II is the second studio album by the American rock band The Presidents of the United States of America. It was released via Columbia Records on November 5, 1996, coinciding with the United States presidential election.
Contents
Background
The album included a few songs that originally appeared on Froggystyle, a self-released cassette that was recorded before their debut album, The Presidents of the United States of America. These songs, which were re-recorded for this album, were "L.I.P", then known as "Little Indian Princess", "Lunatic to Love" and "Puffy Little Shoes". Also, "Twig" was re-recorded, as it was previously recorded as a B-side to a "Lump" single, where it was known as "Twig in the Wind". That version was later released on Rarities as "Twig (Semi Acoustic Version)".
Track listing
All songs by The Presidents of the United States of America.
"Basketball Dream" features a boy, Tony Ballew (a relative of Chris Ballew), describing a dream he had about Magic Johnson - for this reason, the track is often mislabeled "Magic Johnson Dream". Chris Ballew can be heard faintly whispering the lyrics underneath the boy. The recording of Tony's voice, with a different musical backing, previously appeared on Feel Good, an album by Ballew's pre-PUSA band Egg, in 1989. The same recording from Feel Good was first released on the self-titled album by The Dukes o' Pop, another pre-PUSA project of Ballew's, in 1987.
Personnel
The Presidents of the United States of America
Chris Ballew – basitar, bass, lead vocals, keyboards
Dave Dederer – guitbass, guitar, background vocals
Jason Finn – drums, percussion, background vocals
Additional personnel
Dave Thiele – piano, percussion
Tony Ballew – baby voice on "Basketball Dream"
Mark Sandman – tritar on "Froggie"
S. Craig Montgomery – co-producing, engineering
Wally Traugott – mastering
Lance Mercer – photography
Jerry Finn – mixing
Doug Erb – art directing
Tom Smurdon – assistant engineering