Tag Archives: 500 greatest albums of all time

U2: War

U2_War

On February 28, 1983, “Island” label released “War”, the third U2 studio album. It was recorded May – August 1982, at “Windmill Lane Studios” in Dublin, and was produced by Steve Lillywhite and Bill Whelan. In 2012, magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked “War” at number 223  on its list of  the “500 Greatest Albums of all Time”.

Personnel:

  • Bono – lead vocals, additional guitar
  • The Edge – lead and backing vocals, guitar, piano, lap steel, bass
  • Adam Clayton– bass
  • Larry Mullen, Jr.– drums
  • Kenny Fradley – trumpet
  • Steve Wickham– electric violin
  • The Coconuts: Cheryl Poirier, Adriana Kaegi, Taryn Hagey, Jessica Felton – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr..

  1. Sunday Bloody Sunday
  2. Seconds
  3. New Year’s Day
  4. Like a Song
  5. Drowning Man
  6. The Refugee
  7. Two Hearts Beat As One
  8. Red Light
  9. Surrender
  10. 40

Van Morrison: Moondance

Van Morrison Moondance

On February 28, 1970, “Warner Bros” label released “Moondance”, the  third Van Morrison studio album. It was recorded August – December 1969, at “A & R Studios” in New York, and was produced by Lewis Merenstein and Van Morrison. The album was certified 3 x Platinum in US by the “RIAA,” In 1989 “Spin” magazine ranked “Moondance” at number 21 at list of the “All-time 25 Greatest Albums”; in 1999, the album was inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”; in 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Moondance” at number 65 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of all Time”; in 2006 Time” included the album in its list of “The All-Time 100 Albums”, and in 2007, the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” named it as one of their “Definitive 200” albums, ranking it 72nd.

Personnel:

  • Van Morrison– vocals, guitar, rhythm guitar,  tambourine,  harmonica
  • John Platania– guitar, rhythm guitar
  • Jef Labes– organ, piano, clavinet
  • John Klingberg – bass
  • Gary Mallaber– drums, vibraphone
  • Guy Masson – conga
  • Jack Schroer– alto and soprano saxophones
  • Collin Tilton – flute, tenor saxophone
  • Emily Houston– backing vocals
  • Judy Clay– backing vocals
  • Jackie Verdell– backing vocals

Track listing

All tracks by Van Morrison.

  1. And It Stoned Me
  2. Moondance
  3. Crazy Love
  4. Caravan
  5. Into the Music
  6. Come Running
  7. These Dreams of You
  8. Brand New Day
  9. Everyone
  10. Glad Tidings

PJ Harvey: To Bring You My Love

To_Bring_You_My_Love

On February 27, 1995, “Island” label released “To Bring You My Love”, the third PJ Harvey studio album. It was recorded September – October 1994, at “Townhouse Studios” in London, and was produced by John Parish and PJ Harvey. “Spin” magazine ranked the album at number 3 in a list of the “Best Albums of the 90s”; in 2003,  “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “To Bring You My Love” at number 435 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”; in 2011 “Slant Magazine”, rated the album as 20th best album of the 90s.

Personnel:

  • PJ Harvey- vocals, guitar, piano, organ, vibraphone, marimba, chimes, percussion, bells
  • John Parish- guitar, organ, drums, percussion
  • Joe Gore – guitar, e-bow
  • Mick Harvey- bass, organ
  • Jean-Marc Butty – drums, percussion
  • Joe Dilworth – drums
  • Pete Thomas- string arrangements
  • Sonia Slany – violin
  • Jocelyn Pook- viola
  • Jules Singleton – viola
  • Sian Bell – cello
  • Martin Callomon – artwork, art direction
  • Valerie Phillips, Kate Garner- photography

Track listing:

All tracks by PJ Harvey.

  1. To Bring You My Love
  2. Meet Ze Monsta
  3. Working for the Man
  4. C’mon Billy
  5. Teclo
  6. Long Snake Moan
  7. Down by the Water
  8. I Think I’m A Mother
  9. Send His Love To Me
  10. The Dancer

Led Zeppeilin: Physical Graffiti

Led_Zeppelin_-_Physical_Graffiti

On February 25, 1975, “Swan Song” label released “Physical Graffiti”, the sixth studio Led Zeppelin album. It was recorded July – December 1970, January and March 1971, May 1972, January and February 1974, at multiple locations, and was produced by Jimmy Page. The album included unreleased tracks from earlier recording sessions: one outtake from “Led Zeppelin III”, three tracks from “Led Zeppelin IV”, and three tracks from “Houses of the Holy”, including the unused title track. “Physical Graffiti” was certified 16× Platinum in the US by “RIAA”, and 2× Platinum in UK by “BPI”. In 1996, “Mojo” magazine ranked the album at number 47 on its list of “The 100 Greatest Albums Ever Made”; in 2000, “Q” magazine ranked the album at number 32 on its list of the “100 Greatest British Albums Ever”; in 2001 “Classic Rock” magazine ranked the album at number 5 at its list of  “100 Greatest Rock Album Ever”; in 2003, the TV network  “VH1” named it the 71st “Greatest album ever”; in 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Physical Graffiti” at number 70 on its list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”; in 2006 “Guitar World” magazine ranked the album at number 9 at its list of “Reader’s Poll: 100 Greatest Guitar Albums”.  In 1976, the album won “Grammy Award for Best Recording Package”.

Personnel:

  • Robert Plant– lead vocals, harmonica, acoustic guitar
  • Jimmy Page– electric, acoustic, lap steel and slide guitar, mandolin
  • John Paul Jones– bass guitar, organ, acoustic and electric piano, mellotron, guitar, mandolin, VCS3 synthesiser, Hohner clavinet, Hammond organ, string arrangement
  • John Bonham– drums, percussion
  • Ian Stewart– piano
  • Peter Corriston– artwork, design
  • Mike Doud – artwork, design
  • Dave Heffernan – illustrations
  • Elliot Erwitt, P. Fallon, Roy Harper– photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, except where noted.

  1. Custard Pie
  2. The Rover
  3. In My Time of Dying – John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
  4. Houses of the Holy
  5. Trampled Under Foot – John Paul Jones, Robert Plant
  6. Kashmir – John Bonham, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
  7. In the Light – John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
  8. Bron-Yr-Aur – Jimmy Page
  9. Down by the Seaside
  10. Ten Years Gone
  11. Night Flight – John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
  12. The Wanton Song
  13. Boogie with Stu – John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Ian Stewart
  14. Black Country Woman
  15. Sick Again

Otis Redding: The Dock of the Bay

Dock of the bay

On February 23, 1968, “Volt” label released “The Dock of the Bay”, the first Otis Redding posthumously released album.  It was recorded July 1965 – December 1967, and was produced by Steve Cropper. It contains a number of singles and B-sides dating back to 1965. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “The Dock of the Bay” at number 161 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of all Time”.

Personnel:

  • Otis Reding – vocal
  • Loring Eutemey – design
  • Jon Landau – liner notes
  • Jim Marshall – cover photography
  • Jerry Cunningham – backliner photography

Track listing:

  1. (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay – Steve Cropper, Otis Redding
  2. I Love You More Than Words Can Say – Eddie Floyd, Booker T. Jones
  3. Let Me Come on Home – Al Jacobson, Jr., Jones, Otis Redding
  4. Open the Door – Otis Redding
  5. Don’t Mess with Cupid – Steve Cropper, Eddie Floyd, Deanie Parker
  6. The Glory of Love – Billy Hill
  7. I’m Coming Home to See About You – Otis Redding
  8. Tramp – Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin
  9. The Huckle-Buck – Roy Alfred, Andy Gibson
  10. Nobody Knows You (When You’re Down and Out) – Jimmy Cox
  11. Old Man Trouble – Otis Redding

Blood, Sweat & Tears: Child Is Father to the Man

Child Is

On February 21, 1968, “Columbia” label released “Child Is Father to the Man”, the debut Blood, Sweat & Tears album. “Child Is Father to the Man” was recorded in November and December 1967, and was produced by John Simon. In 2003, the album was ranked number 264 on “Rolling Stone” magazine’s list of the “500 greatest albums of all time”.

Personnel:

  • Steve Katz– vocals, guitar, lute
  • Al Kooper– vocals, organ, piano, ondioline
  • John Simon– organ, piano, conductor, cowbell, arrangements
  • Al Gorgoni– vocals, organ, guitar, arrangements
  • Fred Lipsius– piano, alto saxophone, arrangements
  • Randy Brecker– trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Jerry Weiss– vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Dick Halligan– trombone
  • Jim Fielder– bass guitar, fretless bass guitar
  • Bobby Colomby– vocals, drums, percussion
  • Anahid Ajemian– violin
  • Paul Gershman – violin
  • Manny Green – violin
  • Julie Held – violin
  • Gene Orloff– violin
  • Harry Katzman – violin
  • Leo Kruczek – violin
  • Harry Lookofsky – violin
  • Harold Coletta – viola
  • Charles McCracken – cello
  • Alan Schulman – cello
  • Melba Moorman– choir, chorus
  • Valerie Simpson– choir, chorus
  • The Manny Vardi Strings
  • Doug James – shaker
  • Fred Catero – sound effects, arrangements
  • Alan Schulman – arrangements
  • Howard Fritzson – art direction
  • Bob Cato, Don Hunstein – photography
  • Michael Cimicata – packaging

Track Listing:

  1. Overture – Al Kooper
  2. I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know – Al Kooper
  3. Morning Glory – Larry Beckett, Tim Buckley
  4. My Days Are Numbered – Al Kooper
  5. Without Her – Harry Nilsson
  6. Just One Smile – Randy Newman
  7. I Can’t Quit Her –  Al Kooper, Irwin Levine
  8. Meagan’s Gypsy Eyes – Steve Katz
  9. Somethin’ Goin’ On – Al Kooper
  10. House in the Country – Al Kooper
  11. The Modern Adventures of Plato, Diogenes and Freud – Al Kooper
  12. So Much Love/Underture – Gerry Goffin, Carole King

The Smiths: Same

The_Smiths_The_Smiths

On February 20, 1984, “Rough Trade” label released the self-titled, debut Smiths (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1983 at “Pluto Studios” in Manchester, “Strawberry Studios” in Stockport, “Eden Studios” and “Matrix Studios” in London, and was produced by John Porter, Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and  Mike Joyce. Magazine ”Slant” ranked the album at number 51 on its list of “Best Albums of the 1980s”; in 1989, magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked “The Smiths” at number 22 on its list of the “100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s”, and in 2012, the album was ranked at number 472 on  magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. The album was ranked at number 51 on “Rolling Stone’s” list of the “100 Best Debut Albums of All Time”. In 1997, ”The Smiths” was ranked at number 73 in The Guardian’s list “100 Best Albums Ever”.

Personnel:

  • Morrissey – vocals
  • Johnny Marr– guitars, harmonica
  • Andy Rourke– bass guitar
  • Mike Joyce– drums
  • Paul Carrack– keyboards
  • Annalisa Jablonska – vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Morrissey and Johnny Marr.

  1. Reel Around the Fountain
  2. You’ve Got Everything Now
  3. Miserable Lie
  4. Pretty Girls Make Graves
  5. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
  6. This Charming Man
  7. Still Ill
  8. Hand in Glove
  9. What Difference Does It Make?
  10. I Don’t Owe You Anything
  11. Suffer Little Children

Steely Dan: Pretzel Logic

Pretzel_Logic

On February 20, 1974, “ABC” label released “Pretzel Logic”, the third Steely Dan studio album. It was recorded October 1973 – January 1974 at the “Village Recorder” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Gary Katz.  The cover photo of the New York pretzel seller was by Raeanne Rubenstein. On September 7, 1993, “Pretzel Logic” was certified Platinum in US by the “RIAA”. Magazine “NME” named “Pretzel Logic” best album of 1974. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked “Pretzel Logic” at number 385 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Donald Fagen- lead vocals, keyboards, saxophone
  • Walter Becker- bass, guitar, backing vocals
  • Jeff “Skunk” Baxter- lead guitar
  • Denny Dias- guitar
  • Ben Benay – guitar
  • Dean Parks- guitar, banjo
  • Michael Omartian- keyboards
  • David Paich- keyboards
  • Timothy B. Schmit- bass, backing vocals
  • Wilton Felder- bass
  • Chuck Rainey- bass
  • Jim Gordon- drums
  • Jeff Porcaro– drums
  • Victor Feldman– percussion
  • Plas Johnson- saxophone
  • Jerome Richardson- saxophone
  • Ernie Watts- saxophone
  • Lew McCreary – horn
  • Ollie Mitchell- trumpet
  • Jimmie Haskell – orchestration
  • Jim Hodder- backing vocals
  • David Larkham – design
  • Ed Caraeff – art direction, photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, except where noted.

  1. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
  2. Night by Night
  3. Any Major Dude Will Tell You
  4. Barrytown
  5. East St. Louis Toodle – Duke Ellington, Bubber Miley
  6. Parker’s Band
  7. Through with Buzz
  8. Pretzel Logic
  9. With a Gun
  10. Charlie Freak
  11. Monkey in Your Soul

Black Sabbath: Same

Black_Sabbath

On February 13, 1970, “Vertigo” label released the self-titled, debut Black Sabbath studio album. It was recorded on October 16, at “Regent Sound Studios” in London, and was produced by Rodger Bain. In 1989, magazine “Kerrang!” ranked “Black Sabbath” at number 31 on its list of “100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time”.In 2000, magazine “Q” included “Black Sabbath” in its list of the “Best Metal Albums of All Time”. In 2005, magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked the album at number 238 on its  list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”, and at number 44 in its list of the “100 Best Debut Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Ozzy Osbourne– vocals, harmonica
  • Tony Iommi– guitar
  • Geezer Butler– bass
  • Bill Ward– drums
  • Marcus Keef – design, photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward and Ozzy Osbourne, except where noted.

  1. Black Sabbath
  2. The Wizard
  3. Behind the Wall of Sleep
  4. I.B.
  5. Evil Woman – Larry Weigand, Dick Weigand, David Wagner
  6. Sleeping Village
  7. Warning – Aynsley Dunbar, Alex Dmochowski, Victor Hickling , John Moorshead

The Smiths: Meat Is Murder

Meat is Murder

On February 11, 1985, “Rough Trade” label released “Meat Is Murder”, the second Smiths (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1984, at the “Amazon Studios” in Liverpool and “Ridge Farm” in Surrey, and was produced by Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce. The album’s sleeve uses a 1967 photograph of Marine Cpl. Michael Wynn in the Vietnam War. In 2003, ”Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Meat Is Murder”  at number 296 on its list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Morrissey– vocals
  • Johnny Marr– guitars, piano
  • Andy Rourke– bass guitar
  • Mike Joyce– drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Morrissey and Johnny Marr.

  1. The Headmaster Ritual
  2. Rusholme Ruffians
  3. I Want the One I Can’t Have
  4. What She Said
  5. That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore
  6. Nowhere Fast
  7. Well I Wonder
  8. Barbarism Begins at Home
  9. Meat Is Murder