🔘Old New Borrowed And Blue – Album: Feb. 1974

Slade’s fourth studio album, recorded during adversity and released at the height of their chart‑topping power.

🔘 – Overview

Released on February 15, 1974, Old New Borrowed And Blue captures Slade at a moment of both triumph and turbulence. Recorded in late 1973 while drummer Don Powell was recovering from a near‑fatal car accident, the album blends the band’s trademark glam‑rock stomp with a surprising shift toward melodic, piano‑driven material. Produced by Chas Chandler, the album debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and was certified Gold on pre‑orders alone.

In the US, the album was issued by Warner Bros. under the name Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet, excluding the tracks "My Town" and "My Friend Stan" since they had already been released there on Sladest.

Old New Borrowed and Blue was recorded amidst various tours and promotional activities in late 1973, coinciding with drummer Don Powell's recovery from a nearly fatal car accident in July, which briefly cast doubt on the band's future. Despite his severe condition, Powell managed to recover, allowing the band to soon enter the studio to work on their new album. During the recording of "My Friend Stan," Powell was still using a stick to walk and needed assistance to get onto his drum stool. On this album, the band aimed to maintain their usual style on some tracks, while exploring different musical directions on others. According to Holder, the album's title was inspired by its content, which the band felt included a mix of old, new, borrowed, and blue songs.

""My Friend Stan" was released as the album's lead single in September 1973, reaching No. 2 in the UK charts. During Christmas 1973, the band also found success with their No. 1 single "Merry Xmas Everybody". The album "Old New Borrowed and Blue" came out in February 1974, securing the No. 1 spot in the UK. Before its release, the album was awarded Gold by BPI in the UK based solely on pre-order sales. A Slade spokesperson informed the Record Mirror that the album had sold twice as many cartridges and cassettes as their previous releases. In March, the album's second single, "Everyday," climbed to No. 3. In the United States, "Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet" reached No. 168. "Good Time Gals" was released there as a single in February 1974, and "When the Lights Are Out" followed in May in both America and Belgium. Neither of these singles made a chart impact.

The singles “My Friend Stan” (No. 2) and “Everyday” (No. 3) signalled a new musical direction, while the US edition — retitled Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet — featured a revised tracklist and peaked at No. 168.

🔘 – Track List

UK LP — Polydor 2383‑261 (1974)

• A1 Just Want A Little Bit — 3:58

• A2 When The Lights Are Out — 3:05

• A3 My Town — 3:05

• A4 Find Yourself A Rainbow — 2:09

• A5 Miles Out To Sea — 3:48

• A6 We're Really Gonna Raise The Roof — 3:06

• 
  

• B1 Do We Still Do It — 2:59

• B2 How Can It Be — 3:00

• B3 Don't Blame Me — 2:32

• B4 My Friend Stan — 2:40

• B5 Everyday — 3:09

• B6 Good Time Gals — 3:30

UK 8‑Track Cartridge (1974)

• A1 Just Want A Little Bit

• A2 When The Lights Are Out

• A3 Find Yourself A Rainbow

• 
  

• B1 My Town

• B2 Do We Still Do It

• B3 We're Really Gonna Raise The Roof

• 
  

• C1 Miles Out To Sea

• C2 How Can It Be

• C3 Don't Blame Me

• 
  

• D1 My Friend Stan

• D2 Every Day

• D3 Good Time Gals

UK Cassette — Polydor 3170 157 (1974)

• A1 Just Want A Little Bit — 3:58

• A2 When The Lights Are Out — 3:05

• A3 My Town — 3:05

• A4 Find Yourself A Rainbow — 2:09

• A5 Miles Out To Sea — 3:48

• A6 We're Really Gonna Raise The Roof — 3:06

• 
  

• B1 Do We Still Do It — 2:59

• B2 How Can It Be — 3:00

• B3 Don't Blame Me — 2:32

• B4 My Friend Stan — 2:40

• B5 Everyday — 3:09

• B6 Good Time Gals — 3:30

🔘 – Variants

• UK — Polydor – 2383 261 — LP, Album, Stereo, Unipak Gatefold Sleeve — 1974

• UK — Polydor – 2383‑261 — LP, Album — 1974

• UK — Polydor – 2383 261 — LP, Album, Stereo — 1974

• UK — Polydor – 2383 261 — LP, Album, Stereo, Gatefold — 1974

• UK — Polydor – 2383 261 — LP, Album — 1974

• UK — Polydor – 2383 261 — LP, Album — 1974

• UK — Polydor – 2383‑261 — LP, Album, Gatefold — 1974

• UK — Polydor – 2383 261 — LP, Test Pressing — 1974

• UK — Polydor – 2383 261 — LP, Album — 1974

• UK — Polydor – 2383 261 — LP, Album, White Label — 1974

• UK — Polydor – 2383 261 — LP, Album, Unipak Gatefold Sleeve — 1974

• UK — Polydor – 2383 261 — LP, Album, Misprint, Unipak Gatefold Sleeve — 1974

• UK — Polydor – 2383‑261 — LP, Album, Stereo — 1974

• UK — Polydor – 2383 261 — LP, Album, Stereo — 1974

🔘 – Chart Performance

UK — Peak No. 1 · 15 Weeks on Chart

Pos 02

February 23, 1974

Pos 01 ↑

March 2, 1974

Pos 02 ↓

March 9, 1974

Pos 02 ←

March 16, 1974

Pos 07 ↓

March 23, 1974

Pos 11 ↓

March 30, 1974

Pos 13 ↓

April 6, 1974

Pos 06 ↑

April 13, 1974

Pos 07 ↓

April 20, 1974

Pos 06 ↑

April 27, 1974

Pos 05 ↑

May 4, 1974

Pos 14 ↓

May 11, 1974

Pos 20 ↓

May 18, 1974

Pos 16 ↑

May 25, 1974

Pos 28 ↓

June 1, 1974

Pos 46 ↓

June 15, 1974

🔘 – Context & Notes

• Produced by Chas Chandler

• Recorded at Olympia Studios during Don Powell’s recovery

• Title reflects a mix of old, new, borrowed, and “blue” songs

• Sleeve printed in the Netherlands by Euro‑Albums Holland B.V.

• Numerous UK variants: gatefold, Unipak, white label, test pressings, misprints

• US edition retitled Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet with altered tracklist

• “My Friend Stan” and “Everyday” showcased a softer, piano‑led direction

• Certified Gold on pre‑orders before release

🔘 – Visual Archive

Slade’s Old New Borrowed And Blue, released February 15, 1974.

🔘 – Related Material

• Sladest (1973)

• Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet (US edition)

• “My Friend Stan” (1973)

• “Everyday” (1974)

🔘 – Discography

Sladest — 1973

Old New Borrowed And Blue — 1974

Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet — 1974

🔘 – Mini‑Timeline

✦ July 1973 — Don Powell’s near‑fatal car accident

✦ Late 1973 — Album recorded at Olympia Studios

✦ September 1973 — “My Friend Stan” reaches No. 2

✦ February 1974 — Album released; debuts at No. 1

✦ March 1974 — “Everyday” reaches No. 3

🔘 – Glam Flashback

Old New Borrowed And Blue carries a tension between grit and vulnerability. Slade were still chart giants, yet the album reveals a band stretching beyond their stomp‑rock roots. The piano ballads, the bruised optimism, and Powell’s determination to return to the studio all give the record a sense of resilience. It’s Slade at full power — but also Slade evolving.

🔘 – Closing Notes

A landmark release in Slade’s catalogue, Old New Borrowed And Blue captures a band balancing commercial dominance with creative growth, forged under extraordinary personal circumstances.

🔘 – Sources & Copyright

Primary reference sources: Discogs, Official Charts Company, Wikipedia, Polydor Records.

All original text and images remain the copyright of their respective publishers and creators.

Presented for historical, educational, and archival purposes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dn4NmH_dHk

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