Life's a Riot with Spy vs Spy

Life's a Riot with Spy vs Spy
Studio album by
Released1 July 1983 (1983-07-01)
Recorded2–4 February 1983
StudioChappell, Park Street, Mayfair, London
Genre
Length15:57
Label
ProducerOliver Hitch
Billy Bragg chronology
Life's a Riot with Spy vs Spy
(1983)
Brewing Up with Billy Bragg
(1984)

Life's a Riot with Spy vs Spy is the debut album by English singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, released on 1 July 1983 by the Charisma Records imprint Utility.

All songs on the original album consisted of Bragg singing to his electric guitar accompaniment. The album contains both politically charged songs, such as the attack on the school system and unemployment, "To Have and to Have Not", and love songs such as "The Milkman of Human Kindness" and "A New England" (which was later a hit for singer Kirsty MacColl).

The original album played at 45 rpm rather than the more usual 33⅓ rpm, contained only seven songs, and lasted for only 15 minutes and 57 seconds. However, rather than being classified as an EP, it qualified for the UK Albums Chart due to its total number of tracks meeting the rules and reached number 30 in March 1985.