Smiler (album)

Last updated

Smiler
Smiler (Rod Stewart).jpg
Studio album by
Rod Stewart
Released27 September 1974
RecordedNovember 1973-May 1974
Studio Morgan Studios, London and The Wick, Richmond
Genre
Length42:24
Label Mercury
Producer Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart chronology
Sing It Again Rod
(1973)		Smiler
(1974)		 Atlantic Crossing
(1975)
Singles from Smiler
  1. "Farewell"
    Released: 27 September 1974 [1] (UK)
  2. "Mine for Me"
    Released: November 1974 (US)

Smiler is the fifth solo album by English rock singer-songwriter Rod Stewart. It was released on 27 September 1974 [2] by Mercury Records. It reached number 1 in the UK album chart, and number 13 in the US.

Contents

The album includes the UK top ten single "Farewell", co-written by Stewart and long time collaborator Martin Quittenton. While the single was also released in the US, it was its B-side "Mine for Me", a song written for Stewart by Paul and Linda McCartney [3] that became a minor hit there, reaching number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100. [4]

The album also includes covers of Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke and Bob Dylan songs, as well as a duet with Elton John of John's song "Let Me Be Your Car". Stewart also covered Carole King's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" where 'Woman' is switched to 'Man'. The release of the album was held up for five months due to legal problems between Mercury Records and Warner Bros. Records.

Musicians appearing on the album included members of Stewart's band Faces, as well as frequent collaborators Martin Quittenton (guitars), Pete Sears (bass & keyboards), and Mickey Waller (drums).

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Christgau's Record Guide B− [6]
Rolling Stone (mixed) [7]
Džuboks (mixed) [8]

Track listing

  1. "Sweet Little Rock 'n' Roller" (Chuck Berry) – 3:43
  2. "Lochinvar" (Pete Sears) – 0:25
  3. "Farewell" (Rod Stewart, Martin Quittenton) – 4:34
  4. "Sailor" – (Stewart, Ronnie Wood) 3:35
  5. "Bring It On Home to Me/You Send Me" (Sam Cooke) – 3:57
  6. "Let Me Be Your Car" (Elton John, Bernie Taupin) – 4:56
  7. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Man" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Jerry Wexler) – 3:54
  8. "Dixie Toot" – (Stewart, Ronnie Wood) 3:27
  9. "Hard Road" (Harry Vanda, George Young) – 4:27
  10. "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" Instrumental (Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe) – 1:32
  11. "Girl from the North Country" (Bob Dylan) – 3:52
  12. "Mine for Me" (Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney) – 4:02

A 1991 CD compilation called 'back 2 back – 2 for 1' combined Smiler with Gasoline Alley . However, tracks 2, 9 and 10, were left out on this release.

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1974–75)Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [10] 8
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [11] 11
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts) [12] 28
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [13] 65
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [14] 29
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [15] 19
UK Albums (OCC) [16] 1
US Billboard 200 [17] 13

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [18] Gold100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Mulligan, Brian, ed. (21 September 1974). "Stewart LP Gets Push" (PDF). Music Week. London, England, U.K.: Billboard Publications, Inc.: 1. ISSN   0265-1548. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2023. Phonogram has lined up a major promotion campaign for the release of Rod Stewart's long-delayed album, Smiler, and new single on September 27
  2. ↑ Mulligan, Brian, ed. (21 September 1974). "Stewart LP Gets Push" (PDF). Music Week. London, England, U.K.: Billboard Publications, Inc.: 1. ISSN   0265-1548. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2023. Phonogram has lined up a major promotion campaign for the release of Rod Stewart's long-delayed album, Smiler, and new single on September 27
  3. ↑ "Mine For Me" The Paul McCartney Project. Retrieved 2015-12-26.
  4. ↑ "Rod Stewart - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  5. ↑ AllMusic review
  6. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved 13 March 2019– via robertchristgau.com.
  7. ↑ Rolling Stone review
  8. ↑ Konjović, S. "Rod Stewart – Smiler". Džuboks (in Serbian) (6 (second series)). Gornji Milanovac: Dečje novine: 24.
  9. ↑ "Smiler - Rod Stewart | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  10. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 295. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  11. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3896a". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  12. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN   978-951-1-21053-5.
  13. ↑ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   4-87131-077-9.
  14. ↑ "Charts.nz – Rod Stewart – Smiler". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Rod Stewart – Smiler". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Official Albums Chart on 13/19/1974 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Rod Stewart Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard . Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  18. ↑ "British album certifications – Rod Stewart – Smiler". British Phonographic Industry.
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