Tag Archives: 500 greatest albums of all time

Jackson Browne: The Pretender

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In November 1976, “Asylum” label released “The Pretender”, the fourth Jackson Browne studio album. It was recorded in 1976, at “The Sound Factory” in Hollywood, and was produced by Jon Landau. The album was ranked at number 391 on “Rolling Stone” magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Jackson Browne– vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, photography
  • John Hall, Albert Lee, Fred Tackett, Waddy Wachtel– acoustic and electric guitars
  • Luis Damian – acoustic guitar, harmony vocals
  • Lowell George– slide guitar, harmony vocals
  • Roberto Gutierrez – guitarron, violin, backing vocals
  • David Lindley– fiddle, lap steel guitar
  • Roy Bittan, Craig Doerge, Bill Payne, Michael Utley– keyboards
  • Bob Glaub, Chuck Rainey, Leland Sklar– bass
  • Jim Gordon, Russ Kunkel, Jeff Porcaro– drums
  • Gary Coleman – percussion
  • Arthur Gerst – harp, backing vocals, arrangements
  • Jim Horn, Quitman Dennis – saxophones
  • Chuck Findley– trumpet
  • Richard Hyde– trombone
  • Rosemary Butler, David Crosby, Don Henley, Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt, D. Souther– harmony vocals
  • John Haeny, Mark Howlett, Greg Ladanyi – engineer
  • Paul Black – engineer assistant
  • Val Garay, Greg Ladanyi – mixing
  • Dennis Kirk – mixing assistant
  • Bernie Grundman – mastering
  • John Haeny – recorder
  • David Campbell, Arthur Gerst, Jim Horn – arrangements
  • David Campbell – string arrangements
  • Paul Black, Dennis Kirk – assistant
  • Gary Burden – art direction, design
  • Howard Burke – photography
  • Tom Kelley – cover photography
  • Jon Landau – notes editing

Track listing:

All tracks by Jackson Browne except where noted.

  1. The Fuse
  2. Your Bright Baby Blues
  3. Linda Paloma
  4. Here Come Those Tears Again – Jackson Browne, Nancy Farnsworth
  5. The Only Child
  6. Daddy’s Tune
  7. Sleep’s Dark and Silent Gate
  8. The Pretender

Van Morrison: Astral Weeks

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In November 1968, “Warner Bros” label released “Astral Weeks”, the second Van Morrison studio album.It was recorded September – October at “Century Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Lewis Merenstein. In 1995 “Mojo” magazine ranked “Astral Weeks” at number two on its list of the greatest albums of all time; in 1998 it was voted the 9th greatest album of all time in a “Music of the Millennium” poll conducted by “HMV”, “Channel 4” and “The Guardian”; in 2000, “Q” magazine ranked it at number 6 on its list of the “100 Greatest British Albums Ever”; in 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked it at number 19 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”, and in 2006, “Time” magazine included “Astral Weeks” in its list of the “All-TIME 100 Albums”.

Personnel:

  • Van Morrison— vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Barry Kornfeld — acoustic guitar
  • Jay Berliner— classical and steel-string acoustic guitars
  • Richard Davis— double bass
  • Warren Smith, Jr.— percussion, vibraphone
  • Connie Kay— drums
  • John Payne — flute, soprano saxophone
  • Larry Fallon— harpsichord, string arrangements, conductor
  • Brooks Arthur — engineer
  • Ed Thrasher— art director
  • Joel Brodsky— photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Van Morrison.

Part One: In The Beginning

  1. Astral Weeks
  2. Beside You
  3. Sweet Thing
  4. Cyprus Avenue

Part Two: Afterwards

  1. The Way Young Lovers Do
  2. Madame George
  3. Ballerina
  4. Slim Slow Slider

Tom Waits: The Heart Of Saturday Night

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In October 1974, “Asylum” label released “The Heart of Saturday Night”, the second Tom Waits studio album. It was recorded in 1974, and was produced by Bones Howe. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 339 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Tom Waits– vocals, piano, guitar
  • Jim Hughart– double bass
  • Jim Gordon– drums
  • Pete Christlieb– tenor saxophone
  • Bob Alcivar– arranger
  • Bones Howe– engineer
  • Geoff Howe – engineer
  • Terry Dunavan – mastering
  • Cal Schenkel– art direction
  • Lyn Lascaro – illustrations
  • Scott Smith – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Tom Waits.

  1. New Coat of Paint
  2. San Diego Serenade
  3. Semi Suite
  4. Shiver Me Timbers
  5. Diamonds on My Windshield
  6. (Looking for) The Heart of Saturday Night
  7. Fumblin’ with the Blues
  8. Please Call Me, Baby
  9. Depot, Depot
  10. Drunk on the Moon
  11. The Ghosts of Saturday Night (After Hours at Napoleone’s Pizza House)

Paul Batterfield: The Paul Butterfield Blues Band

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In October 1965, “Elektra” label released “The Paul Butterfield Blues Band”, the debut Paul Butterfield album. It was recorded in September 1965, and was produced by Paul Rothchild and Mark Abramson. In 2012, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 468 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. “Down Beat” magazine ranked it at number 11 on its list of the “Top 50 Blues Albums”.

Personnel:

  • Paul Butterfield– lead vocals, harmonica
  • Mike Bloomfield– guitars
  • Elvin Bishop– guitars
  • Mark Naftalin– organ
  • Jerome Arnold– bass
  • Sam Lay– lead vocals, drums

Track listing:

  1. Born in Chicago – Nick Gravenites
  2. Shake Your Money-Maker – Elmore James
  3. Blues with a Feeling – Walter Jacobs
  4. Thank You Mr. Poobah – Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, Mark Naftalin
  5. Mellow Down Easy – Willie Dixon
  6. Screamin – Mike Bloomfield
  7. Our Love Is Drifting – Paul Butterfield, Elvin Bishop
  8. Mystery Train – Junior Parker, Sam Phillips
  9. Last Night – Walter Jacobs
  10. Look Over Yonders Wall – James Clark

Blondie: Parallel Lines

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In September 1978, “Chrysalis” label released “Parallel Lines”, the third Blondie studio album. It was recorded June – July 1978, at “Record Plant” in New York City, and was produced by Mike Chapman. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Parallel Lines” at number 140 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. “NME” magazine ranked the album at number 18 on its list of the “100 Best Albums of All Time” and at number 45 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. The album was certified 4 x Platinum in Canada by “Music Canada”; Platinum in Uk by “BPI”, and Platinum in US by “RIIA”.

Personnel:

  • Deborah Harry– vocals
  • Chris Stein– guitar, 12-string guitar, E-bow
  • Frank Infante– guitar
  • Robert Fripp– guitar
  • Jimmy Destri– electronic keyboards
  • Nigel Harrison– bass guitar
  • Clem Burke– drums
  • Pete Coleman – engineer, production assistant
  • Grey Russell – engineer, assistant
  • Steve Hall – mastering
  • Ramey Communications – art directionand, design
  • Frank Duarte – illustration
  • Edo Bertoglio – photography
  • Jerry Rodriguez – lettering
  • Maripol – stylist

Track listing:

  1. Hanging on the Telephone – Jack Lee
  2. One Way or Another – Deborah Harry, Nigel Harrison
  3. Picture This – Deborah Harry, Chris Stein, Jimmy Destri
  4. Fade Away and Radiate – Chris Stein
  5. Pretty Babe – Deborah Harry, Chris Stein
  6. I Know but I Don’t Know – Frank Infante
  7. 11:59 – Jimmy Destri
  8. Will Anything Happen? – Jack Lee
  9. Sunday Girl – Chris Stein
  10. Heart of Glass – Deborah Harry, Chris Stein
  11. I’m Gonna Love You Too – Joe B. Mauldin, Niki Sullivan, Norman Petty
  12. Just Go Away – Deborah Harry

Santana: Abraxas

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In September 1970, “CBS” label released “Abraxas”, the second Santana studio album. It was recorded April – May 1970, at “Wally Heider Studios” in San Francisco, and was produced by Fred Catero and Carlos Santana. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 207 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. The album was certified 3 x Platinum in Canada by “Music Canada”; Platinum in France by “SNEP”, and 5 x Platinum in US by the “RIIA”.

Personnel:

  • Carlos Santana– lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Gregg Rolie– lead vocals, keyboards
  • Alberto Gianquinto – piano
  • David Brown– bass
  • Michael Shrieve– drums
  • José “Chepito” Areas– percussion, conga, timbales
  • Michael Carabello– percussion, conga
  • Rico Reyes – percussion, backing vocals
  • Steven Saphore – tabla
  • Robert Venosa– artwork, design
  • John Fiore David Brown – engineer
  • Mati Klarwein– illustrations
  • Robert Honablue – engineer original recording, mastering

Track listing:

  1. Singing Winds, Crying Beasts – Mike Carabello
  2. Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen – Peter Green/Gábor Szabó
  3. Oye Como Va – Tito Puente
  4. Incident at Neshabur – Alberto Gianquinto, Carlos Santana
  5. Se a Cabo – José Areas
  6. Mother’s Daughter – Gregg Rolie
  7. Samba Pa Ti – Carlos Santana
  8. Hope You’re Feeling Better – Gregg Rolie
  9. El Nycoya – José Areas

Albert King: Born Under A Bad Sign

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In August 1967, “Stax” label released “Born Under a Bad Sign”, the second Albert King studio album. It was recorded March 1966 – June 1967, at “Stax Studios” in Memphis Tennessee, and was produced by Jim Stewart. In 1985, “Born Under a Bad Sign” was inducted into the “Blues Foundation Hall of Fame” in the “Classics of Blues Recordings” category In 1999, the album received a “Grammy Hall of Fame Award”; in 2012, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 491 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Albert King– vocals, lead guitar
  • Steve Cropper– rhythm guitar
  • Booker T. Jones– organ, piano
  • Isaac Hayes– piano
  • Donald “Duck” Dunn– bass guitar
  • Al Jackson, Jr.– drums
  • Andrew Love– tenor saxophone
  • Joe Arnold – baritone saxophone, flute
  • Wayne Jackson– trumpet

Track listing:

  1. Born Under a Bad Sign – William Bell, Booker T. Jones
  2. Crosscut Saw – R. G. Ford
  3. Kansas City – Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
  4. Oh, Pretty Woman – C. Williams
  5. Down Don’t Bother Me – Albert King
  6. The Hunter – Booker T. Jones, Carl Wells, Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn, Al Jackson, Jr.
  7. I Almost Lost My Mind – Ivory Joe Hunter
  8. Personal Manager – Albert King, David Porter
  9. Laundromat Blues – Sandy Jones
  10. As the Years Go Passing By – Deadric Malone
  11. The Very Thought of You – Ray Noble

Def Leppard: Hysteria

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On August 3, 1987, “Phonogram” label released “Hysteria” the fourth Def Leppard studio album. It was recorded February 1984–January 1987, at “Wisseloord Studios” in Hilversum; “Windmill Lane Studio 2” in Dublin; “Studio Des Dames” in Paris, and was produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange. In 2004, “Hysteria” was ranked at number 464 on “Rolling Stone’s” magazine list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. The album was certified 4 x Platinum in Australia by “ARIA”; 10 x Platinum in Canada by “CRIA”; Diamond in US by the “RIIA” and 2 x Platinum in UK by the “BPI”.

Personnel:

  • Joe Elliott – lead vocals
  • Phil Collen- guitars, backing vocals
  • Steve Clark- guitars, backing vocals
  • Rick Savage- bass, bass synthesiser, backing vocals
  • Rick Allen– drums
  • Robert John “Mutt” Lange– backing vocals
  • Rocky Newton – backing vocals
  • Philip “Art School” Nicholas – keyboards, Fairlight programming
  • Nigel Green – engineer, mixing
  • Erwin Musper, Ronald Prent – engineer
  • Mike Shipley– mixing
  • Bob Ludwig, Howie Weinberg– mastering
  • Mark Flannery – tape operator
  • Andie Airfix @ Satori – art concept, design
  • Ross Halfin, Laurie Lewis – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Joe Elliott, Rick Savage, Phil Collen, Steve Clark and Mutt Lange.

  1. Women
  2. Rocket
  3. Animal
  4. Love Bites
  5. Pour Some Sugar On Me
  6. Armageddon It
  7. Gods of War
  8. Don’t Shoot Shotgun
  9. Run Riot
  10. Hysteria
  11. Excitable
  12. Love and Affection

Minutemen: Double Nickels On The Dime

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In July 1984, “SST” label released “Double Nickels on the Dime”, the third Minutemen studio album. It was recorded November 1983 – April 1984, at “Radio Tokyo Studios” in Venice, California, and was produced by Ethan James. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Double Nickels on the Dime” at number 413 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Boon– vocals, guitar
  • Mike Watt– vocals, bass
  • George Hurley– vocals, drums
  • Joe Baiza– guitar
  • John Rocknowski  – guitar
  • Dirk Vandenberg  – guitar
  • Ethan James– engineer

Track listing:

Side D

  1. Anxious Mo-Fo – D. Boon, Mike Watt
  2. Theatre Is the Life of You – D. Boon, Mike Watt
  3. Viet Nam – D. Boon
  4. Cohesion – D. Boon
  5. It’s Expected I’m Gone – Mike Watt
  6. #1 Hit Song – D. Boon, George Hurley
  7. Two Beads at the End – D. Boon, George Hurley
  8. Do You Want New Wave or Do You Want the Truth? – Mike Watt
  9. Don’t Look Now – John Fogerty
  10. Shit from an Old Notebook – D. Boon, Mike Watt
  11. Nature Without Man – Chuck Dukowski, D. Boon
  12. One Reporter’s Opinion – Mike Watt

Side Mike

  1. Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing – Mike Watt
  2. Maybe Partying Will Help – D. Boon, Mike Watt
  3. Toadies – Mike Watt
  4. Retreat – Mike Watt
  5. The Big Foist – Mike Watt
  6. God Bows to Math – Jack Brewer, Mike Watt
  7. Corona – D. Boon
  8. The Glory of Man – Mike Watt
  9. Take 5, D – Joe Baiza, John Rocknowski, Dirk Vandenberg, Mike Watt
  10. My Heart and the Real World – Mike Watt
  11. History Lesson – Part II – Mike Watt

Side George

  1. You Need the Glory – George Hurley
  2. The Roar of the Masses Could Be Farts – Dick Vandenberg, Mike Watt
  3. Robot’s Holy Orders – George Hurley
  4. West Germany – D. Boon
  5. The Politics of Time – Mike Watt
  6. Themselves – D. Boon
  7. Please Don’t Be Gentle with Me – Jack Brewer, Mike Watt
  8. Nothing indeed – George Hurley, Mike Watt
  9. No Exchange – George Hurley, Mike Watt
  10. There Ain’t Shit on T.V. Tonight – George Hurley, Mike Watt
  11. There Ain’t Shit on T.V. Tonight – D. Boon
  12. This Ain’t No Picnic – D. Boon
  13. Spillage – Mike Watt

Side Chaff

  1. Untitled Song for Latin America – D. Boon
  2. Jesus and Tequila – D. Boon, Joe Carducci
  3. June 16th – Mike Watt
  4. Storm in my House – D. Boon, Henry Rollins
  5. Martin’s Story – Martin Tamburovich, Mike Watt
  6. Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love – Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Michael Anthony
  7. Wu – Donald Fagen, Walter Becker
  8. Little Man with a Gun in His Hand – D. Boon, Chuck Dukowski
  9. The World According to Nouns – Mike Watt
  10. Love Dance – D. Boon

Cream: Wheels Of Fire

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In July 1968, “Polydor” label released “Wheels of Fire”, the third Cream album. It was recorded in 1968, and was produced by Felix Pappalardi. The album artwork was by Martin Sharp and the photography was by Jim Marshall. It was also released as two single long-players, Wheels of Fire – In the Studio,  and Wheels of Fire – Live at the Fillmore. In 2012, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Wheels of Fire” at number 205 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. The album was certified Platinum in Australia by “ARIA”, Platinum in UK by “BPI”, and Platinum in US by “RIIA”.

Personnel:

  • Eric Clapton – vocals, guitar
  • Jack Bruce – lead and backing vocals, bass, cello, harmonica, calliope, acoustic guitar, recorder
  • Ginger Baker– drums, percussion, bells, glockenspiel, timpani, spoken word
  • Felix Pappalardi– viola, bells, organ, trumpet, tonette
  • Tom Dowd– recording, engineer
  • Adrian Barber– recording, engineer
  • Bill Halverson – recording, engineer
  • Martin Sharp – illustration
  • Stanislaw Zagorski – design

Track listing:

  1. White Room – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
  2. Sitting on Top of the World – Walter Vinson, Lonnie Chatmon; Chester Burnett
  3. Passing the Time – Ginger Baker, Mike Taylor
  4. As You Said – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
  5. Pressed Rat and Warthog – Ginger Baker, Mick Taylor
  6. Politician – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown
  7. Those Were the Days – Ginger Baker, Mick Taylor
  8. Born Under a Bad Sign – Booker T. Jones, William Bell
  9. Deserted Cities of the Heart – Jack Bruce, Pete Brown