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Oh How We Danced
Encyclopedia
Oh How We Danced is the debut studio album by the British musician Jim Capaldi
.
The album was recorded while Traffic
was on hiatus due to Steve Winwood
's struggles with peritonitis
, and released by Island Records in 1972. Like his contemporary albums with Traffic
, it was unsuccessful in his native United Kingdom but did better in the USA, reaching number 82 in the Billboard 200
and producing the hit single "Eve", which reached number 91 in the Billboard Hot 100
.
The track "Open Your Heart" is a surplus recording from Traffic's then most recent album, The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys. All of the remaining tracks, save "How Much Can a Man Really Take?", were recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
.
applauded Capaldi's clever yet earnest lyrics and the strong collection of guest musicians, concluding that the album has "Not a whiff of mediocrity to be heard." Allmusic's retrospective review complimented the strong set of songs and "its mellow vibe, generated by the genial familiarity of the players". They also made note of "Capaldi's sweet, unassuming voice", an echo of Rolling Stone's reference to his "sweet smooth easy voice."
One further track, "Going Down Slow All the Way", was recorded at an unidentified studio in England and released as the b-side to the single "Eve". The track features only piano, tambourine, bass drum, and a single vocal, all presumably played by Jim Capaldi, who produced the track by himself.
and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
(except on "Open Your Heart" and "How Much Can a Man Really Take?"):
with:
Jim Capaldi
Nicola James "Jim" Capaldi was an English musician and songwriter. His musical career lasted more than four decades. He co-founded Traffic in Birmingham with Steve Winwood, and the band's psychedelic rock was influential in Britain and the United States...
.
The album was recorded while Traffic
Traffic (band)
Traffic were an English rock band whose members came from the West Midlands. The group formed in April 1967 by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason...
was on hiatus due to Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
's struggles with peritonitis
Peritonitis
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, the serous membrane that lines part of the abdominal cavity and viscera. Peritonitis may be localised or generalised, and may result from infection or from a non-infectious process.-Abdominal pain and tenderness:The main manifestations of...
, and released by Island Records in 1972. Like his contemporary albums with Traffic
Traffic (band)
Traffic were an English rock band whose members came from the West Midlands. The group formed in April 1967 by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason...
, it was unsuccessful in his native United Kingdom but did better in the USA, reaching number 82 in the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and producing the hit single "Eve", which reached number 91 in 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 track "Open Your Heart" is a surplus recording from Traffic's then most recent album, The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys. All of the remaining tracks, save "How Much Can a Man Really Take?", were recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, also known as The Swampers, are a group of American soul, R&B, and country studio musicians based in the town of Muscle Shoals, Alabama...
.
Reception
Critical reception for Oh How We Danced was resoundingly positive. Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
applauded Capaldi's clever yet earnest lyrics and the strong collection of guest musicians, concluding that the album has "Not a whiff of mediocrity to be heard." Allmusic's retrospective review complimented the strong set of songs and "its mellow vibe, generated by the genial familiarity of the players". They also made note of "Capaldi's sweet, unassuming voice", an echo of Rolling Stone's reference to his "sweet smooth easy voice."
Track listing
All tracks composed by Jim Capaldi, except where indicated.- "Eve"
- "Big Thirst" (Jim Capaldi, Dave MasonDave MasonDavid Thomas "Dave" Mason is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Worcester, who first found fame with the rock band Traffic...
) - "Love is All You Can Try"
- "Last Day of Dawn"
- "Don't be a Hero"
- "Open Your Heart"
- "How Much Can a Man Really Take?"
- "Anniversary Song" (Saul ChaplinSaul ChaplinSaul Chaplin was an American composer and musical director.He was born Saul Kaplan in Brooklyn, New York.He had worked on stage, screen and television since the days of Tin Pan Alley...
, Al JolsonAl JolsonAl Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
)
One further track, "Going Down Slow All the Way", was recorded at an unidentified studio in England and released as the b-side to the single "Eve". The track features only piano, tambourine, bass drum, and a single vocal, all presumably played by Jim Capaldi, who produced the track by himself.
Personnel
- Jim Capaldi - lead vocals, piano on "Open Your Heart", acoustic guitar on "Last Day of Dawn"
and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, also known as The Swampers, are a group of American soul, R&B, and country studio musicians based in the town of Muscle Shoals, Alabama...
(except on "Open Your Heart" and "How Much Can a Man Really Take?"):
- David HoodDavid HoodDavid Hood , is a bassist from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He also plays the trombone and is a member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame....
- bass - Roger HawkinsRoger HawkinsRoger G Hawkins , is an American drummer best known for playing as part of the studio backing band known as The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section of Alabama...
- drums - Barry BeckettBarry BeckettBarry Edward Beckett was a keyboardist who worked as a session musician with several notable artists on their studio albums...
- piano, organ on "Big Thirst" and "Don't be a Hero" - Jimmy JohnsonJimmy Johnson (musician)Jimmy Johnson is an American a member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section that was attached to FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama for a period in the 1960s and 1970s, and later was the a founder of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio located at first on 3614 Jackson Highway in Sheffield, Alabama and at...
- electric guitar on "Eve" and "Anniversary Song"
with:
- Paul KossoffPaul KossoffPaul Francis Kossoff was an English rock guitarist best known as a member of the band Free.Kossoff was ranked 51st in Rolling Stone magazine list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" -Early days:...
- electric guitar - Dave MasonDave MasonDavid Thomas "Dave" Mason is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Worcester, who first found fame with the rock band Traffic...
- harmonica on "Big Thirst", electric guitar solo on "Don't be a Hero" - Steve WinwoodSteve WinwoodStephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
- organ on "Eve" and "Open Your Heart", backing vocal on "Open Your Heart", guitar on "Love is All You Can Try" - Chris WoodChris Wood (rock musician)Christopher Gordon Blandford 'Chris' Wood was a founding member of the English rock band Traffic, along with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Dave Mason....
- flute on "How Much Can a Man Really Take?", electric saxophone on "Open Your Heart" - Ric GrechRic GrechRichard Roman Grech was a British rock musician.-Career:Grech originally gained notice in the United Kingdom as the bass guitar player for the progressive rock group Family. He joined the band when it was a largely blues-based live act in Leicester known as the Farinas; he became their bassist in...
- bass on "Open Your Heart" - Jim GordonJim Gordon (musician)James Beck "Jim" Gordon is an American recording artist, musician and songwriter. The Grammy Award winner was one of the most requested session drummers in the late 1960s and 1970s, recording albums with many well-known musicians of the time, and was the drummer in the blues-rock supergroup Derek...
- drums on "Open Your Heart" - Rebop Kwaku BaahRebop Kwaku BaahAnthony "Reebop" Kwaku Baah was a Ghanaian percussionist perhaps best known for working with the 1970s rock groups Traffic and Can.-Biography:...
- percussion on "Last Day of Dawn" and "Open Your Heart", congas on "How Much Can a Man Really Take?" - Trevor Burton - bass on "How Much Can a Man Really Take?"
- Mike KellieMike KellieMike Kellie is an English drummer. Most notably, he has played in Spooky Tooth and The Only Ones. Kellie has also played with Peter Frampton and in various bands with Chris Wood....
- drums on "How Much Can a Man Really Take?" - Bob Griffin - piano on "How Much Can a Man Really Take?"
- Sunny Leslie - backing vocal on "Big Thirst"