My Boy (Richard Harris album)

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My Boy
My Boy Richard Harris album cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 1971
Studio Chapell's Studios and Advision Studios
Genre Vocal, baroque pop, rock
Length40:15
Label Dunhill
Producer Johnny Harris, Bill Martin / Phil Coulter
Richard Harris chronology
The Yard Went On Forever
(1968)
My Boy
(1971)
Slides
(1972)

My Boy is the third studio album of Richard Harris, released in 1971 by Dunhill Records. The album is about a love story between two people, which in time, develops from something platonic to a lost romance in their couplehood. They are only four Jimmy Webb songs on this album. [1]

Contents

Origins of the album

In the year 1971, during a visit to Britain, Dunhill Records president, Jay Lasker, completed a record deal negotiations with Richard Harris. His first single release My Boy, which entered a music contest at Radio Luxembourg Grand Prix. [2]

Reception

The album received mixed reviews, with William York from AllMusic describing it as "another difficult (and depressing) concept album". [3] He further notes that this album is not for those seeking standard Harris fare, and those who want to introduce themselves to his art should start with A Tramp Shining or one of the "best-of" offerings. [3] A review by Jean Ehmsen of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch focused on the strengths of Harris' voice, along with the romantic and paternal aspects of the album while ignoring any darker overtones. [4]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]

Track listing

The album concept and synopsis by Richard Harris. [5]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Beth" Jimmy Webb 1:58
2."Sidewalk Song"Jimmy Webb3:21
3."Proposal" Bill Martin, Phil Coulter 3:23
4."Ballad To An Unborn Child" Johnny Harris, John Bromley3:00
5."This Is Our Child"Bill Martin, Phil Coulter3:36
6."Like Father Like Son"Johnny Harris, John Bromley3:06
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Requiem"Jimmy Webb5:02
2."This Is Where I Came In"Jimmy Webb3:37
3."Why Do You Leave Me?"Richard Harris, Bill Whelan 2:36
4."All The Broken Children"Richard Harris2:36
5."My Boy"Bill Martin, Phil Coulter3:18
6."This Is The Way"Johnny Harris, John Bromley4:42
Total length:40:15

Personnel

Technical

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References

  1. ABC/Dunhill celebrated the actor-singer's new "My Boy" album - Billboard 27 Nov 1971
  2. ABC-Dunhill Probe U.K Promotion - Billboard 30 Oct 1971
  3. 1 2 3 "My Boy - Richard Harris | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" via www.allmusic.com.
  4. Ehmsen, Jean (20 January 1972). "Record Reviews: Benefit For Refugess". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 5D via newspapers.com.
  5. Harris active in films, disks - Billboard 29 Jan 1972