Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 21, 2026

Sleeper Catcher

Sleeper Catcher is the fourth studio album by the Little River Band, released in May 1978. It peaked at No. 4 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart and No. 16 on the Billboard 200. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in May 1979.

Last revised
Jun 21, 2026
Read time
≈ 3 min
Length
721 w
Citations
17
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Sleeper Catcher
Studio album by
Little River Band
ReleasedMay 1978
StudioArmstrong Studios South Melbourne.
GenreSoft rock
LabelEMI
ProducerJohn Boylan, Little River Band
Little River Band chronology
Diamantina Cocktail
(1977) 		Sleeper Catcher
(1978) 		It's a Long Way There (Greatest Hits)
(1978)
Singles from Sleeper Catcher
  1. "Shut Down Turn Off"
    Released: March 1978
  2. "Reminiscing"
    Released: June 1978
  3. "Lady"
    Released: September 1978
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarHalf star1
Christgau's Record GuideC−2
The Rolling Stone Album GuideStarStarHalf star3

Sleeper Catcher is the fourth studio album by the Little River Band, released in May 1978. It peaked at No. 4 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart and No. 16 on the Billboard 200.4 The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in May 1979.5

At the Australian 1978 King of Pop Awards the album won Most Popular Australian Album.6

The band is shown on the cover of the album playing the Australian gambling game two-up, and the Sleeper Catcher is a participant who retrieves bets left behind by a tardy gambler in the game.

It was the band's last album to feature George McArdle on bass.7

Track listing

Australian version

Side A
  1. "Fall from Paradise" (Beeb Birtles/Graham Goble) - 3:59
  2. "Lady" (Goble) - 4:50
  3. "Red-Headed Wild Flower" (Birtles/Ed Nimmervoll) - 4:35
  4. "Light of Day" (Birtles) - 8:03
Side B
  1. "So Many Paths" (Glenn Shorrock/Idris Jones) - 4:24
  2. "Reminiscing" (Goble) - 4:13
  3. "Sanity's Side" (Shorrock/Chris Dawes) - 4:14
  4. "Shut Down Turn Off" (Shorrock) - 3:51
  5. "One for the Road" (Birtles/Goble) - 4:01

American version

Side A
  1. "Shut Down Turn Off" (Shorrock) - 3:51
  2. "Reminiscing" (Goble) - 4:13
  3. "Red-Headed Wild Flower" (Birtles/Nimmervoll) - 4:35
  4. "Light of Day" (Birtles) - 8:03
Side B
  1. "Fall from Paradise" (Birtles/Goble) - 3:59
  2. "Lady" (Goble) - 4:50
  3. "Sanity's Side" (Shorrock/Dawes) - 4:14
  4. "So Many Paths" (Shorrock/Jones) - 4:24
  5. "One for the Road" (Birtles/Goble) - 4:01
Bonus tracks in the 1996 reissue
  1. "Take Me Home" (Birtles) - 3:49
  2. "Changed and Different" (Goble) - 4:02
Bonus track on the 2022 remaster
  1. "Recordando" (Goble) - 4:12

Personnel

Additional musicians

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)16 2× Platinum 100,000^
United States (RIAA)17 Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

References

  1. AllMusic review
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: L". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 1 March 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 429, 430.
  4. allmusic.com - Sleeper Catcher > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums
  5. RIAA Gold & Platinum Searchable Database
  6. "Australian Music Awards". Ron Jeff. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  7. Dasey, Jason (24 December 2022). "'God told me to quit LRB': Bassist George McArdle swapped rock 'n' roll for religion". ABC News. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 179. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. "Top RPM Albums: Image 0023a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  10. "Charts.nz – Little River Band – Sleeper Catcher". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  11. "Album / Little River Band / Sleeper Catcher". Billboard Database. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  12. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 430. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  13. "Top RPM Albums: Image 0069". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  14. "Top US Billboard 200 Albums - Year-end 1978". BestSellingAlbums.org. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  15. "Top US Billboard 200 Albums - Year-end 1979". BestSellingAlbums.org. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  16. "Cash Box Newspaper" (PDF). Cash Box. 30 December 1978. p. 38. Retrieved 13 November 2021 – via World Radio History.
  17. "American album certifications – Little River Band – Sleeper Catcher". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 17 July 2021.