An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 1969 (US) February 1970 (UK) | |||
Recorded | June–August 1969 | |||
Studio | Lansdowne and Olympic Studios, London | |||
Genre | British folk rock [1] | |||
Length | 32:47 | |||
Label | Vertigo, Mercury, Fontana | |||
Producer | Rod Stewart, Lou Reizner | |||
Rod Stewart chronology | ||||
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U.S. release title / cover | ||||
Singles from An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down | ||||
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down is the debut solo studio album by Rod Stewart. First released in the United States in November 1969 as The Rod Stewart Album,the album peaked at No. 139 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. It was later released in the United Kingdom with the modified title in February 1970. [4] Stewart's Faces bandmates Ronnie Wood and Ian McLagan also appear on the album,along with Keith Emerson,Jeff Beck Group drummer Micky Waller and guitarists Martin Pugh (of Steamhammer,and later Armageddon and 7th Order) and Martin Quittenton (also from Steamhammer).
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [5] |
Rolling Stone | (favorable) [6] |
Robert Christgau | A- [7] |
The album received positive reviews from Fusion, Rolling Stone ,and Robert Christgau. [8] Christgau felt the album was "superb", [8] the same wording as used by Greil Marcus in his Rolling Stone review. [9]
In a retrospective summary for Rolling Stone,a staff writer felt that Stewart's solo debut showed him as a "highly original interpreter" of other people's songs,and that his own compositions indicated he was "capable of startlingly bare emotion and compassion". [10]
All tracks are written by Rod Stewart, except where indicated
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Street Fighting Man" | Mick Jagger, Keith Richards | 5:05 |
2. | "Man of Constant Sorrow" | traditional; arranged by Stewart | 3:12 |
3. | "Blind Prayer" | 4:36 | |
4. | "Handbags and Gladrags" | Mike d'Abo | 4:24 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down" | 3:30 | |
2. | "I Wouldn't Ever Change a Thing" | 4:44 | |
3. | "Cindy's Lament" | 4:26 | |
4. | "Dirty Old Town" | Ewan MacColl | 3:42 |
Total length: | 32:47 |
Chart (1969-1970) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [11] | 31 |
United States (Billboard 200) | 139 |
Faces are an English rock band formed in 1969 by members of Small Faces after lead singer and guitarist Steve Marriott left to form Humble Pie. The remaining Small Faces—Ian McLagan (keyboards), Ronnie Lane, and Kenney Jones —were joined by guitarist Ronnie Wood and singer Rod Stewart, both from the Jeff Beck Group, and the new line-up was renamed Faces.
Ronald David Wood is an English rock musician, best known as an official member of the Rolling Stones since 1975, as well as a member of Faces and the Jeff Beck Group.
Ooh La La is the fourth and final studio album by the English rock band Faces, released in March 1973. It reached number one in the UK Albums Chart in the week of 28 April 1973. The album was most recently reissued on CD in a remastered and expanded form on 28 August 2015, including early rehearsal takes of three of its tracks, as part of the 1970–1975: You Can Make Me Dance, Sing Or Anything... box set. The box set's vinyl counterpart did not contain any bonus tracks, but it did replicate the original LP artwork and 'animated' cover.
Every Picture Tells a Story is the third studio album by Rod Stewart. It was released on 28 May 1971. It incorporates hard rock, folk, and blues styles. It went to number one on both the UK and US charts and finished third in the Jazz & Pop critics' poll for best album of 1971. It has been an enduring critical success, including a number 172 ranking on Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
"Maggie May" is a song co-written by singer Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton, and performed by Rod Stewart on his album Every Picture Tells a Story, released in 1971.
Long Player is the second album by the British rock group Faces, released in February 1971. Among the highlights are a live cover version of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed", the ballads "Richmond" and "Sweet Lady Mary", the party tune "Had Me a Real Good Time", and uptempo saloon bar rocker "Bad 'n' Ruin". Two tracks, "Maybe I'm Amazed" and "I Feel So Good", were recorded live at the Fillmore East, New York City, on 10 November 1970.
First Step is the debut studio album by the English rock band Faces, released on 27 March 1970 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was released only a few months after the Faces had formed from the ashes of the Small Faces and The Jeff Beck Group. The album is credited to the Small Faces on all North American issues and reissues, while record labels for initial vinyl printings give the title as The First Step.
Gasoline Alley is the second solo studio album by the British singer-songwriter Rod Stewart. It was released on 12 June 1970 by Vertigo Records. It is a collection of covers combined with Stewart's own compositions. Like many of Stewart's solo albums from the period, it featured significant musical contributions from the other members of his band Faces.
Never a Dull Moment is the fourth solo album by rock musician Rod Stewart. It was released on 21 July 1972; that year it became a UK number-one album and reached number two on the US Album chart. The track "You Wear It Well", co-written by Stewart and classical guitarist Martin Quittenton, was a smash hit, as well as "Twisting the Night Away", a song originally recorded by Sam Cooke.
Smiler is the fifth solo album by English rock singer-songwriter Rod Stewart. It was released September 27, 1974 by Mercury Records. It reached number 1 in the UK album chart, and number 13 in the US. The album included covers of Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke and Bob Dylan songs, as well as a duet with Elton John of John's song "Let Me Be Your Car". Stewart also covered Carole King's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" where 'Woman' is switched to 'Man'. The release of the album was held up for five months due to legal problems between Mercury Records and Warner Bros. Records.
Sing It Again Rod is the first compilation album by Rod Stewart released in 1973. The album is notable for its Peter Corriston-designed die-cut album sleeve.
Steamhammer are an English rock band from Worthing, England, that were formed in 1968 by vocalist Kieran White, guitarists Martin Quittenton and Martin Pugh, bassist Steve Davy, and drummer Michael Rushton.
Michael Waller was an English drummer, who played with many of the biggest names on the UK rock and blues scene, after he became a professional musician in 1960. In addition to being a member, albeit sometimes briefly, of some of the seminal bands of the 1960s, Waller played as a session musician with a host of UK and US artists.
I've Got My Own Album to Do is the first solo album by English rock musician Ronnie Wood, released in September 1974. An all-star project recorded outside of his activities with the Faces, it reached number 27 on the UK's NME chart. The album title was thought to be a dig at Rod Stewart, who appeared to be more committed to his solo career than working with the Faces. Wood has said that the title originated from contributors such as George Harrison and Mick Jagger "nagging me to let them go home" and finish their own projects. The album was recorded at The Wick, Wood's house in Richmond, south-west London.
Now Look is the second solo album by English musician Ronnie Wood, released in July 1975. In the United States, it peaked at number 118 on Billboard's top 200 albums listings, during a six-week chart run. Produced by Wood, Bobby Womack and Ian McLagan, the album also includes musical contributions from Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Willie Weeks and Andy Newmark – all of whom had played on Wood's debut, I've Got My Own Album to Do.
Mahoney's Last Stand is an album by Faces bandmates Ronnie Wood and Ronnie Lane, recorded in 1972. It is the music soundtrack album of the low-budget 1972 Canadian film Mahoney's Last Stand starring Alexis Kanner, Sam Waterston and Maud Adams. The film itself, little seen at the time of its release and even less so since, charts the progress of city-dweller Mahoney (Kanner) who abandons his urban existence to become a homesteader, and the drama that ensues. Pete Townshend, who guests on guitar on some tracks on the album, also receives a credit in the film for providing 'special electronic effects', alongside Wood and Lane's musical score.
Steamhammer was the debut album by the British rock band Steamhammer, issued in March 1969. Steamhammer was American blues guitarist Freddy King's backing band whenever he toured England. The musicians in the band were Martin Quittenton (guitar), Kieran White, Martin Pugh (guitar), Steve Davy (bass), and Michael Rushton (drums). The album includes classic blues numbers by B.B. King and Eddie Boyd, as well as compositions by band members White, Quittenton, and Pugh. The session musicians Harold McNair (flute) and Pete Sears (piano) also appear on the album.
Martin Quittenton was a British guitarist and composer. He played in the blues rock band Steamhammer, formed in 1968. Their debut album Steamhammer was released in 1969.
"Every Picture Tells a Story" is a song written by Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood and initially released as the title track of Stewart's 1971 album Every Picture Tells a Story. It has since become one of Stewart's signature songs and released on numerous Stewart compilation and live albums, including The Best of Rod Stewart, Storyteller – The Complete Anthology: 1964–1990 and Unplugged...and Seated. It was released as a single in Spain, Portugal and Japan, backed with "Reason to Believe". It has also been covered by the Georgia Satellites on their 1986 album Georgia Satellites and by Robin McAuley on Forever Mod: A Tribute to Rod Stewart.
"My Way of Giving" is a song written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane. Initially demoed by their band Small Faces in 1966, it was given to British singer Chris Farlowe, who released his version as a single in early 1967. It was Farlowe's first single not written by Jagger–Richards since 1965's "The Fool". The Small Faces themselves decided to go on and record a version which was released on two different albums on two different record labels.