Tag Archives: 500 greatest albums of all time

X: Wild Gift

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In May 1981, “Slash” label released “Wild Gift”, the second X album. It was recorded in March 1981, at “Clover Recorders” in Los Angeles, “Golden Sound Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Ray Manzarek. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Wild Gift” at number 333 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Exene– vocals
  • Billy Zoom– guitar
  • John Doe– vocals, bass
  • J. Bonebrake– drums

Track listing:

All tracks by John Doe and Exene Cervenka.

  1. The Once Over Twice
  2. We’re Desperate
  3. Adult Books
  4. Universal Corner
  5. I’m Coming Over
  6. It’s Who You Know
  7. In This House That I Call Home
  8. Some Other Time
  9. White Girl
  10. Beyond and Back
  11. Back 2 the Base
  12. When Our Love Passed Out on the Couch
  13. Year 1

Randy Newman: Sail Away

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In May 1972, “Reprise” label released “Sail Away”, the third Randy Newman studio album. It was recorded in 1972, at “Amigo Studios”, “Western Studios”, “Poppi Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Lenny Waronker and Russ Titelman. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Sail Away” at number 321 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Randy Newman- vocals, piano, arranger
  • Ry Cooder- slide guitar
  • Russ Titelman- guitars
  • Chris Ethridge- bass
  • Wilton Felder- bass
  • Jimmy Bond- bass
  • Jim Keltner- drums
  • Gene Parsons- drums
  • Earl Palmer- drums
  • Milt Holland- percussion
  • Abe Most- alto saxophone

Track listing:

All tracks by Randy Newman.

  1. Sail Away
  2. Lonely at the Top
  3. He Gives Us All His Love
  4. Last Night I Had a Dream
  5. Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear
  6. Old man
  7. Political Science
  8. Burn On
  9. Memo to My Son
  10. Dayton Ohio-1903
  11. You Can Leave Your Hat On
  12. God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind)

Rod Stewart: Every Picture Tells a Story

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On May 28, 1971, “Mercury” label released “Every Picture Tells a Story”, the third Rod Stewart album. It was recorded in 1971, and was produced by Rod Stewart. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 172 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. “Every Picture Tells a Story” was certified Platinum in the US by the “RIIA”.

Personnel:

  • Rod Stewart- lead vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Ronnie Wood- electric guitar, 12-string guitar, slide guitar, pedal steel guitar, bass guitar
  • Martell Brandy – acoustic guitar
  • Sam Mitchell – resonator guitar
  • Martin Quittenton- classical guitar
  • Pete Sears- piano, celeste
  • Micky Waller- drums
  • Ian McLagan- organ, piano
  • Danny Thompson- upright bass
  • Andy Pyle- bass guitar
  • Dick Powell – violin
  • Long John Baldry- vocals
  • Maggie Bell- vocal abrasives
  • Madeline Belland friends – vocal abrasives
  • Lindsay Raymond Jackson- mandolin
  • Kenney Jones- drums
  • Ronnie Lane- bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Desmond Strobel – art direction
  • John Craig – design, illustration
  • Lisa Margolis – cover photography

Track listing:

  1. Every Picture Tells a Story – Rod Stewart,Ronnie Wood
  2. Seems Like a Long Time – Theodore Anderson
  3. That’s All Right – Arthur Crudup
  4. Amazing Grace – traditional, arranged Rod Stewart
  5. Tomorrow Is a Long Time -Bob Dylan
  6. Henry – Martin Quittenton
  7. Maggie May – Rod Stewart
  8. Mandolin Wind – Rod Stewart
  9. (I Know) I’m Losing You – Norman Whitfield,Eddie Holland, Cornelius Grant
  10. Reason to Believe – Tim Hardin

 

Richard Thompson: I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight

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In April 1974, “Island” label released “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight”, the second Richard Thompson album, and the first with his then wife, Linda as Richard and Linda Thompson. It was recorded in May 1973, at “Sound Techniques” in London and was produced by Richard Thompson and John Wood. In May 2012, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 471, in its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Richard Thompson– vocals, guitar, Hammered dulcimer,  mandolin,  piano, electric piano, harmonium, whistle
  • Linda Thompson– vocals
  • Pat Donaldson– bass guitar
  • Timmy Donald –drums
  • John Kirkpatrick– accordion, concertina
  • Simon Nicol– dulcimer
  • Brian Gulland –krummhorn
  • Richard Harvey– krummhorn
  • Royston Wood– harmony bass vocals
  • Trevor Lucas- harmony vocals
  • The CWS (Manchester) Silver Band
  • John Wood- engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Richard Thompson except where noted.

  1. When I Get to the Border
  2. The Calvary Cross
  3. Withered and Died
  4. I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
  5. Down Where the Drunkards Roll
  6. We Sing Hallelujah
  7. Has He Got a Friend for Me
  8. The Little Beggar Girl
  9. The End of the Rainbow
  10. The Great Valerio

Al Green: Call Me

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In April 1973, “Hi” label released “Call Me”, the sixth Al Green album. It was recorded in 1972, at “Royal Recording Studios” in Memphis, Tennessee, and was produced by Willie Mitchell and Al Green. In 2003, “VH1” TV network ranked it at number 70 on the list of the  “Greatest Albums of All Time”; the same year “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked it at number 289 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Al Green – vocals
  • Mabon “Teenie” Hodges– guitar
  • Archie Turner – piano
  • Charles Hodges – piano, organ
  • Leroy Hodges– bass
  • Howard Grimes– drums
  • Al Jackson Jr.– drums
  • Jack Hale, Sr. – trombone
  • Wayne Jackson– trumpet
  • Ed Logan – tenor saxophone
  • Andrew Love– tenor saxophone
  • James Mitchell – baritone saxophone, horn arrangements
  • The Memphis Strings – strings
  • Charles Chalmers – backing vocals, horn arrangements
  • Donna Rhodes – backing vocals
  • Sandra Rhodes – backing vocals
  • Willie Mitchell– engineer
  • Robert Gordon – liner notes
  • Jim Cummins – photography
  • Bud O’Shea – executive producer
  • Eli Okun – executive producer
  • Cheryl Pawelski– assistant producer
  • Kathy Kinslow – assistant producer
  • Charles Levan – assistant producer
  • Margaret Goldfarb – assistant producer

Track listing:

All tracks by Al Green; except where noted.

  1. Call Me (Come Back Home) – Al Green, Al Jackson, Jr. Willie Mitchell
  2. Have You Been Making Out O.K.
  3. Stand Up
  4. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – Hank Williams
  5. Your Love Is Like the Morning Sun
  6. Here I Am (Come and Take Me) – Al Green, Teenie Hodges
  7. Funny How Time Slips Away – Willie Nelson
  8. You Ought to Be With Me – Al Green, Al Jackson, Jr. Willie Mitchell
  9. Jesus Is Waiting

Chuck Berry

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On March 18, 2017, Charles Edward Anderson “Chuck” Berry died aged 90.  He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, one of the pioneers and most important figures of rock and roll music. His songs “Maybellene” (1955), “Roll Over Beethoven” (1956), “Rock and Roll Music” (1957) and “Johnny B. Goode” (1958), defined the contours of rock and roll music, and changed the face of popular music. His unique guitar solos and stage appearance made lasting influence on subsequent rock artists, including names like The Beatles or The Rolling Stones. In 1984, Berry was awarded “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award”. He was among the first musicians to be inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” on its opening in 1986. In 2004, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked him at number 5 on its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”. The same magazine ranked his compilation album “The Great Twenty-Eight” at number 21 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. His songs “Johnny B. Goode,” “Maybellene,” and “Rock and Roll Music”, are included in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll”. “Johnny B. Goode” is the only rock-and-roll song included on the “Voyager Golden Record”. In 2014, Berry was made a laureate of the “Polar Music Prize”.

Graham Parker: Squeezing Out Sparks

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In March 1979, “Arista” label released “Squeezing out Sparks” the fourth Graham Parker and the Rumour album. It was recorded 1977-1978, at “Lansdowne Studios” in London, and was produced by Jack Nitzsche. “Squeezing out Sparks” was voted album of the year in the 1979 “Village Voice Pazz & Jop Critics Poll”. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 334 on list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Personnel:

  • Graham Parker– lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Brinsley Schwarz– guitar, backing vocals
  • Martin Belmont– rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Bob Andrews– keyboards, backing vocals
  • Andrew Bodnar– bass
  • Steve Goulding– drums, backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Graham Parker.

  1. Discovering Japan
  2. Local Girls
  3. Nobody Hurts You
  4. You Can’t Be Too Strong
  5. Passion Is No Ordinary Word
  6. Saturday Nite Is Dead
  7. Love Gets You Twisted
  8. Protection
  9. Waiting for the UFO’s
  10. Don’t Get Excited

The Velvet Underground: Same

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velvet-underground

In March 1969, “MGM” label released the third, self-titled Velvet Underground album. It was recorded November – December 1968, at “T.T.G. Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Lou Reed, Doug Yule, Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 314 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Lou Reed– lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, piano
  • Doug Yule– bass guitar, organ, lead vocals on “Candy Says”, chorus co-vocals, backing vocals
  • Sterling Morrison– rhythm and lead guitar, verse co-vocals, backing vocals
  • Maureen Tucker– lead, chorus co-vocals, backing vocals, percussion

Track listing:

All tracks by Lou Reed.

  1. .Candy Says
  2. What Goes On
  3. Some Kinda Love
  4. Pale Blue Eyes
  5. Jesus
  6. Beginning to See the Light
  7. I’m Set Free
  8. That’s the Story of My Life
  9. The Murder Mystery
  10. After Hours

The Flying Burrito Brothers: The Glided Palace of Sin

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the_gilded_palace_of_sin

In February 1969, “A&M” label released “The Gilded Palace of Sin”, the debut Flying Burrito Brothers (The) album. It was recorded in 1968, at “A&M Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Henry Lewy and Larry Marks. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “The Gilded Palace of Sin” at number 192 in its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”

Personnel:

  • Gram Parsons: lead and harmony vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, organ
  • Chris Hillman: electric and acoustic guitar, harmony, lead and backing vocals, mandolin
  • “Sneaky” Pete Kleinow: pedal steel guitar
  • Chris Ethridge: bass guitar, backing vocals, piano
  • Jon Corneal: drums
  • Popeye Phillips: drums
  • Eddie Hoh: drums
  • Sam Goldstein: drums
  • David Crosby: backing vocals
  • Hot Burrito Chorus: backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Christine’s Tune – Gram Parsons,Chris Hillman
  2. Sin City – Gram Parsons, Chris Hillman
  3. Do Right Woman – Chips Moman,Dan Penn
  4. Dark End of the Street – Chips Moman, Dan Penn
  5. My Uncle – Gram Parsons, Chris Hillman
  6. Wheels – Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons
  7. Juanita – Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons
  8. Hot Burrito #1 – Chris Ethridge, Gram Parsons
  9. Hot Burrito #2 – Chris Ethridge, Gram Parsons
  10. Do You Know How It Feels – Gram Parsons,Barry Goldberg
  11. Hippie Boy – Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons

Gram Parsons: Grievous Angel

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gp

In January 1974, “Reprise” label released “Grievous Angel”, the second Gram Parsons solo album. It was compiled from summer 1973 sessions recorded at “Wally Heider Studio 4” in Hollywood, produced by Gram Parsons, and was released four months after his death in September 1973. In 2012, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 425  on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Personnel:

  • Gram Parsons – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Emmylou Harris – vocals
  • Herb Pedersen – acoustic rhythm guitar, electric rhythm guitar
  • Al Perkins – pedal steel
  • Bernie Leadon – acoustic guitar, electric lead guitar, dobro
  • James Burton – electric lead guitar
  • Byron Berline – fiddle, mandolin
  • Glen D. Hardin – piano, electric piano
  • Emory Gordy, Jr. – bass
  • Ronnie Tutt – drums
  • D. Smart: drums
  • Steve Snyder: vibes
  • Linda Ronstadt: harmony vocal
  • Kim Fowley,Phil Kaufman, Ed Tickner, Jane & Jon Doe: “Background blah-blah”

Track listing:

  1. Return of the Grievous Angel – Gram Parsons, Tom Brown
  2. Hearts on Fire – Walter Egan, Tom Guidera
  3. I Can’t Dance – Tom T. Hall
  4. Brass Buttons – Gram Parsons
  5. $1000 Wedding – Gram Parsons
  6. Medley Live from Northern Quebec:
  • Cash on the Barrelhead – Charlie Louvin,Ira Louvin
  • Hickory Wind – Gram Parsons, Bob Buchanan
  1. Love Hurts – Boudleaux Bryant
  2. Ooh Las Vegas – Gram Parsons,Ric Grech
  3. In My Hour of Darkness – Gram Parsons,Emmylou Harris