Live in London (Helen Reddy album)

Last updated

Live in London
Reddy-London.jpg
Live album by
ReleasedDecember 1978
RecordedMay 11–13, 1978
Venue London Palladium, London, England
Genre Vocal
Pop/Rock [1]
Length1:08:01
Label Capitol
Producer John Palladino
Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy chronology
We'll Sing in the Sunshine
(1978)
Live in London
(1978)
Reddy
(1979)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Billboard positive [2]

Live in London is the first live album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy that was released in 1978 by Capitol Records and, as with her previous release, did not reach Billboard magazine's Top LP's & Tapes chart. [3] On June 25, 2002, the album was released for the first time on compact disc. [4]

Contents

Background

Reddy had announced in the summer of 1977 that Kim Fowley, producer of her recent album release Ear Candy , would produce an upcoming live album for the singer: [5] it was anticipated that the album would be a recording of Reddy's 8 November 1977 concert at Radio City Music Hall. [6] However, Reddy herself—collaborating with John Palladino—would produce her live album, which was recorded at her three-night plus one matinée gig at the London Palladium in May 1978.

Repertoire

Eight of Reddy's US Top 40 hits were performed at the Palladium in a penultimate twelve minute medley which also featured the Top 40 shortfall "Crazy Love" and two songs featured on albums by Reddy: "I Believe in Music" and "The Last Blues Song". In 1978 only one of Reddy's singles had reached the UK singles chart - which until May 1978 was a Top 50 ranking - , "Angie Baby" having reached #5 UK in 1975, and that song was performed in its entirety at the Palladium: throughout her performing career Reddy would habitually not truncate "Angie Baby" in concert due to its being a story song. (Two of Reddy's singles: "I am Woman" and "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)", had almost reached the UK Top 50 but were performed at the Palladium on in the medley.) Also performed in full at the Palladium: "You're My World", Reddy's most recent US Top 40 hit (proving to be her last) which was a remake of a 1964 UK #1 hit (by Cilla Black); the Leon Russell composition "Bluebird", a 1975 US Top 30 shortfall for Reddy which the singer would apparently always enjoy performing live; and "I Can't Hear You No More" a lesser 1976 US hit for Reddy, which at the Palladium served as a frame for Reddy introducing her band members to the audience.

Featuring four additional songs from the singer's past albums: "This Masquerade", "The West Wind Circus", "I'll Be Your Audience" (which served as the concert finale) and "Hold Me in Your Dreams Tonight" (on which Reddy played piano) and also "Candle on the Water" from the 1977 movie Pete's Dragon , Reddy's Palladium set-list also introduced five songs from her upcoming album release We'll Sing in the Sunshine : the title track, the disco track "Ready or Not" issued as UK single the month of the Palladium concert (May 1978), "Mama", "Poor Little Fool", and "Rhythm Rhapsody" - the last-named, which served as the concert's opening number, would in fact be cut from Reddy's We'll Sing in the Sunshine album. Live in London would include two songs never featured on an original studio album release by Reddy: besides "Rhythm Rhapsody", Reddy's Palladium set-list featured her (truncated) rendition of the Billy Joel number "The Entertainer".

The live recordings of "Mama" and "The West Wind Circus" became the respective A-side and B-side of a single from the album but had no showings on Billboard's pop [7] or Easy Listening [8] charts. Reddy commented on both songs in the liner notes of her singles compilation The Woman I Am: The Definitive Collection . Of the former she wrote, "Another great composition from Harriet Schock and one I sang every Mother's Day," [9] and of the latter, "Although I was never in a circus, I have known families who were...Around the time I first heard this emotional work by Adam Miller, there was news of an aerialist in a well-known circus family falling to his death. This was a song I simply had to sing." [9]

Reception

AllMusic's Joe Viglione wrote retrospectively: "Producers John Palladino and Helen Reddy do a commendable job of capturing so many instruments and vocals and putting them into a wonderful mix. The album gets high marks for sound quality and performance...For the fans of Helen Reddy this is a treat and a very necessary part of her collection." [1] In Billboard's review of the 2002 release of the album on compact disc, Mitchell Paoletta asks, "Ready for the flashback of a lifetime? If so, give a listen to Live in London, which has lost none of its sheen" and stresses that Reddy's "classy renderings of Billy Joel's 'The Entertainer' and Leon Russell's 'This Masquerade' should not be overlooked." [2]

Track listing

Side 1

  1. "Rhythm Rhapsody" (Ralph Schuckett, John Siegler) – 3:43
  2. "This Masquerade" (Leon Russell) – 3:49
  3. "Bluebird" (Leon Russell) – 2:35
  4. "Candle on the Water" from Pete's Dragon (Joel Hirschhorn, Al Kasha) – 3:10
  5. "Hold Me in Your Dreams Tonight" (Marie Cain) – 2:46

Side 2

  1. "Angie Baby" (Alan O'Day) – 3:29
  2. "Poor Little Fool" (Jeff Lynne) – 4:40
  3. "Ready or Not" (Amber DiLena, Jerry Keller) – 3:46
  4. "The West Wind Circus" (Adam Miller) – 5:10

Side 3

  1. "We'll Sing in the Sunshine" (Gale Garnett) – 3:37
  2. "Mama" (Harriet Schock) – 4:31
  3. "You're My World" (Umberto Bindi, Gino Paoli, Carl Sigman) – 2:27
  4. "I Can't Hear You No More" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) – 4:13
  5. "The Entertainer" (Billy Joel) – 2:07

Side 4

  1. Medley introduction – 1:25
  2. Medley – 12:20
    a. "I Don't Know How to Love Him" (Tim Rice, Andrew Lloyd Webber)
    b. "I Believe in Music" (Mac Davis)
    c. "Crazy Love" (Van Morrison)
    d. "Peaceful" (Kenny Rankin)
    e. "You and Me Against the World" (Kenny Ascher, Paul Williams)
    f. "Delta Dawn" (Larry Collins, Alex Harvey)
    g. "Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady" (Harriet Schock)
    h. "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" (Linda Laurie)
    i. "The Last Blues Song" (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil)
    j. "Keep On Singing" (Bobby Hart, Danny Janssen)
    k. "I Am Woman" (Ray Burton, Helen Reddy)
  3. "I'll Be Your Audience" (Lewis Anderson, Becky Hobbs) – 4:05

Personnel

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "Live in London - Helen Reddy". allmusic.com. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Vital Reissues". Billboard . 20 July 2002. p. 18.
  3. Whitburn 2010 , p. 646.
  4. "Live in London - Helen Reddy - Release Information". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  5. Cash Box 3 September 1977 p.56
  6. Billboard vol 89 #35 (3 September 1977) p.106
  7. Whitburn 2009 , p. 805.
  8. Whitburn 2007 , p. 227.
  9. 1 2 (2006) The Woman I Am: The Definitive Collection by Helen Reddy [CD booklet]. Los Angeles: Capitol Records 09463-57613-2-0.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leon Russell</span> American singer-songwriter (1942–2016)

Leon Russell was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and roll, country, gospel, bluegrass, rhythm and blues, southern rock, blues rock, folk, surf and the Tulsa sound. His recordings earned six gold records and he received two Grammy Awards from seven nominations. In 2011, he was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Masquerade</span> 1976 single by George Benson

"This Masquerade" is a song written by American singer and musician Leon Russell. It was originally recorded in 1972 by Russell for his album Carney and as a B-side for the album's hit single "Tight Rope". The song was then covered on Helen Reddy's 1972 album, I Am Woman. It was then recorded by American vocal duo, the Carpenters, for their 1973 album Now & Then and as the B-side of the Carpenters's single "Please Mr. Postman". Three years later, "This Masquerade" was recorded by American singer and guitarist George Benson, who released it on his 1976 album, Breezin'. Benson's version, featuring Jorge Dalto on piano, was released as a single and became the first big hit of his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">We'll Sing in the Sunshine</span> 1964 single by Gale Garnett

"We'll Sing in the Sunshine" is a 1964 hit song written and recorded by Gale Garnett which reached No. 2 in Canada, and No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending 17 October 1964. It also enjoyed success on easy listening and country music radio stations, spending seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart and No. 42 on the country chart. The Cash Box Top 100 ranked "We'll Sing in the Sunshine" at No. 1 for the week of 31 October 1964, and it also reached No. 1 in Garnett's native New Zealand that November. In Australia, "We'll Sing in the Sunshine" afforded Garnett a Top Ten hit with a No. 10 peak in October 1964. Garnett's sole Top 40 hit, "We'll Sing in the Sunshine" won the Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady</span> Song covered by Helen Reddy in 1975

"Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady" is a 1974 written and first recorded by American singer-songwriter Harriet Schock. It was covered by various other artists, and saw its greatest success when it was covered by Helen Reddy, whose 1975 rendition became a top 10 hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen Reddy discography</span>

Australian-American singer Helen Reddy (1941–2020), often referred to as the "Queen of 70s Pop", recorded 18 studio albums, seven of which have achieved sales of 500,000 units in the US for which they were awarded Gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America. One of those seven, I Am Woman, eventually went Platinum by reaching sales of one million copies, and her first compilation album, Helen Reddy's Greatest Hits, was awarded Double Platinum status in 1992 for hitting the two million sales mark. The respective US and Canadian album charts in Billboard and RPM magazine each had appearances by 10 of these LPs during the 1970s.

<i>I Dont Know How to Love Him</i> (album) 1971 studio album by Helen Reddy

I Don't Know How to Love Him is the debut studio album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy, released on May 10, 1971, by Capitol Records. I Don't Know How to Love Him included her first recording of "I Am Woman". The album made its first appearance on Billboard magazine's Top LP's chart in the issue dated June 5, 1971, and remained there for 37 weeks, peaking at number 100, and got as high as number 40 on the album chart in Canada's RPM magazine. On November 27, 1974, the album received Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America, and on March 29, 2005, it was released for the first time on compact disc as one of two albums on one CD, the other album being Reddy's eponymous follow-up that originally came out in the fall of 1971.

<i>Helen Reddy</i> (album) 1971 studio album by Helen Reddy

Helen Reddy is the second studio album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy, released on November 8, 1971, by Capitol Records. Reddy's selections include tracks by singer-songwriters Carole King, John Lennon, Randy Newman, and Donovan. It debuted on Billboard magazine's Top LP's chart in the issue dated December 4, 1971, and had a seven-week chart run in which it got as high as number 167. On March 29, 2005, the album was released for the first time on compact disc as one of two albums on one CD, the other album being I Don't Know How to Love Him, Reddy's debut LP that originally came out in the spring of 1971.

<i>I Am Woman</i> (album) 1972 studio album by Helen Reddy

I Am Woman is the third studio album by Australian–American pop singer Helen Reddy, released on 13 November 1972, by Capitol Records. The album included her second recording of the song that gave the album its name, which was also the version that spent a week at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

<i>Long Hard Climb</i> 1973 studio album by Helen Reddy

Long Hard Climb is the fourth studio album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy, released on July 23, 1973, by Capitol Records and, aside from its primary focus on Top 40-friendly material, had her trying out New Orleans jazz and the English-language version of a recent Charles Aznavour standard. It debuted on Billboard's Top LP's & Tapes chart in the issue dated August 11, 1973, and reached number eight during its 43 weeks there, and in Canada's RPM magazine it peaked at number 14. On September 19 of that year, the Recording Industry Association of America awarded the album with Gold certification for sales of 500,000 copies in the United States. On July 22, 2003, it was released for the first time on compact disc as one of two albums on one CD, the other album being her 1972 release I Am Woman.

<i>Love Song for Jeffrey</i> 1974 studio album by Helen Reddy

Love Song for Jeffrey is the fifth studio album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy, released on March 25, 1974, by Capitol Records. The album focused on her family, giving special attention to those who had died within the past year. A tribute on the back cover reads: "In memory of my mother, Stella Lamond Reddy, July 1973, my father, Max Reddy, September 1973, and my beloved aunt, Helen Reddy Sr., January 1974."

<i>Free and Easy</i> (album) 1974 studio album by Helen Reddy

Free and Easy is the sixth studio album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy that was released in the fall of 1974 by Capitol Records. The album included rare forays into rock and vaudeville ("Showbiz"). The album debuted on Billboard's Top LP's & Tapes chart in the issue dated November 2, 1974, and reached number eight during its 28 weeks there. The following month, on December 18, the Recording Industry Association of America awarded the album with Gold certification for sales of 500,000 copies in the United States. In the UK it peaked at number 17, and in Canada's RPM magazine it got as high as number nine on its list of the top LPs in the issue dated January 11, 1975. On January 27, 2004, it was released for the first time on compact disc as one of two albums on one CD, the other album being her other 1974 release, Love Song for Jeffrey.

<i>No Way to Treat a Lady</i> (album) 1975 studio album by Helen Reddy

No Way to Treat a Lady is the seventh studio album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy that was released in the summer of 1975 by Capitol Records and found Reddy tackling country pop, bossa nova and blues. The album debuted on Billboard's Top LP's & Tapes chart in the issue dated July 12, 1975, and peaked at number 11 over the course of 34 weeks, and on the album chart in Canada's RPM magazine it got as high as number 13. On January 19, 1976, the Recording Industry Association of America awarded the album with Gold certification for sales of 500,000 copies in the United States, and on August 23, 2005, it was released for the first time on compact disc as one of two albums on one CD, the other album being her 1976 release, Music, Music.

<i>Helen Reddys Greatest Hits</i> 1975 compilation album by Helen Reddy

Helen Reddy's Greatest Hits is a compilation album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy. It was released in 1975 by Capitol Records.

<i>Music, Music</i> 1976 studio album by Helen Reddy

Music, Music is the eighth studio album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy that was released in the summer of 1976 by Capitol Records and later described by J. Scott McClintock for AllMusic: "There are breezy, Bacharach-ian excursions, bluesy numbers, light country ('Mama'), jazzy ballads, and even a little Philly soul. On August 2 of that year the Recording Industry Association of America awarded the album with Gold certification for sales of 500,000 copies in the United States.

<i>Ear Candy</i> (Helen Reddy album) 1977 studio album by Helen Reddy

Ear Candy is the ninth studio album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy, released on 25 April 1977 by Capitol Records. The album included a modern take on the doo-wop genre, a Cajun number that gave the Melbourne native her first and only appearance on Billboard magazine's Country chart, and a dark self-parody on which Reddy proclaims: "I don't take no shit from nobody". Unusually, half of the songs recorded for Ear Candy were co-written by Reddy herself, including the second single: "The Happy Girls", Reddy's first self-penned A-side single since "I am Woman". The album's first single, a remake of the 1964 Cilla Black hit "You're My World", gave Reddy a final Top 40 hit.

<i>Well Sing in the Sunshine</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Helen Reddy

We'll Sing in the Sunshine is the tenth studio album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy that was released in 1978 by Capitol Records. The album included two songs that were also covered by Johnny Mathis in the first half of that year: "All I Ever Need", which came out on his March release, You Light Up My Life, and "Ready or Not", on which he duetted with Deniece Williams for their June release, That's What Friends Are For. Reddy also ventures into Beatles territory with their rockabilly number "One After 909" and takes on Jeff Lynne's "Poor Little Fool" with accompaniment in the vein of Electric Light Orchestra. This was her first album not to reach Billboard's Top LP's & Tapes chart. On February 23, 2010, it was released for the first time on compact disc as one of two albums on one CD, the other album being her 1977 release, Ear Candy. "Blue" was originally featured on the 1977 animated film Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure.

<i>Reddy</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Helen Reddy

Reddy is the eleventh studio album release by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy. Between 1971 and 1978, Reddy had ten studio albums released by Capitol Records, the label also having issued her Greatest Hits album and a concert album: Live in London, the latter issued in December 1978 - which same month Reddy filed suit claiming Capitol Records had shortchanged her $1,793,000, the suit being an apparent bid to win release from the label. However Reddy, issued in June 1979, would be released by Capitol Records, Reddy's tenure with the label extending to include her twelfth studio album: Take What You Find, issued in 1980.

<i>Take What You Find</i> 1980 studio album by Helen Reddy

Take What You Find is the twelfth studio album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy, released in 1980 by Capitol Records. It was her last album while under contract with the aforementioned record label before signing with MCA Records. Like the previous three -- We'll Sing in the Sunshine, Live In London, and Reddy—it failed to sell enough copies to reach Billboard magazine's list of the 200 Top LP's & Tapes of the week in the US but also became her first studio LP that didn't have a single appearing on either the Billboard Hot 100 or the magazine's Easy Listening chart.

<i>Absolutely the Best of Helen Reddy</i> 2003 compilation album by Helen Reddy

Absolutely the Best of Helen Reddy is a compilation album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy that was released in 2003 by Varèse Sarabande and includes both the original and hit single versions of "I Am Woman" in addition to several of her other popular recordings.

<i>The Woman I Am: The Definitive Collection</i> 2006 compilation album by Helen Reddy

The Woman I Am: The Definitive Collection is a compilation album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy that was released in 2006 by Capitol Records in conjunction with the publication of her autobiography The Woman I Am: A Memoir. Unique to this best-of disc are the live recordings of "The West Wind Circus" and "Mama" from her 1978 concert LP Live in London and the Sunset Boulevard tune "Surrender" from her 1998 album Center Stage.

References