R.E.O. Speedwagon (album)

R.E.O. Speedwagon
Studio album by REO Speedwagon
Released	October 1971
Recorded	1970–1971
Studio	Connecticut Recording Studios Inc. "Prison Women" recorded at Columbia Recording Studios in Chicago, Illinois
Genre	Rock, hard rock, progressive rock
Length	38:10
Label	Epic
Producer	Paul Leka, Billy Rose II
REO Speedwagon chronology
R.E.O. Speedwagon (1971) R.E.O./T.W.O. (1972)
Singles from R.E.O. Speedwagon
"Sophisticated Lady" Released: 1971

R.E.O. Speedwagon is the debut studio album by American rock band REO Speedwagon. Released in 1971, it was the only album recorded with singer Terry Luttrell, who would go on to join Starcastle. Kevin Cronin joined the band for R.E.O./T.W.O. This album concluded with a progressive rock song unlike the later arena rock songs that made them famous. ^[1]

History

The album produced the fan favorites “157 Riverside Avenue”, “Sophisticated Lady” and “Lay Me Down”, but sold very poorly, though “Sophisticated Lady” did reach number 122 on the singles charts. ^[2] “157 Riverside Avenue” and “Lay Me Down” were subsequently recorded on the live album Live: You Get What You Play For. “157 Riverside Avenue” and “Sophisticated Lady” were both featured on the compilation album A Decade of Rock and Roll: 1970-1980. In 2007, the British company BGO Records released REO Speedwagon and R.E.O./T.W.O. together (BGOCD775), marking the first time the band's first album was widely available in CD format. For some unknown reason, Epic Records never issued this first album on the cassette tape format (but they did issue an 8-Track Stereo Tape Cartridge version of it).

Record World called the single "Sophisticated Lady" "ultra-energy music of the sort that enlivens top 40 formats." ^[3]

Record World called the single "Lay Me Down" a "hard, but not too hard, rock number" and "exciting music." ^[4]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[5]

Track listing

All songs written by Neal Doughty, Alan Gratzer, Terry Luttrell, Gregg Philbin, and Gary Richrath.

Side one

1. "Gypsy Woman's Passion"  – 5:17
2. "157 Riverside Avenue"  – 3:57
3. "Anti-Establishment Man"  – 5:21
4. "Lay Me Down"  – 3:51

Side two

5. "Sophisticated Lady"  – 4:00
6. "Five Men Were Killed Today"  – 3:00
7. "Prison Women"  – 2:36
8. "Dead at Last"  – 10:08

Personnel

REO Speedwagon ^[6]

• Terry Luttrell - lead vocals
• Gary Richrath - guitar
• Neal Doughty - keyboards
• Gregg Philbin - bass, backing vocals
• Alan Gratzer - drums, backing vocals

Additional personnel ^[6]

• Andre Borly - organ (track 6)
• Freedom Soul Singers - backing vocals (track 8)

Charts

Singles - Billboard (United States)

Year	Single	Chart	Position [7]
1972	"Sophisticated Lady"	Bubbling Under the Hot 100	122

Release history

Region	Date	Title	Label	Format	Catalog #
USA	October 1971	R.E.O. Speedwagon	Epic Records	Stereo Vinyl	E-31089
USA	1971	R.E.O. Speedwagon	Epic Records	8 Track	ET-31089
UK	1993	R.E.O. Speedwagon	Epic Records	CD	9829672
UK	2007	R.E.O. Speedwagon / R.E.O./T.W.O.	BGO Records	2-CD (Digitally re-mastered)	BGOCD775
Japan	2011	R.E.O. Speedwagon	Sony Music	CD (DSD-Remaster)	EICP 1480
Germany	2013	R.E.O. Speedwagon	Yellow Label	(Coloured) Vinyl	SPV 265961 LP

References

1. Roll Over Beethoven. Emusic Spotlight.
2. Billboard - R.E.O. Speedwagon, Sophisticated Lady. March 4, 1972. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
3. "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. January 15, 1972. p. 12. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
4. "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. July 15, 1972. p. 10. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
5. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. REO Speedwagon: R.E.O. Speedwagon at AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
6. R.E.O. Speedwagon — R.E.O. Speedwagon / R.E.O.T.W.O. BGO Records. 2007. p. 4.
7. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Top Pop Singles 1955-2012. Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research, Inc. p. 702. ISBN   978-0-89820-205-2.