What Up, Dog?
by Was (Not Was)
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Was (Not Was) bestography
What Up, Dog? is ranked as the best album by Was (Not Was).
(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).
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What Up, Dog? track list
The tracks on this album have an average rating of 75 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).
What Up, Dog? rankings
Calculated from aggregate positions across 60,000 charts (2 million album rankings). Click to see how the rankings are calculated (Last updated: 1 hour ago)
| Year | Source | Chart | Rank | Rank Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Top 75 Music Albums of 1988 | 7/75 | 5 | |
| 2026 | cicadelic | Q magazine Recordings Of The Year 1988 | 44/50 | - |
| 2026 | My Overall Chart: 201-300 | 92/100 | - | |
| 2026 | 1980s, #301-400 | 28/100 | - | |
| 2026 | PurpleHazel | Top 51 Music Albums of 1988 | 49/51 | 0 |
| 2026 | Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s | 44/100 | 11 | |
| 2026 | Rivera | Top 100 Music Albums of the 1980s | 15/100 | 17 |
| 2026 | Top 100 Music Albums of 1988 | 99/100 | 0 | |
| 2026 | spewventuri | Top 91 Music Albums of the 1980s | 55/91 | 8 |
| 2026 | shanelovesyou1111 | Top 32 Music Albums of 1988 | 32/32 | 0 |
| Total Charts: The total number of charts that this album has appeared in. | 38 | |||
| Total Rank Score: The total rank score. | 107 | |||
What Up, Dog? collection
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What Up, Dog? ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
Showing latest 3 ratings for this album. | Show all 47 ratings for this album.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Album ratings | Avg. album rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 07/18/2026 12:58 | Exist-en-ciel | 16,425 | 70/100 |
| ! | 10/11/2025 00:38 | BorderFreeAndrew | 15,759 | 74/100 |
| ! | 03/11/2023 04:18 | 6,741 | 74/100 |
Rating metrics:
Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)
This album has a Bayesian average rating of 67.4/100, a mean average of 65.2/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 66.4/100. The standard deviation for this album is 18.0.
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What Up, Dog? comments
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The vocals of "Sweet Pea" Atkinson and Sir Harry Bowens deliver enough of the soul and funk that you need to last a lifetime. The Was brothers have assembled a backing band capable of performing any style, and the band excel at each. There are serious tunes here mixed with the novelty single. "Spy In The House of Love" should have been a big hit.
"boom boom, acka-lacka-lacka-boom" -- you might know "was (not was)" from their big late-80s hit, "walk the dinosaur", but this entire album is quite catchy and quirky, with a bit pop and rock and r&b and funk and soul. If you only know them from their hit, you'll be pleasantly surprised if you listen to the whole album.
It's unfortunate that most people only know the band because of "Walk the Dinosaur", because that's arguably the weakest track. Of course, that excludes the skits which come off as a bit silly.
But anyone willing to dig deeper will find some of the best, most heartfelt lyrics ever written. Not too mention quality music and vocals.
Some of the tracks here are downright silly. But when the band decides to go to work, the sounds are unforgettable. Lyrics are tight, and the vocals are amazing. Great collection of songs from a grp no one's ever heard of.
The brothers are great producers and this studio band is a natural extension of their talent. They can afford to take some chances. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't but, their effort are always worth a listen.
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