Born on a Pirate Ship

Born on a Pirate Ship is the third full-length studio album by Barenaked Ladies (BNL), featuring the songs "Shoe Box", "The Old Apartment", "When I Fall" and "Break Your Heart". "The Old Apartment" would become BNL's first US hit in 1997.

Although a moderate hit in Canada reaching No. 12, the album managed No. 111 in the US. Born on a Pirate Ship was awarded gold status in the U.S. in 2000.

Album information

Born on a Pirate Ship was recorded as a four-piece quartet, following the departure of keyboardist Andy Creeggan. Kevin Hearn is not credited on the album, but joined the group for the 1995 tour preceding the album's release in time to be thanked in the liner notes for "injecting new spirit."

Steven Page and Ed Robertson returned to writing together, as they did upon the band's formation, but had abandoned following the release of Gordon.

Regarding the recording of the album, Robertson stated:

"I think the whole band was in a better place. We were all much more engaged, and I remember having a ton of fun making that record. There was lots of silliness and lots of good musical bonding. I have nothing but good memories of those recordings and there’s ongoing jokes from those recording sessions that still come up all the time because it really was a blast"

The album is also an enhanced CD. The data track contains audio samples from the band's previous two CDs, a short montage of press photos, several of the band's music videos, a short trivia quiz, and a pair of "behind the scenes" videos from the band. Similar content was included and expanded upon on the Shoe Box E.P.; however, the format of the enhanced CD used in the creation of that CD renders the data track inaccessible on modern operating systems.

The title and front cover photo refers to a vulgar joke that was popular around the time the band members were children. One kid would instruct another to pull back the corners of their mouth with their fingers (but not stick their tongue out) and say, "I was born on a pirate ship." The result would sound like them saying, "I was born on a pile o' shit." Sometimes "with a bunch of apples" would be added at the end, which would come out as "with a bunch of assholes."

Personnel

Barenaked Ladies

• Jim Creeggan – vocals, double bass, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, dobro, fiddle, piano, electric double bass, percussion, yells
• Steven Page – vocals, sound effects, electric guitar, percussion, yells
• Ed Robertson – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, pedal steel guitar, bass guitar, cowbell, sound effects, yells
• Tyler Stewart – drums, piano, vibraphone, percussion, shaker, Fisher-Price xylophone, tambourine, background vocals, Template:Proper name, yells

Additional personnel

• Bryan Adams – yells
• Chris Brown – organ
• Mark Fewer – violin
• Gene Hardy – tenor saxophone, saw
• Hugh Marsh – fiddle
• Murray McLauchlan – harmonica
• Michael Phillip Wojewoda – background vocals, tambourine, sound effects, yells
• Tony Rapoport – viola
• Tim Walsh – trombone
• Stoney Park Pow-Wow Singers – singing and drumming
• Robert Tilton – sample saying "and you have faith! You just need to use it, saith the Lord" on "I Know"

Production

• Producers: Barenaked Ladies, Michael Phillip Wojewoda
• Engineer: Michael Phillip Wojewoda
• Assistant engineers: Jeff Elliott, Tom Heron, Dale Morningstar
• Mixing: Michael Phillip Wojewoda
• Piano preparation: Robin Billinton, Steven Page

Singles

Single information
"The Old Apartment" Released: 1997 Formats: CD, 7" Highest US chart position: 88
"Shoe Box" Released: 1995 Format: CD

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1996	Canada Albums	12
1996	Heatseekers	4
1996	Billboard 200	111

Singles

Year	Chart	Position
"The Old Apartment"	Billboard Hot 100	88