Smiler (album)

Last updated

Smiler
Smiler (Rod Stewart).jpg
Studio album by
Released27 September 1974
Recorded Morgan Studios, London and The Wick, Richmond November 1973-May 1974
Genre Rock music, British folk rock
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 September 27, 1974 [2] by Mercury Records. It reached number 1 in the UK album chart, and number 13 in the US. The album included 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.

Contents

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 [3]
Christgau's Record Guide B− [4]
Rolling Stone (mixed) [5]
Džuboks (mixed) [6]

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

Related Research Articles

Faces are an English rock band formed in London in 1969. It was formed by members of Small Faces after lead singer and guitarist Steve Marriott left to form Humble Pie. The remaining Small Faces—Ian McLagan (keyboards), Ronnie Lane, and Kenney Jones —were joined by guitarist Ronnie Wood and singer Rod Stewart, both from the Jeff Beck Group, and the new line-up was renamed Faces.

<i>Every Picture Tells a Story</i> 1971 studio album by Rod Stewart

Every Picture Tells a Story is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Rod Stewart, released on 28 May 1971, by Mercury Records. It incorporates hard rock, folk, and blues styles. It went to number one on both the UK and US charts and finished third in the Jazz & Pop critics' poll for best album of 1971. It has been an enduring critical success, including a number 172 ranking on Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maggie May</span> 1971 single by Rod Stewart

"Maggie May" is a song co-written by singer Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton, and performed by Rod Stewart on his album Every Picture Tells a Story, released in 1971.

<i>Long Player</i> (album) 1971 studio album by Faces

Long Player is the second album by the British rock group Faces, released in February 1971. Among the highlights are a live cover version of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed", the ballads "Richmond" and "Sweet Lady Mary", the party tune "Had Me a Real Good Time", and uptempo saloon bar rocker "Bad 'n' Ruin". Two tracks, "Maybe I'm Amazed" and "I Feel So Good", were recorded live at the Fillmore East, New York City, on 10 November 1970.

<i>First Step</i> (Faces album) 1970 studio album by Faces

First Step is the debut studio album by the English rock band Faces, released on 27 March 1970 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was released only a few months after the Faces had formed from the ashes of the Small Faces and The Jeff Beck Group. The album is credited to the Small Faces on all North American issues and reissues, while record labels for initial vinyl printings give the title as The First Step.

<i>Coast to Coast: Overture and Beginners</i> 1974 live album by Rod Stewart/Faces

Coast to Coast: Overture and Beginners is a 1974 live album credited to Rod Stewart/Faces. Stewart's practice was not giving concerts as a solo act at the time, but rather appearing jointly with the Faces, thus the dual crediting.

<i>Five Guys Walk into a Bar...</i> 2004 box set by Faces

Five Guys Walk into a Bar... is a comprehensive four-disc retrospective of the British rock group Faces released in 2004, collecting sixty-seven tracks from among the group's four studio albums, assorted rare single A and B-sides, BBC sessions, rehearsal tapes and one track from a promotional flexi-disc, "Dishevelment Blues" – a deliberately-sloppy studio romp, captured during the sessions for their Ooh La La album, which was never actually intended for official release.

<i>Gasoline Alley</i> (album) 1970 studio album by Rod Stewart

Gasoline Alley is the second solo studio album by the British singer-songwriter Rod Stewart. It was released on 12 June 1970 by Vertigo Records. It is a collection of covers combined with Stewart's own compositions. Like many of Stewart's solo albums from the period, it featured significant musical contributions from the other members of his band Faces.

<i>It Aint Easy</i> (Long John Baldry album) 1971 studio album by Long John Baldry

It Ain't Easy is a 1971 album by Long John Baldry. It marked his return to the edgier blues sound that he performed in the mid-60s. It was Baldry's fifth solo album.

<i>Never a Dull Moment</i> (Rod Stewart album) 1972 studio album by Rod Stewart

Never a Dull Moment is the fourth solo album by rock musician Rod Stewart. It was released on 21 July 1972; that year it became a UK number-one album and reached number two on the US Album chart. The track "You Wear It Well", co-written by Stewart and classical guitarist Martin Quittenton, was a smash hit, as well as "Twisting the Night Away", a song originally recorded by Sam Cooke.

<i>Sister Kate</i> (album) 1971 studio album by Kate Taylor

Sister Kate is singer Kate Taylor's first album, released in 1971.

<i>An Old Raincoat Wont Ever Let You Down</i> 1969 studio album by Rod Stewart

An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down is the debut solo studio album by Rod Stewart. First released in the United States in November 1969 as The Rod Stewart Album, the album peaked at No. 139 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. It was later released in the United Kingdom with the modified title in February 1970. Stewart's Faces bandmates Ronnie Wood and Ian McLagan also appear on the album, along with Keith Emerson, Jeff Beck Group drummer Micky Waller and guitarists Martin Pugh and Martin Quittenton.

<i>Sing It Again Rod</i> 1973 compilation album by Rod Stewart

Sing It Again Rod is the first compilation album by Rod Stewart released in 1973. The album is notable for its Peter Corriston-designed die-cut album sleeve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steamhammer (band)</span> English rock band

Steamhammer are an English rock band from Worthing, England, that were formed in 1968 by vocalist Kieran White, guitarists Martin Quittenton and Martin Pugh, bassist Steve Davy, and drummer Michael Rushton.

Michael Waller was an English drummer, who played with many of the biggest names on the UK rock and blues scene, after he became a professional musician in 1960. In addition to being a member, albeit sometimes briefly, of some of the seminal bands of the 1960s, Waller played as a session musician with a host of UK and US artists.

<i>Ive Got My Own Album to Do</i> 1974 studio album by Ronnie Wood

I've Got My Own Album to Do is the first solo album by English rock musician Ronnie Wood, released in September 1974. An all-star project recorded outside of his activities with the Faces, it reached number 27 on the UK's NME chart. The album title was thought to be a dig at Rod Stewart, who appeared to be more committed to his solo career than working with the Faces. Wood has said that the title originated from contributors such as George Harrison and Mick Jagger "nagging me to let them go home" and finish their own projects. The album was recorded at The Wick, Wood's house in Richmond, south-west London.

<i>Steamhammer</i> (album) 1969 studio album by Steamhammer

Steamhammer was the debut album by the British rock band Steamhammer, issued in March 1969. Steamhammer was American blues guitarist Freddy King's backing band whenever he toured England. The musicians in the band were Martin Quittenton (guitar), Kieran White, Martin Pugh (guitar), Steve Davy (bass), and Michael Rushton (drums). The album includes classic blues numbers by B.B. King and Eddie Boyd, as well as compositions by band members White, Quittenton, and Pugh. The session musicians Harold McNair (flute) and Pete Sears (piano) also appear on the album.

<i>Tommy</i> (soundtrack) 1975 soundtrack album by The Who

Tommy is a soundtrack album by The Who with contributions from numerous artists. The soundtrack was used in the 1975 Tommy film that was based on the original album that was released by The Who in 1969. Pete Townshend oversaw the production of this double-LP recording that returned the music to its rock roots, and on which the unrecorded orchestral arrangements he had envisaged for the original Tommy LP were realised by the extensive use of synthesiser.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Every Picture Tells a Story (song)</span> 1972 single by Rod Stewart

"Every Picture Tells a Story" is a song written by Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood and initially released as the title track of Stewart's 1971 album Every Picture Tells a Story. It has since become one of Stewart's signature songs and released on numerous Stewart compilation and live albums, including The Best of Rod Stewart, Storyteller – The Complete Anthology: 1964–1990 and Unplugged...and Seated. It was released as a single in Spain, Portugal and Japan, backed with "Reason to Believe". It has also been covered by the Georgia Satellites on their 1986 album Georgia Satellites and by Robin McAuley on Forever Mod: A Tribute to Rod Stewart.

<i>The Definitive Rock Collection</i> (Faces album) 2007 compilation album by Faces

The Definitive Rock Collection is a two-disc retrospective of the British rock group Faces released in 2007, collecting thirty tracks from among the group's four studio albums, various single A and B-sides, and an outtake from the sessions for a proposed but ultimately abandoned 1975 album.

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. AllMusic review
  4. 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.
  5. Rolling Stone review
  6. Konjović, S. "Rod Stewart – Smiler". Džuboks (in Serbian) (6 (second series)). Gornji Milanovac: Dečje novine: 24.
  7. "Smiler - Rod Stewart | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic .