| For Your Pleasure | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 23 March 1973 | |||
| Recorded | February 1973 | |||
| Studio | AIR (London) | |||
| Genre | Art rock [1] | |||
| Length | 42:24 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| Roxy Music chronology | ||||
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| Singles from For Your Pleasure | ||||
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For Your Pleasure is the second studio album by the English rock band Roxy Music, released on 23 March 1973 by Island Records. It was their last to feature synthesiser and sound specialist Brian Eno.
The group spent more studio time on this album than on their debut, combining song material by Bryan Ferry with more elaborate production treatments. For example, the song "In Every Dream Home a Heartache" (Ferry's sinister ode to a blow-up doll) fades out in its closing section, only to fade in again with all the instruments subjected to a pronounced phasing treatment. The title track fades out in an elaborate blend of tape loop effects. Brian Eno remarked that the eerie "The Bogus Man", with lyrics about a sexual stalker, displayed similarities with contemporary material by the krautrock group Can. [3]
Of the more upbeat numbers on the album, "Do the Strand" and "Editions of You" are both based around rhythms in the tradition of the band's first single "Virginia Plain". "Do the Strand" has been called the archetypal Roxy Music anthem[ by whom? ], whilst "Editions of You" is notable for a series of solos by Andy Mackay (saxophone), Eno (VCS3), and Phil Manzanera (guitar).
Eno is prominent in the final song "For Your Pleasure" from the album, making it unlike any other song on the album. The song ends with the voice of Judi Dench saying "You don't ask. You don't ask why" [4] amid tapes of the opening vocals ('Well, how are you?') from "Chance Meeting" from the first Roxy Music album. A live recording of the song was used in 1975 as a B-side to "Both Ends Burning".
The original UK LP cover credits "Produced by Chris Thomas and Roxy Music" for the entire album, but only the side one label repeats that; the side two label credits "Produced by John Anthony and Roxy Music". Various foreign editions and reissues have confused the matter with random variations.
For Your Pleasure was originally released by Island Records in the United Kingdom and Warner Bros. Records in the United States. [2] It has been subsequently reissued by Polydor Records in the UK and Atco Records and Reprise Records in the US. [2]
As with the debut Roxy Music album, no UK singles were lifted from For Your Pleasure upon its initial release. The non-album single "Pyjamarama", backed with "The Pride and the Pain", was issued in advance of the album in Britain, peaking at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. "Do the Strand", backed with "Editions of You", was released as a single in the US and Europe; it was finally issued as a UK single in 1978 to promote Roxy Music's Greatest Hits album, released in December the previous year.
The cover photo, taken by Karl Stoecker, featured Bryan Ferry's girlfriend at the time, model Amanda Lear, who was also the confidante, protégée and closest friend of the surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. [5] Lear was depicted posing in a skintight leather dress leading a black panther on a leash. [6] The image has been described as "as famous as the album itself". [7] Original pressings of the album featured a gatefold sleeve picturing the band members, except bassist John Porter, posing with guitars. Porter was credited as a "Guest artiste" in the credits, but joined the band for the subsequent tour.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  [8] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B [9] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [10] |
| Pitchfork | 10/10 (2012) [11] 9.5/10 (2019) [12] |
| Q | [13] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [14] |
| Select | 5/5 [15] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 6/10 [16] |
For Your Pleasure made No. 4 on UK Albums Chart in 1973. In 1973, Paul Gambaccini of Rolling Stone gave it a mixed review, and wrote that "the bulk of For Your Pleasure is either above us, beneath us, or on another plane altogether." [17]
In 2000, Q magazine placed For Your Pleasure at number 33 on its list of the "100 Greatest British Albums Ever". [18] It placed at number 87 on Pitchfork's 2004 list of the top 100 albums of the 1970s. [19] The citation notes that Morrissey told the British press that "he could 'only think of one truly great British album'... For Your Pleasure." [19] In 2003, For Your Pleasure was ranked number 394 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, [20] with the album's ranking dropping to number 396 in the 2012 update of the list, and climbing to number 351 in the 2020 update. [21] [22] NME ranked For Your Pleasure at number 88 on its 2013 list of 500 greatest albums of all time and called it "the pinnacle of English art rock." [23] Classic Rock named it as one of 10 "essential" glam rock albums. [24] Happy Mag included the album in its list of "10 records to introduce you to the world of art-rock" and called it "an art-pop, glam-rock masterpiece." [25]
All tracks are written by Bryan Ferry
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Do the Strand" | 4:04 |
| 2. | "Beauty Queen" | 4:41 |
| 3. | "Strictly Confidential" | 3:48 |
| 4. | "Editions of You" | 3:51 |
| 5. | "In Every Dream Home a Heartache" ( [nb 1] ) | 5:29 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Bogus Man" | 9:22 |
| 2. | "Grey Lagoons" | 4:11 |
| 3. | "For Your Pleasure" | 6:58 |
| Total length: | 42:24 | |
Roxy Music [26]
Production
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [27] | 41 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [28] | 9 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [29] | 28 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [30] | 15 |
| UK Albums (OCC) [31] | 4 |
| US Billboard 200 [32] | 193 |
| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scottish Albums (OCC) [33] | 42 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI) [34] | Gold | 100,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Roxy Music are an English rock band formed in 1970 by lead vocalist and principal songwriter Bryan Ferry and bassist Graham Simpson. By the time the band recorded their first album in 1972, Ferry and Simpson were joined by saxophonist and oboist Andy Mackay, guitarist Phil Manzanera, drummer Paul Thompson and synthesizer player Brian Eno. Other members over the years include keyboardist and violinist Eddie Jobson and bassist John Gustafson. The band split in 1976, reformed in 1978 and split again in 1983. In 2001, Ferry, Mackay, Manzanera and Thompson reunited for a concert tour and have toured together intermittently ever since, most recently in 2022 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their first album. Ferry has also frequently enlisted band members as backing musicians during his solo career.
Bryan Ferry is an English singer and songwriter who was the frontman of the band Roxy Music and also a solo artist. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to The Independent, Ferry and his contemporary David Bowie influenced a generation with both their music and their appearances. Peter York described Ferry as "an art object" who "should hang in the Tate".
Avalon is the eighth and final studio album by the English rock band Roxy Music, released on 28 May 1982 by E.G. Records, and Polydor. It was recorded between 1981 and 1982 at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, and is regarded as the culmination of the smoother, more adult-oriented sound of the band's later work. It has been credited with pioneering the sophisti-pop genre.
Country Life is the fourth studio album by English art rock band Roxy Music, released on 15 November 1974 by Island Records. It was released by Atco Records in the United States. The album is considered by many critics to be among the band's most sophisticated and consistent.
Flesh and Blood is the seventh studio album by English rock band Roxy Music, released on 23 May 1980 by E.G. Records. It was an immediate commercial success peaking at No. 1 in the UK for one week in June and then returned to the summit in August for another three weeks, in total spending 60 weeks on the albums chart in the United Kingdom. The album also peaked at No. 35 in the United States and No. 10 in Australia.
Here Come the Warm Jets is the debut solo studio album by English musician Brian Eno, released on Island Records on 8 February 1974. It was recorded and produced by Eno following his departure from Roxy Music, and blends glam and pop stylings with avant-garde approaches. The album features numerous guests, including several of Eno's former Roxy Music bandmates along with members of Hawkwind, Matching Mole, Pink Fairies, Sharks, Sweetfeed, and King Crimson. Eno employed unusual directions and production methods to coax unexpected results from the musicians.
Siren is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Roxy Music, released in 1975 by Island Records. It was released by Atco Records in the United States.
Roxy Music is the debut studio album by English rock band Roxy Music, released on 16 June 1972 by Island Records.
Stranded is the third album by English rock band Roxy Music, released in 1973 by Island Records. Stranded was the first Roxy Music album on which Bryan Ferry was not the sole songwriter, with multi-instrumentalist Andy Mackay and guitarist Phil Manzanera also making songwriting contributions. It is also their first album with keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson and bassist John Gustafson, who replaced Brian Eno and John Porter, respectively, after their departures following the release of their previous album For Your Pleasure.
"Virginia Plain" is a song by English rock band Roxy Music, released as their debut single in August 1972. Written by Roxy frontman Bryan Ferry, the song was recorded by the band in July 1972 at London's Command Studios. Backed with "The Numberer", an instrumental composed by Andy Mackay, as a single the song became a Top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at number four.
"Ladytron" is a song by Bryan Ferry, recorded by his band Roxy Music and appearing on their debut album. The British electronic band Ladytron took their name from this song.
"Do the Strand" is the first song from English rock band Roxy Music's second album, For Your Pleasure. In contrast to the songs from Roxy Music's eponymous debut album, this song starts suddenly without any instrumental fanfare.
"In Every Dream Home a Heartache" is a song written by Bryan Ferry, originally appearing on his band Roxy Music's second studio album, For Your Pleasure (1973).
"Love Is the Drug" is a song by the English rock band Roxy Music, from their fifth studio album, Siren (1975), released as a single in September 1975. Co-written by Bryan Ferry and Andy Mackay, the song originated as a slower, dreamier track until the band transformed its arrangement to become more dance-friendly and uptempo. Ferry's lyrics recount a man going out looking for action.
The Best of Roxy Music is a greatest hits album by English art rock band Roxy Music, released in 2001. The album includes at least one song from all eight of the band's studio albums and all three of their non-album single A-sides. The songs are arranged in reverse chronological order.
Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the English band Roxy Music. It was released in 1977, when the band were on hiatus.
Live is a double live album by English art rock band Roxy Music, released in 2003. Their fourth official live album, it contains performances from a variety of venues on their 2001 reunion world tour, and represents the entire set list from those concerts. Live was packaged in a Digipak case.
"Both Ends Burning" is a single by English rock band Roxy Music taken from their 1975 album Siren. Written by Bryan Ferry, the song features lyrics inspired by the pressure felt by the band to complete the Siren album as well as keep up their touring obligations. Ferry's struggles in writing the lyrics for the song meant that the band largely had to complete the instrumental track without his vocal line.
"Dance Away" is a song by the English rock band Roxy Music. Released in April 1979, it was the second single to be taken from their album Manifesto, and became one of the band's most famous songs, reaching number two in the UK and spending a total of 14 weeks on the charts, the longest chart residency of a Roxy Music single. Although it did not make number one, it became the ninth biggest selling single in the UK in 1979. It did make it to number one on the Irish Singles Chart and held that position for one week.
Olympia is the 13th studio album by English singer Bryan Ferry, released on 25 October 2010 by Virgin Records. Co-produced by Ferry and Rhett Davies, Olympia is Ferry's first album of predominantly original material since 2002's Frantic.
In their first four years as a band, Roxy Music went off on a tear that produced five of the Seventies' most influential art-rock albums.
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