Harmony | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 30, 1971 | |||
Studio | American Recording Co., Studio City, California | |||
Length | 36:08 | |||
Label | Dunhill | |||
Producer | Richard Podolor | |||
Three Dog Night chronology | ||||
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Singles from Harmony | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Christgau's Record Guide | B+ [2] |
Tom Hull | B [3] |
Harmony is the seventh album by American rock band Three Dog Night, released in 1971 (see 1971 in music). The album featured two Top 10 hits: "An Old Fashioned Love Song" (U.S. #4) [4] and a cover version of Hoyt Axton's "Never Been to Spain" (U.S. #5). [5]
Reviewing in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau wrote: "Next to Grand Funk, they're the country's top touring act, and they sell singles in the multiple millions besides. They're slick as Wesson Oil. And when they choose the right material and go light on the minstrel-show theatrics, they're fine—next to 'Maggie May,' 'Joy to the World' is the most durable single of the year. Their albums do vary—avoid the 'Joy to the World' vehicle Naturally —but I think this is the best. Even if you're hostile, you'll have to concede that any group that can string together great-but-obscure songs from Marvin Gaye, Joni Mitchell, and Moby Grape without inspiring a rush back to the originals has something going for it. Wish they'd cut the poetry reading, though." [2]
Production
Album – Billboard (United States)
Chart (1971/72) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report) [6] | 32 |
USA Pop Albums | 8 [7] |
Singles – Billboard (United States)
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1971 | "An Old Fashioned Love Song" (Alternate mix) | Pop Singles | 4 |
Easy Listening | 1 | ||
"Never Been to Spain" | Pop Singles | 5 | |
1972 | Easy Listening | 18 | |
"The Family of Man" | Pop Singles | 12 [8] | |
Easy Listening | 27 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [9] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967, founded by vocalists Chuck Negron, Cory Wells, and Danny Hutton. This lineup was soon augmented by Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Joe Schermie (bass), Michael Allsup (guitar), and Floyd Sneed (drums). The band had 21 Billboard Top 40 hits between 1969 and 1975, with three hitting number one. Three Dog Night recorded many songs written by outside songwriters, and they helped to introduce mainstream audiences to writers such as Randy Newman, Paul Williams, Laura Nyro and Hoyt Axton.
Hoyt Wayne Axton was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. Among his best-known songs are "Joy to the World", "The Pusher", "No No Song", "Greenback Dollar", "Della and the Dealer" and "Never Been to Spain".
Ladies of the Canyon is the third studio album by the Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released on Reprise Records in 1970. It peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard 200, and has been certified platinum by the RIAA. The title makes reference to Laurel Canyon, a center of popular music culture in Los Angeles during the 1960s, where Mitchell lived while she was writing the album. Specifically, Mitchell lived and wrote at 8217 Lookout Mountain Avenue, the house which is the subject of Graham Nash's "Our House". The album includes several of Mitchell's most noted songs, such as "Big Yellow Taxi", "Woodstock" and "The Circle Game".
Three Dog Night is the debut album by American rock band Three Dog Night. The album was originally released by Dunhill Records on October 16, 1968. The album is known for featuring the band's Top 5 hit single, their cover of Harry Nilsson's song "One".
Suitable for Framing is the second studio album by American rock band Three Dog Night. The album was released on the Dunhill record label on June 11, 1969 and was the first of two albums released by the band that year.
Captured Live at the Forum is the third album by American rock band Three Dog Night, released in 1969.
It Ain't Easy is the fourth album by American rock band Three Dog Night, released in 1970.
Naturally is the fifth album by American rock band Three Dog Night, released in 1970. It produced two top ten hits: "Joy to the World" and "Liar" (#7). "One Man Band" reached the top 20 (#19). The only original by the band is the instrumental "Fire Eater".
Seven Separate Fools is the eighth studio album by American rock band Three Dog Night. Released in 1972, the album reached number six on the US Billboard 200, becoming the band's highest-charting album. The LP version of the album was released with seven large playing cards as an extra bonus.
Around the World with Three Dog Night is a double live album by American rock band Three Dog Night, released in 1973.
Cyan is the tenth studio album by American rock band Three Dog Night, released on October 9, 1973, by Dunhill Records. The album's original title was Seven Ball, Center Pocket, which was changed for unknown reasons.
Hard Labor is the eleventh album by American rock band Three Dog Night, released in 1974. For this album, the band replaced long-time producer Richard Podolor with Jimmy Ienner, who was known for his production work with the Raspberries.
Joy to the World: Their Greatest Hits is the twelfth album by American rock band, Three Dog Night, released in 1974.
American Pastime is the fourteenth and final album by American rock band Three Dog Night, released in 1976.
Celebrate: The Three Dog Night Story, 1965–1975 is a two-CD anthology of Three Dog Night recordings released in 1993 which includes some pre-3DN material from co-lead singers Danny Hutton and Cory Wells, as well as an unreleased track "Time to Get Alone", penned and produced by Brian Wilson from the band's brief "Redwood" incarnation. It covers all of the band's singles, as well as some album tracks, in the band's career.
"Joy to the World" is a song written by Hoyt Axton and made famous by the band Three Dog Night. The song is also popularly known by its opening lyric, "Jeremiah was a bullfrog". Three Dog Night originally released the song on their fourth studio album, Naturally, in November 1970, and subsequently released an edited version of the song as a single in February 1971.
Steppenwolf 7 is the fifth studio album by Canadian-American rock band Steppenwolf. The album was released in November 1970, by Dunhill Records. It is the first Steppenwolf album with new bass player George Biondo. The album’s numerical title reflects the fact that it was the band’s seventh album release for ABC/Dunhill records . While the album featured Steppenwolf's trademark rock and roll sounds, none of the songs were able to make the top 40. The album featured a cover of Hoyt Axton's "Snowblind Friend", their second cover of one of his antidrug songs. Along with "Who Needs Ya", it was one of two singles from the album which made the charts, but fell short of the top 40. The album track "Renegade" is autobiographical for lead vocalist John Kay, recounting his flight with his mother from the Soviet occupation zone to the West in 1948. The intro to "Earschplittenloudenboomer" is spoken by Kay partially in German.
Washington County is a 1970 album by the American folk singer Arlo Guthrie. It peaked at #33 on the Billboard charts on December 4, 1970, and number 28 in Australia.
"Never Been to Spain" is a song written by Hoyt Axton, originally released on his 1971 LP Joy to the World and later that year performed by Three Dog Night, with Cory Wells on lead vocal. It was featured on their 1971 album Harmony. The recording was produced by Richard Podolor.
"The Family of Man" is a song written by Paul Williams and Jack Conrad, produced by Richard Podolor. It was most famously performed by Three Dog Night and featured on their 1971 album, Harmony.