and reissued the last two Go-Go's albums. I mean, they were the epitomy of 1980's new wave power-pop, and how dare UMC keep this music out of print? For shame! The followup to Beauty And The Beat, Vacation, is the topic of this review.The title track is one of their best songs, the epitomy of what time away from the usual drudgery is all about. It's still relevant today; as the song says, "vacation/meant to be spent alone." A vacation with people is a contradiction in terms. The only two songs that rival the bounce of "Vacation" are "Get Up And Go" and "Beatnik Beach," the former with its pronounced bass lines and "hey!" refrain, and the latter with its surf guitar. "The Way You Dance" is another relentless song of honorable mention, which ends with a crescendo of crash boom and bams from Gina Schock. They keep the rhythm up in fluffy songs such as "Girl of 100 Lists" and "We Don't Get Along", the latter which could easily be redone as a punk song. "It's Everything But Partytime" and "Worlds Away" are for those who want to take a breather, otherwise, be prepared for ten songs that will tax your speakers. This is a more cohesive album than Beauty And The Beat, and to add another merit, Belinda and friends wrote their own songs unlike some other groups we'd like to name. And contrary to popular belief, most second albums favor a consistent overall sound as opposed to a few standout songs that become singles. Vacation easily falls into this category. To say Belinda has gone to better things is missing the point. Before her solo career, there had to be a beginning, i.e. the Go-Go's, and boy, what a beginning! Oh yes, and that goes for Jane Wiedlin, Gina Schock, Charlotte Caffey, and assuming she did other projects with that "bad, bad bass," Kathy Valentine.
The perfect beach memory music June 7, 2000
Paul W. Sager (Saint Louis, Missouri)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
Hot of the heels of Beauty and the Beat, the Go-Go's quickly released 1982's follow-up Vacation. Propelled by the top ten singles, Vacation and Get up and Go, the Go-Go's seemed to shy away from their humble beginnings and began to play to a different audience. The record buying audience.Unlike Beauty which had a somewhat gritty feeling, Vacation sounds too polished. With such tracks as The Way You Dance, This Old Feeling and He's So Strange, Vacation seemed to cater to a different beat. Grittier tracks include: Beatnik Beach, a remake of Cool Jerk, Everything But Partytime and Girl of 100 Lists. I am not saying the album is bad by any means, it just shows that perhaps they should have taken some time inbetween releases to refocus. Vacation stands as one of the premiere 80s tracks and this album, although better than some 80s pop just doesn't live up to expectations. Try Talk Show where they revisited their roots or try Beauty and the Beat and see where it all began.
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