Looking Through a Tear

Last updated

Looking Through A Tear
LP LTAT.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 1970
RecordedDecember 1969–April 1970
Genre Pop
Label EMI, Columbia
Producer Howard Gable
Arrangements: Johnny Hawker
Johnny Farnham chronology
Everybody Oughta Sing a Song
(1968)
Looking Through A Tear
(1970)
Christmas Is... Johnny Farnham
(1970)
Singles from Looking Through A Tear
  1. "One"
    Released: July 1969
  2. "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"
    Released: November 1969

Looking Through A Tear is the third studio album by Australian pop singer Johnny Farnham, the title of which relates to a song on the album, which is a cover of an Aretha Franklin number. it was released in Australia by EMI Records in July 1970. [1] [2] [3] Farnham's covers of Harry Nilsson's penned "One" which became a hit for Three Dog Night and a cover B. J. Thomas' single "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" were released as singles, and helped to propel the album to No. 11 on the Australian Kent Music Report Album Charts. [4] "One"/"Mr. Whippy" (non-album track) was released as a double A-side in July 1969 and peaked at No. 4 on the Go-Set National Singles Charts. [5] "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" was released in November and peaked at No. 1 for seven weeks in January–March 1970. [6] [7] Farnham wrote two songs for the album.

Contents

Background

Farnham's first solo single was the novelty song entitled "Sadie (The Cleaning Lady)", which was released in November 1967, it made No. 1 on the Go-Set National Singles Charts in January 1968 and remained there for five weeks. [8] Selling 180 000 copies in Australia, "Sadie (The Cleaning Lady)" was the highest selling single by an Australian artist of the decade. [2] [3] Farnham's first album, Sadie , produced by David Mackay was released in April. [9] Almost immediately, Farnham was recording his second album, Everybody Oughta Sing a Song released in November. [1] [9] This was followed by a non-album single, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", in November 1968. [4] In July 1969, Farnham released a cover of Harry Nilsson's "One" with another novelty song, "Mr. Whippy", as a double A-side single, Produced by Howard Gable which peaked at No. 4 on the Go-Set National Singles Charts. [5] Farnham then released a cover of B. J. Thomas' "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" also produced by Howard Gable, in November, which peaked at No. 1 for seven weeks in January–March 1970. [6] Both of these singles were contained on his third album, Looking Through A Tear released in July 1970, which peaked at No. 11 on the Kent Music Report Albums Charts. [4]

Track listing

  1. "One" (Harry Nilsson) – 2:49
  2. "I've Been Rained On" (Dallas Frazier) – 2:22
  3. "Mirror of My Mind" (Flynn (Mick Fynn) Douglas (pseudonym, used by Buddy England) – 2:15
  4. "The World Goes Round and Round" (Michael Kunze, Ralph Siegel) – 3:55
  5. "All Night Girl" (Peter Lee Stirling, John Barry Mason, Sylvan Whittingham) – 2:06
  6. "You're Breaking Me Up" (Roy Wood) – 2:28
  7. "Two" (John Farnham) – 4:42
  8. "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" (Hal David, Burt Bacharach) – 2:29
  9. "Looking Through A Tear" (Bobby Scott, Arthur Resnick) – 3:40
  10. "Visions of Sugarplums" Jerry Fuller, Glen Campbell) – 2:12
  11. "What Can I Do" (John Farnham) – 2:43
  12. "In a Moment of Madness" (Ralph Freed, Jimmy McHugh) – 2:48
  13. "Ain't Society Great" (Bobby Russell) – 2:34
  14. "1432 Franklin Pike Circle Hero" (Bobby Russell) – 3:58

Chart positions

YearChartPosition
1970 Kent Music Report Albums Chart [4] 11
Go-Set Albums Chart [10] 9

Related Research Articles

John Farnham Australian singer

John Peter Farnham AO is a British-born Australian singer. Farnham was a teen pop idol from 1967 until 1979, billed then as Johnny Farnham, but has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist, although he replaced Glenn Shorrock as lead singer of Little River Band from 1982 to 1985.

<i>One Voice: Greatest Hits</i> 2003 greatest hits album by John Farnham

One Voice: The Greatest Hits is a 2 disc greatest hits compilation album by Australian singer John Farnham. The album was released in Australia on 20 October 2003, and was accompanied by a DVD of music videos titled One Voice: The Greatest Clips. It was released to celebrate 35 years of John Farnham's career.

Colleen Hewett is an Australian theatre and TV actress, and a popular singer and recording artist

Sadie (The Cleaning Lady) 1967 single by Johnny Farnham

"Sadie " was Australian pop singer Johnny Farnham's first solo single. The novelty song was released in November 1967 and was No. 1 on the Go-Set National Singles Charts for five weeks in early 1968. It was the largest selling single in Australia by an Australian artist in the 1960s. The single, "Sadie" sold approximately 183,000 copies in Australia and was the highest selling Australian single until "Up There Cazaly" was released in 1979. and was also released in New Zealand, Denmark and Germany. The B-side, "In My Room" was written by Farnham. The A-side's label includes the acknowledgement "Vacuum cleaner solo: Mr. Jolly".

<i>Whispering Jack</i> 1986 studio album by John Farnham

Whispering Jack is the twelfth studio album by Australian adult contemporary pop singer John Farnham. It was produced by Ross Fraser, and released on 20 October 1986, peaking at #1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Album Charts. Whispering Jack has become the second best-selling-album in Australia, behind Meatloaf's album Bat Out of Hell, and the highest selling album in Australia by an Australian artist - 24x platinum indicating sales of over 1.68 million copies sold. It spent 25 weeks at the No. 1 spot on the Album Charts during 1986–1987, it was awarded the 1987 ARIA Award for "Album of the Year", and was the best charting album for the decade of the 1980s in Australia. It was the first Australian-made album to be released on Compact Disc within Australia. One of Farnham's biggest hits, "You're the Voice" was issued as the lead single from this album and peaked at No. 1 on the Kent Music Report Singles Charts.

John Farnham discography

John Farnham, billed as Johnny Farnham during 1964–1979, is a British-born Australian pop singer who has released 19 studio albums, three extended plays, 19 compilation albums, six live albums, 17 video albums, 74 singles, 25 music videos and 12 soundtracks. His career has mostly been as a solo artist but he replaced Glenn Shorrock as lead singer of Little River Band during 1982–1985. Aside from solo releases, Farnham has recorded duets with other solo artists or with bands.

<i>Fancy</i> (Bobbie Gentry album) 1970 studio album by Bobbie Gentry

Fancy is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry. It was released on April 6, 1970, by Capitol Records. The album was produced by Rick Hall and recorded at his FAME Recording Studios, apart from Wedding Bell Blues and Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head which were produced by Gentry herself, and recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California. The cover art for the album is an uncredited painting of Gentry, based upon a reference photograph. According to the liner notes for the 2004 compilation Chickasaw County Child: The Artistry of Bobbie Gentry, the painting is believed to have been done by Gentry herself.

<i>Anthology 2: Classic Hits 1967–1985 (Recorded Live)</i> 1997 greatest hits album by John Farnham

Anthology 2: Classic Hits 1967–1985 is a greatest hits compilation album by Australian singer John Farnham. The album was released in Australia on 29 September 1997, and is the second of a three disc Anthology set. The album features live recorded version of Farnhams "Classic Hits", rare soundtrack songs as well as a cover of Australian band Cold Chisels, "When the War Is Over" and the Beatles classic hit "And I Love Her".

<i>The Last Time</i> (album) 2002 studio album by John Farnham

The Last Time is a studio album by Australian singer John Farnham. The album was released in Australia on 7 October 2002 and reached No. 1 in the ARIA charts with triple platinum status. The album featured three singles, including "No Ordinary World", "Keep Talking" and the title song "The Last Time".

<i>Uncovered</i> (John Farnham album) 1980 studio album by John Farnham

Uncovered is a solo studio album by British-born Australian singer John Farnham, produced by Little River Band's Graeham Goble, and released on 3 July 1980, which peaked at No. 20 on the Australian Kent Music Report album chart. Farnham's first single from the album was a reworking of the Beatles' song "Help!"; it peaked at No. 8 on the Kent Music Report singles chart. The second single "Please Don't Ask Me" peaked at No. 67, and a re-release in 1991 as a live version as part of the Full House album reached No. 22. In 2000, to coincide with its 20th anniversary, Uncovered was re-mastered by Goble and re-released.

<i>Sadie</i> (album) 1968 studio album by Johnny Farnham

Sadie is the debut studio album by Australian pop singer John Farnham it was released by EMI Records in April 1968. The lead single, "Sadie " had been released in November 1967, it was No. 1 on the Go-Set National Singles Charts for five weeks, and was the largest selling single in Australia by an Australian artist in the 1960s. The single, "Sadie " sold approximately 180,000 copies in Australia, and was also released in New Zealand, Denmark and Germany. The second follow up album single was Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwichs "Friday Kind of Monday" included on the album and was released in March as a double-A side with a cover of Flanagan and Allens, "Underneath the Arches" as Farnham's second single, which peaked at No. 6.

<i>Everybody Oughta Sing a Song</i> 1968 studio album by Johnny Farnham

Everybody Oughta Sing A Song is the second solo studio album by Australian pop singer John Farnham and was released on EMI Records in November 1968. Its first single, released in July, was the double A-sided, "Jamie"/"I Don't Want To Love You", which peaked at No. 8 on the Go-Set National Singles Charts. The second single, "Rose Coloured Glasses" was released in October and peaked at No. 16. Writers on the album included Hans Poulsen, Neil Diamond and Quincy Jones. The album was re-released in 1974 with a different cover, it shows Farnham performing live on stage, whereas the initial 1968 release had him leaning against a Holden Monaro.

<i>Christmas Is Johnny Farnham</i> 1970 studio album by Johnny Farnham

Christmas Is... Johnny Farnham is a studio album of Christmas songs recorded by Australian pop singer John Farnham and released on EMI Records in December 1970. The single, "Christmas Happy", was also released in December. It would be Farnham's only Christmas album until some 46 years later, when in 2016 he would release Friends for Christmas, a duet seasonal album with Olivia Newton-John.

<i>Johnny</i> (John Farnham album) 1971 studio album by Johnny Farnham

Johnny is the fifth studio album by Australian pop singer John Farnham, which was released on HMV for EMI Records in August 1971. It peaked at No. 24 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Charts. Farnham had earlier No. 1 singles with "Sadie " in 1968 and his cover of "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" in 1970; a non-album single, "Acapulco Sun" was released in May 1971 but there were no charting singles from Johnny. The album features compositions from artists as diverse as George Harrison, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Joe South and George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin

<i>The Best of Johnny Farnham</i> 1971 greatest hits album by Johnny Farnham

The Best Of Johnny Farnham is the first compilation album by Australian singer Johnny Farnham, it was released on World Record Club in 1971. "Sadie " was first released in November 1967 and peaked at No. 1 on the Go-Set National Singles Charts for five weeks early in 1968. His cover of the B. J. Thomas hit "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" had been released in November 1969 and peaked at No. 1 for seven weeks in January–March 1970. The album cover was available in a variety of colours including orange, red and blue.

The Masters Apprentices were an Australian rock band fronted by Jim Keays on lead vocals, which formed in 1965 in Adelaide, South Australia, relocated to Melbourne, Victoria in February 1967 and attempted to break into the United Kingdom market from 1970, before disbanding in 1972. Their popular Australian singles are "Undecided", "Living in a Child's Dream", "5:10 Man", "Think About Tomorrow Today", "Turn Up Your Radio" and "Because I Love You". The band launched the career of bass guitarist Glenn Wheatley, who later became a music industry entrepreneur and an artist talent manager for both Little River Band and John Farnham.

<i>Together</i> (John Farnham and Allison Durbin album) 1971 studio album by Johnny Farnham, Allison Durbin

Together is a studio album of duets by Australian pop singers John Farnham and Allison Durbin, which was released on HMV for EMI Records in September 1971. It peaked at No. 20 on the Australian Go-Set's Albums Chart.

<i>Raindrops Keep Fallin on My Head</i> (Andy Williams album) 1970 studio album by Andy Williams

Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head is the twenty-fifth studio album by American pop singer Andy Williams and was released in the spring of 1970 by Columbia Records. Williams was less focused on covering recent hits on this project and instead selected several songs from the singer-songwriter genre. Billboard magazine opined that the album "may well be titled 'A Journey Through Life.' Through carefully selected songs it conveys a message of dreams, hopes, reality, frustrations and ultimate truth."

<i>Raindrops Keep Fallin on My Head</i> (Johnny Mathis album) 1970 studio album by Johnny Mathis

Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on February 25, 1970, by Columbia Records and included several covers of chart hits from the previous year along with 1964's "Watch What Happens" and the 1966 tunes "Alfie" and "A Man and a Woman".

Raindrops Keep Fallin on My Head 1969 single by B. J. Thomas

"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The uplifting lyrics describe somebody who overcomes his troubles and worries by realizing that "it won't be long 'till happiness steps up to greet me."

References

  1. 1 2 McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'John Farnham'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop . St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN   1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 29 August 2004. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  2. 1 2 Jenkins, Jeff; Ian Meldrum (2007). Molly Meldrum presents 50 years of rock in Australia. Melbourne, Vic: Wilkinson Publishing. ISBN   978-1-921332-11-1 . Retrieved 5 September 2009.
  3. 1 2 Creswell, Toby; Samantha Trenoweth (2006). 1001 Australians You Should Know. North Melbourne, Vic: Pluto Press. pp. 84–85. ISBN   978-1-86403-361-8 . Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
  5. 1 2 "Go-Set search engine results for "One/Mr. Whippy"". Go-Set . Waverley Press. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
  6. 1 2 "Go-Set search engine results for "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"". Go-Set . Waverley Press. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
  7. "Go-Set Magazine's Number One Singles in Australia 1966–1974". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
  8. "Go-Set search engine results for "Sadie (The Cleaning Lady)"". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
  9. 1 2 Holmgren, Magnus; Reboulet, Scott; Albury, Lyn; Birtles, Beeb; Warnqvist, Stefan; Medlin, Peter. "John Farnham". Passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  10. "Go-Set search engine results for Looking Through a Tear". Go-Set. Waverley Press. Retrieved 5 September 2009. NOTE: Contemporary national Top 20 album charts were compiled by Ed Nimmervoll for Go-Set from May 1970 to August 1974.