These Foolish Things (album)
| These Foolish Things | ||||
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| Studio album by Bryan Ferry | ||||
| Released | 5 October 1973 | |||
| Recorded | June 1973 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 43:46 | |||
| Label | Virgin | |||
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| Bryan Ferry chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   link |
| Robert Christgau | A- link |
These Foolish Things is the debut solo studio album by Bryan Ferry, who at the time was still Roxy Music's lead vocalist. The album was released in October 1973 on Virgin Records, it was a commercial and critical success, peaking at number 5 on the albums chart in the United Kingdom. The album is considered to be a departure from Roxy Music's sound, because it consists entirely of cover versions, mainly of standard songs. The album achieved Gold status by the BPI in the United Kingdom in May 1974[2]
Most of the tracks on the album were personal favorites of Ferry's, and spanned several decades from 1930's standards such as the title track through 1950's Elvis Presley to Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones.[3]
Rhapsody praised the album, calling it one of their favorite cover albums.[4]
Contents
Composition
When Ferry was asked about the album, he said "It's a very catholic selection, I've given up trying to please all of the people all of the time. Some will like it for one reason, some for another. And some will presumably dislike it for the wrong reasons though I hope the general point of it will be understood. Its amusement value. I think,".[5]
Critical reception
Reviewing for AllMusic, critic Ned Raggett wrote of the album "Throughout Ferry's instantly recognizable croon carries everything to a tee, and the overall mood is playful and celebratory. Wrapping up with a grand take on "These Foolish Things" itself, this album is one of the best of its kind by any artist."[6] And the critic, Robert Christgau wrote of the album "Ferry both undercuts the inflated idealism of the original and reaffirms its essential power. Along the way, he also establishes "It's My Party" as a protest song. And just in case we're getting any highfalutin ideas, the title track reminds us that pop is only, well, foolish things, many of which predate not only Andy Warhol but rock and roll itself."[7] The New Rolling Stone Album Guide review states "These Foolish Things pits Lesley Gore against Bob Dylan, and not just for effect. Ferry views pop as a kind of continuum, extending through all sorts of Tin Pan Alley and Brill Building craftsmanship and incorporating visions as radical as Dylan's and as banal as Gore's. Within such a sensibility discerning what deserves to be dismissed as "trash" and what deserves elevation as "art" is not a simple problem. And such designations are so often determined by context that their order can be reversed almost at will. By altering tempos and singing every song with the deadpan emotional blankness he largely avoids with Roxy, Ferry exposes these issues as effectively as any pop singer in history."[8]
Track listing
Personnel
- Bryan Ferry – Lead vocals, piano
- John Porter – Guitar, bass guitar
- Phil Manzanera – Guitar
- Eddie Jobson – Strings, keyboards, synthesizer
- Roger Ball – Alto and baritone saxophones
- Ruan O'Lochlainn – Alto saxophone
- Malcolm Duncan – Tenor saxophone
- Henry Lowther – Trumpet
- David Skinner – Piano
- Paul Thompson – Drums
- John Punter – Drums
- Robbie Montgomery, Jessie Davis, The Angelettes – Background vocals
References
- ↑ [1] British certification
- ↑ Bpi.co.uk
- ↑ http://www.vivaroxymusic.com/albums_3.php
- ↑ Rhapsody’s Favorite Covers Albums Referenced August 1, 2010
- ↑ http://www.vivaroxymusic.com/albums_3.php
- ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/these-foolish-things-mw0000189993
- ↑ http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Bryan+Ferry
- ↑ Marsh, David. "Bryan Ferry". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. October 1983. pg. 174
