Tadpoles is the third album by the Bonzo Dog Band. It is largely a compilation of their work from the television show Do Not Adjust Your Set, on which they were the house band (although all the songs were specially re-recorded for the album). The US version of the album had a track list slightly different from that of the UK version: the US version removed "I'm the Urban Spaceman" and added "Readymades" the B-side of their follow-up single "Mr. Apollo".

Tadpoles
Studio album by
Released9 June 1969 (US)
1 August 1969 (UK)
StudioTrident Studios, London
GenreComedy rock, psychedelic pop, trad jazz
Length35:51
LabelImperial (US)
Liberty (UK)
ProducerGus Dudgeon
Bonzo Dog Band chronology
The Doughnut in Granny's Greenhouse
(1968)
Tadpoles
(1969)
Keynsham
(1969)
I'm The Urban Spaceman
Sunset SLS 50350 - British reissue

The UK version was reissued on vinyl by Sunset Records in the early 1970s, re-titled I'm the Urban Spaceman.

In 2007 the album was reissued on CD with its original title and artwork, by EMI with five bonus tracks, only one of which ("BOO!") had actually been performed on 'Do Not Adjust Your Set' and was therefore the only genuine outtake from the album's original sessions.

Sleeve notes

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The original LP sleeve had seven holes cut out of the front cover, and multiple images printed on an insert card (or inner sleeve of the US version) helped listeners to visualize what band members were thinking by moving the card back and forth.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [1]
Rolling Stone(favorable)[2]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Hunting Tigers Out in 'Indiah'"Robert Hargreaves, Stanley Damerell, Tolchard Evans3:06
2."Shirt"Roger Ruskin Spear4:27
3."Tubas in the Moonlight"Spear2:23
4."Dr. Jazz"King Oliver, Walter Melrose2:40
5."Monster Mash"Bobby "Boris" Pickett, Leonard Capizzi2:59
6."I'm the Urban Spaceman"Neil Innes2:24
7."Ali-Baba's Camel"Noel Gay3:31
8."Laughing Blues"Bradley3:44
9."By a Waterfall"Irving Kahal, Sammy Fain3:09
10."Mr. Apollo"Innes, Vivian Stanshall4:20
11."Canyons of Your Mind"Stanshall3:04

Bonus tracks on 2007 CD reissue

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  1. "Boo!" [Stanshall, Innes]
  2. "Readymades" [Stanshall, Innes]
  3. "Look At Me I'm Wonderful" [Stanshall]
  4. "We Were Wrong" [Stanshall]
  5. "The Craig Torso Christmas Show" (The Lady Is a Tramp/The Last Waltz/Calling All Workers) [Innes, Stanshall, Spear]

Personnel

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References

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  1. ^ Tadpoles at AllMusic
  2. ^ Bangs, Lester (13 December 1969). "Records". Rolling Stone. No. 48. San Francisco: Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. p. 47.