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The Hungry Years | |
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Studio album by | |
Released | 1975 |
Genre | Pop |
Label | The Rocket Record Company |
Producer | Neil Sedaka, Robert Appere |
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Christgau's Record Guide | C+ [1] |
The Hungry Years is an album by Neil Sedaka, the title of which is an eponymous track from the album. It was released by The Rocket Record Company in 1975.
The album is the American edition of Overnight Success , with two songs being replaced.
"Bad Blood," a duet with Elton John, hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, was certified gold, and was the most commercially successful single of his career; his follow-up, a slowed-down, bluesy remake of his 1962 #1 smash "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," hit #8 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart over December 1975-January 1976. "The Queen of 1964," from his British-released Overnight Success album, reached #35 in the UK in March 1975. The title track, one of Sedaka's most frequently requested non-single tracks, marked Sedaka's reunion with Howard Greenfield after having broken off their partnership in 1973.
The Captain and Tennille covered "Lonely Night (Angel Face)", a track from The Hungry Years; their version reached #3 on the Hot 100 and was certified gold. The song dea Sedaka and Greenfield would again work together more regularly in the late 1970s.
All music composed by Sedaka; lyricist in (parentheses).
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada) [2] | Gold | 50,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [3] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Neil Sedaka is an American pop singer, pianist, composer, songwriter and record producer. Since his music career began in 1957, he has sold millions of records as a performer and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and others, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard "Howie" Greenfield and Phil Cody.
Greatest Hits is the eleventh official album release for English musician Elton John, and the first compilation. Released in November 1974, it spans the years 1970 to 1974, compiling ten of John's singles, with one track variation for releases in North America and for Europe and Australia. It topped the album chart in both the United States and the United Kingdom, staying at number one for ten consecutive weeks in the former nation and eleven weeks in the latter.
Howard Greenfield was an American lyricist and songwriter, who for several years in the 1960s worked out of the famous Brill Building. He is best known for his successful songwriting collaborations, including one with Neil Sedaka from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s, and near-simultaneous songwriting partnerships with Jack Keller and Helen Miller throughout most of the 1960s.
"Laughter in the Rain" is a song composed and recorded by Neil Sedaka, with lyrics by Phil Cody. It includes a 20-second saxophone solo by Jim Horn.
"Love Will Keep Us Together" is a song written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield. It was first recorded by Sedaka in 1973. American pop duo Captain & Tennille covered the song in 1975, with instrumental backing almost entirely by “Captain” Daryl Dragon, with the exception of drums played by Hal Blaine; their version became a worldwide hit.
"Bad Blood" is a popular song written by Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody. The song, with uncredited backing vocals by Elton John, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975, remaining in the top position for three weeks. It was certified Gold by the RIAA and was the most successful individual commercial release in Sedaka's career. "Bad Blood" was replaced at the number 1 spot by John's single "Island Girl".
"Lonely Night " is a song written by Neil Sedaka. The song was first recorded by Sedaka and appeared as a track on his 1975 studio album, The Hungry Years. The following year the song was made popular when covered by the pop music duo Captain & Tennille, who took their version to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Solitaire is a 1972 album by American singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka.
The Tra-La Days Are Over is a 1973 album by American singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka.
Sedaka's Back is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka. The record, composed of selections from his previous three albums, which had been released only in the UK, was released on Elton John's label, The Rocket Record Company, in 1974. Three singles were released from this album: "Laughter in the Rain", "The Immigrant" and "That's When the Music Takes Me." The latter two songs were both Top 40 hits. Also included were songs that were turned into hits by other artists: "Solitaire" and "Love Will Keep Us Together". The album reached No. 23 on the US Billboard album charts and was certified Gold for shipping half a million sales.
Love Will Keep Us Together is the first release by the duo Captain & Tennille. It was released in 1975 by A&M Records in both stereo (SP-4552) and CD-4 quadraphonic (QU-54552) versions. The album would peak at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 album chart, while the title song, "Love Will Keep Us Together", won the Grammy Award for Record Of The Year and was nominated for Song Of The Year.
The Other Side of Me is the thirty-fifth studio album by American pop singer Andy Williams, released in the summer of 1975 by Columbia Records and including the 1973 recording of "Solitaire" from his album of the same name alongside 10 original recordings, four of which were also by "Solitaire" composer Neil Sedaka. After unsuccessful attempts to leave behind the formulaic album genre of easy listening covers of pop hits, The Other Side of Me offered a compromise by filling half of the sides with material that was popularized by other artists and the other half with either new or obscure selections.
Steppin' Out is a 1976 album containing the works of Neil Sedaka. In America it was the third and final album of a trilogy of albums issued by The Rocket Record Company. Outside America Steppin' Out was issued on the Polydor label. In 1998, the Varèse Sarabande label reissued Steppin' Out and included four bonus tracks.
Overnight Success is a 1975 studio album containing the works of Neil Sedaka. It was released in the UK and throughout Europe on the Polydor label, and Australia on the Rainbow label. Later that same year, in the US, most of this album was issued under the title The Hungry Years, with two songs from the British album replaced on the American album.
A Song is an in-studio album containing the works of American pop star Neil Sedaka. It was produced by George Martin and released in 1977 on the Elektra label in the US, marking the beginning of Sedaka's association with Elektra, which would run through 1981. Outside of the US, A Song was released on the Polydor label.
Laughter in the Rain: The Best of Neil Sedaka, 1974–1980 is a compilation album containing the works of American pop singer Neil Sedaka. The album is composed mostly of material from his tenure with The Rocket Record Company in the mid-1970s. The title of this album is something of a misnomer, as it contains some material recorded prior to 1974. The album was released on compact disc in the US by Varèse Sarabande in 1994.
In the Pocket is a 1980 in-studio album by American pop singer Neil Sedaka. In America, it marked his third album on the Elektra label. Elsewhere around the world, it was released on the Polydor label. The first single issued was "Letting Go," in the autumn of 1979, but the single did not manage to reach the Hot 100.
The Good Times is a 1986 album by American pop singer Neil Sedaka. It was originally issued on the Curb label in the US and by Precision Records and Tapes Ltd. in the UK.
My Friend is a 1986 compilation album containing the works of American pop star Neil Sedaka. It was dedicated to Sedaka's lifelong friend and songwriting partner, Howard Greenfield, who died of AIDS-related complications that year. The album was issued on the Polydor label.
"Our Last Song Together" is a 1973 song recorded by Neil Sedaka. It is a track from his LP The Tra-La Days Are Over, and was the third of four single releases from the album.