Imagination (Gladys Knight & the Pips album)

Last updated
Imagination
Gladys-pips-imagination.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 9, 1973 (1973-10-09)
RecordedJune September 1973
Studio
Genre Soul
Length36:55
Label Buddah
5141
Producer Tony Camillo, Kenny Kerner, Richie Wise, Gladys Knight, Bubba Knight, William Guest, Edward Patten
Gladys Knight & the Pips chronology
All I Need Is Time
(1973)
Imagination
(1973)
Claudine
(1974)
Singles from Imagination
  1. "Where Peaceful Waters Flow"
    Released: June 1973
  2. "Midnight Train to Georgia"
    Released: August 1973
  3. "I've Got to Use My Imagination"
    Released: November 1973
  4. "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me"
    Released: February 1974
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
Christgau's Record Guide B [2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]

Imagination is the eleventh studio album recorded by American R&B group Gladys Knight & the Pips, released in October 1973 on the Buddah label. The album, the group's first for Buddah after leaving Motown, includes their first and only Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit "Midnight Train to Georgia", which also reached number-one on the R&B singles chart. Larry Wilcox was credited for the string and horn arrangements.

Contents

The album also produced other successful singles, including "I've Got to Use My Imagination" and "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me", with both songs peaking at number-one on the R&B singles chart and top five on the Billboard Hot 100, and the moderately successful single "Where Peaceful Waters Flow". The album was also their second studio album to make the top ten on the Billboard 200 and their second of five R&B albums chart-toppers.

Critical reception

Rolling Stone wrote that "Imagination is exactly what this album so desperately lacks," and noted the pattern of "nice touches, brilliant moments overcome by the anonymous production and banal lyrics." [4]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jim Weatherly, except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Midnight Train To Georgia" 4:38
2."I've Got to Use My Imagination" Gerry Goffin, Barry Goldberg 3:29
3."Storms of Troubled Times" 3:44
4."Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" 3:45
5."Once in a Lifetime Thing" 3:41
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Where Peaceful Waters Flow" 4:24
7."I Can See Clearly Now" Johnny Nash 4:28
8."Perfect Love" Paul Williams 2:37
9."Window Raisin' Granny" William Guest, Gladys Knight, Merald Knight, Edward Patten 6:09

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1973)Peak
[5]
Australia (Kent Music Report) [6] 27
U.S. Billboard Top LPs 9
U.S. Billboard Top Soul LPs 1
Singles
YearSingleChart positions [5]
US US
R&B
US
A/C
UK [7]
1973"Where Peaceful Waters Flow"28618
"Midnight Train to Georgia"111910
"I've Got to Use My Imagination"41
1974"Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me"31107

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [8] Gold50,000^
United States (RIAA) [9] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gladys Knight & the Pips</span> American R&B/soul vocal group

Gladys Knight & the Pips were an American R&B, soul and funk family music group from Atlanta, Georgia, that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for over three decades starting from the early 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gladys Knight</span> American singer (born 1944)

Gladys Maria Knight, known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer, songwriter, actress and businesswoman. A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys Knight & the Pips, which included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and cousins William Guest and Edward Patten.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Heard It Through the Grapevine</span> 1966 song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong

"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966. The first recording of the song to be released was produced by Whitfield for Gladys Knight & the Pips and released as a single in September 1967. It went to number one on the Billboard R&B Singles chart and number two on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and shortly became the biggest selling Motown single up to that time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Want You Back</span> 1969 pop/soul song by the Jackson 5

"I Want You Back" is the first national single by the Jackson 5. It was released by Motown on October 6, 1969, and became the first number-one hit for the band on January 31, 1970. It was performed on the band's first television appearances, on October 18, 1969, on Diana Ross's The Hollywood Palace and on their milestone performance on December 14, 1969, on The Ed Sullivan Show.

<i>Prince</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Prince

Prince is the second studio album by American musician Prince. It was released on October 19, 1979 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was written, arranged, composed, produced and performed entirely by Prince. Overall, Prince was regarded as more diverse than For You (1978), and performed better critically and commercially. Reviewing in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau wrote: "This boy is going to be a big star, and he deserves it".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midnight Train to Georgia</span> 1973 single by Gladys Knight & the Pips

"Midnight Train to Georgia" is a song most famously performed by Gladys Knight & the Pips, their second release after departing Motown Records for Buddah Records. Written by Jim Weatherly, and included on the Pips' 1973 LP Imagination, "Midnight Train to Georgia" became the group's first single to top the Billboard Hot 100. It also won the 1974 Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus and has become Knight's signature song.

<i>In the Groove</i> (Marvin Gaye album) 1968 studio album by Marvin Gaye

In the Groove is the eighth studio album by soul musician Marvin Gaye, released on August 26, 1968 on the Motown-subsidiary label Tamla Records. It was the first solo studio album Gaye released in two years, in which during that interim, the singer had emerged as a successful duet partner with female R&B singers such as Kim Weston and Tammi Terrell. In the Groove was reissued and retitled as I Heard It Through the Grapevine after the unexpected success of Gaye's recording of the same name, which had been released as a single from the original album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Way We Were (song)</span> Song by Marvin Hamlisch with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman

"The Way We Were" is a song by American singer Barbra Streisand from her fifteenth studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's lead single on September 27, 1973, through Columbia Records. The 7" single was distributed in two different formats, with the standard edition featuring B-side track "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?"; the Mexico release instead included an instrumental B-side. The song was written by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, and Marvin Hamlisch, while production was solely handled by Marty Paich. "The Way We Were" was specifically produced for the record, in addition to three other tracks, including her then-upcoming single "All in Love Is Fair" (1974).

<i>Cant Get Enough</i> (Barry White album) 1974 studio album by Barry White

Can't Get Enough is the third studio album by American R&B/disco singer Barry White, released on August 6, 1974 by the 20th Century label.

<i>Claudine</i> (soundtrack) 1974 soundtrack album by Gladys Knight & the Pips

Claudine is a Gladys Knight & the Pips album, written and produced by Curtis Mayfield. The disc is the soundtrack album for the 1974 20th Century Fox motion picture Claudine, starring James Earl Jones and Diahann Carroll. The album was released in March 1974 on the Buddah label.

<i>I Feel a Song</i> 1974 studio album by Gladys Knight & the Pips

I Feel a Song is the thirteenth studio album recorded by American R&B group Gladys Knight & the Pips, released in November 1974 on the Buddah label. It was their third overall album for Buddah.

<i>Briefcase Full of Blues</i> 1978 live album by The Blues Brothers

Briefcase Full of Blues is the debut album by The Blues Brothers, released on November 28, 1978, by Atlantic Records. It was recorded live on September 9, 1978, at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, when the band opened for comedian Steve Martin. The album consists of covers of blues and soul songs from the 1950s to 1970s.

<i>2nd Anniversary</i> 1975 studio album by Gladys Knight & the Pips

2nd Anniversary is the fifteenth studio album recorded by American R&B group Gladys Knight & the Pips, released in October 1975 on the Buddah label. It was their fourth overall album for Buddah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)</span> 1972 single by Gladys Knight & the Pips

"Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" is a song recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips. Released on December 26, 1972 on Motown's Soul Records imprint as S 35098, it became one of their biggest hit singles to date, and was also the last single the group released prior to them leaving Motown for Buddah Records in February 1973.

"I've Got to Use My Imagination" is a song recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips. Released from the hit album, Imagination, which was their debut album with Buddah Records. It was a success on the soul and pop charts, spending a week at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in early 1974 and peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. It became one of the band's highest charting songs and eventually sold more than one million copies.

<i>The One and Only</i> (Gladys Knight & the Pips album) 1978 studio album by Gladys Knight & the Pips

The One and Only is the eighteenth studio album recorded by the American R&B group Gladys Knight & the Pips, released in August 1978 on the Buddah label. It was their eighth and final album recorded for Buddah.

<i>Everybody Needs Love</i> (album) 1967 studio album by Gladys Knight & the Pips

Everybody Needs Love is the third album by Gladys Knight & the Pips and their first album for Motown Records' Soul imprint. The LP, chiefly produced by Norman Whitfield, features the singles "Just Walk in My Shoes", "Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me", "Everybody Needs Love" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".

<i>Neither One of Us</i> (album) 1973 studio album by Gladys Knight & the Pips

Neither One of Us is the ninth studio album by American R&B quartet Gladys Knight & the Pips, released in early 1973 by Motown Records on the Soul Records label.

<i>Natalie</i> (Natalie Cole album) 1976 studio album by Natalie Cole

Natalie is a 1976 album by American singer Natalie Cole. Cole's second studio album, It was released on April 9, 1976, by Capitol Records. The album features the hit singles, "Sophisticated Lady " and "Mr. Melody". The track, "Sophisticated Lady " peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles and No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts.

Visions is an album by the American soul group Gladys Knight & the Pips, released in 1983.

References

  1. Wynn, Ron. Imagination review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: K". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved February 28, 2019 via robertchristgau.com.
  3. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 405.
  4. Gersten, Russell. "Imagination review". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on March 9, 2009. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
  5. 1 2 "US Charts > Gladys Knight & the Pips". Allmusic . Retrieved 2012-11-18.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 169. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  7. "UK Charts > Gladys Knight & the Pips". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 2013-10-21. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
  8. "Canadian album certifications – Gladys Knight & the Pips – Imagination". Music Canada . Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  9. "American album certifications – Gladys Knight & the Pips – Imagination". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 8 October 2021.