In the City (Tavares album)
Encyclopedia
In the City is the third album by American
soul
/R&B group Tavares
, released in 1975 on the Capitol
label. Like the group's previous album Hard Core Poetry
, it was produced by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter and was well-received by critics. Lead single "It Only Takes a Minute
" was Tavares' most successful to that point, becoming their second to top the R&B chart and reaching #10 on the Billboard Hot 100
. The album includes two cover version
s; the Dan Hartman
-penned "Free Ride
" (a 1973 top 20 hit for The Edgar Winter Group) and "Nothing You Can Do", which originally appeared on the Average White Band's 1974 album AWB
. In the City peaked at #8 on the R&B albums chart (their highest-placing album on this chart) and #26 on the pop chart.
In the City is the last of the three albums considered to comprise the first phase of Tavares' recording career; R&B-oriented albums with few concessions to the pop market. The albums the group released between 1976 and 1978 would be rather different, although 1979's Madam Butterfly
would see a return to this style of recording.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
/R&B group Tavares
Tavares (band)
Tavares are a successful American R&B, funk and soul music group, composed of five Cape Verdean-American brothers from New Bedford, Massachusetts.-Band members:...
, released in 1975 on the Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
label. Like the group's previous album Hard Core Poetry
Hard Core Poetry
Hard Core Poetry is the second album by American soul/R&B group Tavares, released in 1974 on the Capitol label. This album brought Tavares together with songwriters and producers Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter for what would prove to be a productive musical relationship on this and the group's...
, it was produced by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter and was well-received by critics. Lead single "It Only Takes a Minute
It Only Takes a Minute
"It Only Takes a Minute" is a 1975 song by Tavares. It would become the group's only Top 10 pop hit in the United States, peaking at #10. It also became their second #1 song on the American soul charts....
" was Tavares' most successful to that point, becoming their second to top the R&B chart and reaching #10 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The album includes two cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s; the Dan Hartman
Dan Hartman
Daniel Earl "Dan" Hartman was an American singer, songwriter and record producer, best known for such songs as: "Free Ride", "I Can Dream About You", "Instant Replay", "Love Sensation", and "Relight My Fire", all of which had world-wide success.-Career:Born in Pennsylvania's capital, Harrisburg,...
-penned "Free Ride
Free Ride (song)
Free Ride is a song written by Dan Hartman and performed by The Edgar Winter Group. The single, engineered by Jim Reeves, was a top 20 U.S. hit in 1973, hitting number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. The song is sometimes mistakenly attributed to The Doobie Brothers or Boston, perhaps because of...
" (a 1973 top 20 hit for The Edgar Winter Group) and "Nothing You Can Do", which originally appeared on the Average White Band's 1974 album AWB
AWB (album)
AWB is the second studio album by the Scottish funk and soul band Average White Band, released in August 1974 . An enormous best-seller, AWB was the Average White Band's breakthrough record, stunning many listeners with its soul and funk coming from a Scottish band.AWB topped Billboard's Pop...
. In the City peaked at #8 on the R&B albums chart (their highest-placing album on this chart) and #26 on the pop chart.
In the City is the last of the three albums considered to comprise the first phase of Tavares' recording career; R&B-oriented albums with few concessions to the pop market. The albums the group released between 1976 and 1978 would be rather different, although 1979's Madam Butterfly
Madam Butterfly (album)
Madam Butterfly is the seventh album by American soul/R&B group Tavares, produced by Bobby Martin and released in 1979 on the Capitol label. By this stage in the group's career, they had become known as a disco act due to successful singles such as "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel", "Whodunit" and...
would see a return to this style of recording.
Track listing
- "It Only Takes a MinuteIt Only Takes a Minute"It Only Takes a Minute" is a 1975 song by Tavares. It would become the group's only Top 10 pop hit in the United States, peaking at #10. It also became their second #1 song on the American soul charts....
" (Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter) - 3:59 - "Fool's Hall of Fame" (George ClintonGeorge Clinton (musician)George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
) - 3:28 - "The Love I Never Had" (Lambert, Potter) - 3:26
- "Nothing You Can Do" (Roger Ball, Alan GorrieAlan GorrieAlan Gorrie is a Scottish bassist, guitarist, keyboardist and singer. He is a founding member of the Average White Band and remains one of two original members in the group's current line-up....
, Hamish StuartHamish StuartHamish Stuart is a guitarist, bassist, singer, composer and record producer.- Biography :Stuart had recorded a couple of singles with his first band, the Dream Police, before he was invited to join the recently formed Average White Band in June 1972.A member of AWB from 1972 to 1982, he went on to...
) - 3:54 - "In the Eyes of Love" (Lambert, Potter) - 3:42
- "Ready, Willing, and Able" (Lambert, Potter) - 4:17
- "We Fit to a Tee" (Lambert, Potter, Willie Harry Wilson) - 3:08
- "Free Ride" (Dan HartmanDan HartmanDaniel Earl "Dan" Hartman was an American singer, songwriter and record producer, best known for such songs as: "Free Ride", "I Can Dream About You", "Instant Replay", "Love Sensation", and "Relight My Fire", all of which had world-wide success.-Career:Born in Pennsylvania's capital, Harrisburg,...
) - 2:57 - "I Hope She Chooses Me" (Wilson) - 3:22
- "In the City" (Feliciano Tavares, Perry Lee Tavares) - 3:12
Singles
- "It Only Takes a Minute" (US PopBillboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
#10, US R&BHot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
#1) - "Free Ride" (US Pop #52, US R&B #8)
- "The Love I Never Had" (US R&B #11)