Straight Up (album)
Encyclopedia
Straight Up is the third album by power pop
band Badfinger
, released on December 13, 1971. It is widely regarded as Badfinger's best album, spawning two Top 20 singles in the U.S. and being commercially successful in its own right. The album was released on the The Beatles'
Apple Records
label and was unavailable for many years after it closed. It became a highly sought-after album by collectors until it was finally re-issued on CD in 1993.
at Abbey Road Studios
, who produced the bulk of Badfinger's preceding album No Dice
. Although these early recordings were completed and both the album and a single, "Name of the Game", were ready to be released, Apple Records
co-president George Harrison
decided the album could be improved under his personal direction, which led the single to be canceled and all the material recorded up to that point to be shelved. Harrison recorded a couple of new tracks with the band in the summer of 1971, as well as re-recording a couple of the original tracks. He can be heard playing a slide-guitar duet with Pete Ham on the song "Day After Day
", with Leon Russell
featured on piano. Additionally, Harrison and Phil Spector planned a different string arrangement for "Name of the Game", but this apparently never came to pass.
Due to a hurriedly assembled benefit concert that summer, The Concert for Bangladesh
, at which Badfinger performed, Harrison lost interest in the Straight Up project and did not return to it after the concert. Apple retained Todd Rundgren
to finish the album. Rundgren utilised recordings begun by both Emerick and Harrison, re-recorded some of them, and also recorded several new tracks with the band (notably "Baby Blue
") in less than a month. (It had already taken the band over a year to record what songs they had.) Although production credit for individual songs on the album is given to both Rundgren and Harrison, Rundgren did the final mix of the entire album (and was upset that he was given neither a co-production nor a mixing credit for any of the Harrison songs).
Consistent with the title of the album, the front cover featured a "straight up" picture of Badfinger, with no credits or titles marring the image. The title was instead shown on the back cover.
The album was remastered by Ron Furmanek
at Abbey Road Studios
in March 1992. The remastered album was released by Capitol Records
in 1993 with five bonus tracks. The first four were all early alternate versions of songs that would end up on Straight Up recorded in early 1971 for the originally intended follow up to 1970's No Dice. This untitled album was abruptly canceled by Apple and when Badfinger regrouped to record their next album they discarded these early tapes in favor of starting from scratch. Three other tracks from these same sessions were released as bonus tracks on the remastered version of No Dice in 1992. The final bonus track is the U.S. single mix of "Baby Blue", the difference being a reverberated snare drum
.
While it was originally claimed that the remastering of the entire Badfinger catalog was done from the original two track
stereo master mix tapes, this was proved false as the original master tapes were thought lost until recently. in 2010, EMI announced a new round of remasters for Badfinger's Apple releases that would possibly rectify this.
(calling it "a barely decent album, one which is the poorest of Badfinger's three LPs and by far the least likeable"), and Badfinger became vocal in expressing reservations with Rundgren's production technique. Ham complained about the band losing production input, and Joey Molland
claimed that the album had lost energy compared to No Dice
. Although Apple had chosen Rundgren to return as the original producer of the next Badfinger album, he departed the project after just four days, about the same time as the publication of the Rolling Stone
pan of Straight Up.
Also, the last thing the band wanted to hear at that time was that the record sounded like The Beatles
, which the group had heard ever since Maybe Tomorrow
, and the fact that ex-Beatle Harrison and noted Beatles imitator Rundgren had produced it didn't help their ability to deny that charge.
Straight Up peaked at number 31 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart. The singles "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue" peaked at number 4 and number 14, respectively, on the U.S. Pop Singles chart. However, because of the turmoil within Apple, "Baby Blue" was not released as a single in the U.K.
When Straight Up was finally issued on CD in 1993, five of the original Emerick-produced recordings, including the canceled single version of "Name of the Game", were included as bonus tracks.
"Baby Blue" was later featured in the soundtrack for the 2006 Martin Scorsese
film The Departed
.
-produced album completed by Badfinger in early 1971 that was later canceled. With the expanded 2010 remasters of Badfinger's first four albums, all of these tracks have now been officially released.
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
band Badfinger
Badfinger
Badfinger were a British rock band consisting originally of Pete Ham, Ron Griffiths, Mike Gibbins and Tom Evans, active from 1968 to 1983, and evolving from The Iveys, formed by Ham, Griffiths and David "Dai" Jenkins in Swansea, Wales, in the early 1960s. Joey Molland joined the group in 1969,...
, released on December 13, 1971. It is widely regarded as Badfinger's best album, spawning two Top 20 singles in the U.S. and being commercially successful in its own right. The album was released on the The Beatles'
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
Apple Records
Apple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
label and was unavailable for many years after it closed. It became a highly sought-after album by collectors until it was finally re-issued on CD in 1993.
History
Recordings for Straight Up began in early 1971 under the direction of producer Geoff EmerickGeoff Emerick
Geoffrey Emerick is an English recording studio audio engineer, who is best known for his work with The Beatles' albums Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles and Abbey Road...
at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
, who produced the bulk of Badfinger's preceding album No Dice
No Dice
No Dice is a pop album by Badfinger, issued by Apple Records and released on 9 November 1970. Their second album under the Badfinger name and third album overall, No Dice significantly expanded the British group's popularity, especially abroad...
. Although these early recordings were completed and both the album and a single, "Name of the Game", were ready to be released, Apple Records
Apple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
co-president George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
decided the album could be improved under his personal direction, which led the single to be canceled and all the material recorded up to that point to be shelved. Harrison recorded a couple of new tracks with the band in the summer of 1971, as well as re-recording a couple of the original tracks. He can be heard playing a slide-guitar duet with Pete Ham on the song "Day After Day
Day After Day (song)
"Day After Day" is a song recorded by the rock/pop band Badfinger for inclusion on their 1971 album, Straight Up.The song was written and sung by Pete Ham and produced by George Harrison, who plays some of the slide guitar parts of the song along with Ham. The record also features Leon Russell on...
", with Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
featured on piano. Additionally, Harrison and Phil Spector planned a different string arrangement for "Name of the Game", but this apparently never came to pass.
Due to a hurriedly assembled benefit concert that summer, The Concert for Bangladesh
The Concert for Bangladesh
The Concert for Bangladesh was the name for two benefit concerts organised by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, held at noon and at 7 PM on August 1, 1971, playing to a total of 40,000 people at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
, at which Badfinger performed, Harrison lost interest in the Straight Up project and did not return to it after the concert. Apple retained Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
to finish the album. Rundgren utilised recordings begun by both Emerick and Harrison, re-recorded some of them, and also recorded several new tracks with the band (notably "Baby Blue
Baby Blue (Badfinger song)
"Baby Blue" is a song recorded by the rock/pop band Badfinger for inclusion on their 1971 album, "Straight Up." The song was written by Pete Ham, produced by Todd Rundgren, and released on Apple Records....
") in less than a month. (It had already taken the band over a year to record what songs they had.) Although production credit for individual songs on the album is given to both Rundgren and Harrison, Rundgren did the final mix of the entire album (and was upset that he was given neither a co-production nor a mixing credit for any of the Harrison songs).
Consistent with the title of the album, the front cover featured a "straight up" picture of Badfinger, with no credits or titles marring the image. The title was instead shown on the back cover.
The album was remastered by Ron Furmanek
Ron Furmanek
Ron Furmanek is a Grammy nominated music producer and filmographer who has produced over 200 CDs. His most recent work, which includes six Kingston Trio titles, is currently released on RichKat Records, through Collectors Choice Music in the USA.-Biography:...
at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
in March 1992. The remastered album was released by Capitol Records
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...
in 1993 with five bonus tracks. The first four were all early alternate versions of songs that would end up on Straight Up recorded in early 1971 for the originally intended follow up to 1970's No Dice. This untitled album was abruptly canceled by Apple and when Badfinger regrouped to record their next album they discarded these early tapes in favor of starting from scratch. Three other tracks from these same sessions were released as bonus tracks on the remastered version of No Dice in 1992. The final bonus track is the U.S. single mix of "Baby Blue", the difference being a reverberated snare drum
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
.
While it was originally claimed that the remastering of the entire Badfinger catalog was done from the original two track
Multitrack recording
Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
stereo master mix tapes, this was proved false as the original master tapes were thought lost until recently. in 2010, EMI announced a new round of remasters for Badfinger's Apple releases that would possibly rectify this.
Reaction
Despite the album's subsequent popularity with both fans and music critics, the album was viciously panned by critic (and previous Badfinger booster) Mike Saunders in 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...
(calling it "a barely decent album, one which is the poorest of Badfinger's three LPs and by far the least likeable"), and Badfinger became vocal in expressing reservations with Rundgren's production technique. Ham complained about the band losing production input, and Joey Molland
Joey Molland
Joseph "Joey" Charles Molland is an English composer and rock guitarist whose recording career spans four decades...
claimed that the album had lost energy compared to No Dice
No Dice
No Dice is a pop album by Badfinger, issued by Apple Records and released on 9 November 1970. Their second album under the Badfinger name and third album overall, No Dice significantly expanded the British group's popularity, especially abroad...
. Although Apple had chosen Rundgren to return as the original producer of the next Badfinger album, he departed the project after just four days, about the same time as the publication of the Rolling Stone
Rolling 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...
pan of Straight Up.
Also, the last thing the band wanted to hear at that time was that the record sounded like The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, which the group had heard ever since Maybe Tomorrow
Maybe Tomorrow (The Iveys album)
Maybe Tomorrow was the only album released by Badfinger under the name The Iveys. It was issued in 1969 on the Apple label in Japan, West Germany and Italy. Although the album was scheduled to be released worldwide, the release in the US and UK at that time was halted without explanation...
, and the fact that ex-Beatle Harrison and noted Beatles imitator Rundgren had produced it didn't help their ability to deny that charge.
Straight Up peaked at number 31 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart. The singles "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue" peaked at number 4 and number 14, respectively, on the U.S. Pop Singles chart. However, because of the turmoil within Apple, "Baby Blue" was not released as a single in the U.K.
When Straight Up was finally issued on CD in 1993, five of the original Emerick-produced recordings, including the canceled single version of "Name of the Game", were included as bonus tracks.
"Baby Blue" was later featured in the soundtrack for the 2006 Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
film The Departed
The Departed
The Departed is a 2006 American crime thriller film, fashioned as a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. The film was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan...
.
Side one
- "Take It All" (Ham) – 4:25
- "Baby BlueBaby Blue (Badfinger song)"Baby Blue" is a song recorded by the rock/pop band Badfinger for inclusion on their 1971 album, "Straight Up." The song was written by Pete Ham, produced by Todd Rundgren, and released on Apple Records....
" (Ham) – 3:37 - "Money" (Evans) – 3:29
- "Flying" (Evans/Molland) – 2:38
- "I'd Die Babe" (Molland) – 2:33
- "Name of the Game" (Ham) – 5:19
Side two
- "Suitcase" (Molland) – 2:53
- "Sweet Tuesday Morning" (Molland) – 2:31
- "Day After DayDay After Day (song)"Day After Day" is a song recorded by the rock/pop band Badfinger for inclusion on their 1971 album, Straight Up.The song was written and sung by Pete Ham and produced by George Harrison, who plays some of the slide guitar parts of the song along with Ham. The record also features Leon Russell on...
" (Ham) – 3:09 - "Sometimes" (Molland) – 2:56
- "Perfection" (Ham) – 5:07
- "It's Over" (Evans) – 3:34
1993 CD Bonus tracks
- "Money" [Original Version] (Evans) - 4:20
- "Flying" [Original Version] (Evans/Molland) - 2:25
- "Name of the Game" [Original Version] (Ham) - 4:27
- "Suitcase" [Original Version] (Molland) - 3:20
- "Perfection" [Original Version] (Ham) - 4:41
- "Baby BlueBaby Blue (Badfinger song)"Baby Blue" is a song recorded by the rock/pop band Badfinger for inclusion on their 1971 album, "Straight Up." The song was written by Pete Ham, produced by Todd Rundgren, and released on Apple Records....
" [US Single Mix] (Ham) - 3:35
CD bonus tracks 2010 remaster (replaces previous bonus tracks)
- "I'll Be the One" (Evans, Gibbins, Ham, Molland) - 2:57
- "Name of the Game" [Earlier Version] (Ham) - 4:24
- "Baby BlueBaby Blue (Badfinger song)"Baby Blue" is a song recorded by the rock/pop band Badfinger for inclusion on their 1971 album, "Straight Up." The song was written by Pete Ham, produced by Todd Rundgren, and released on Apple Records....
" [US Single Mix] (Ham) - 3:36 - "Baby Please" - 3:05
- "No Good At All" - 2:10
- "Sing for the Song" - 3:20
Canceled 1971 album track listing
This is the original track listing of the Geoff EmerickGeoff Emerick
Geoffrey Emerick is an English recording studio audio engineer, who is best known for his work with The Beatles' albums Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles and Abbey Road...
-produced album completed by Badfinger in early 1971 that was later canceled. With the expanded 2010 remasters of Badfinger's first four albums, all of these tracks have now been officially released.
Side One
- "Suitcase" (Molland)
- "I'll Be the One" (Ham/Evans/Molland/Gibbins)
- "No Good at All" (Evans)
- "Sweet Tuesday Morning" (Molland)
- "Baby Please" (Ham/Molland/Gibbins)
- "Mean, Mean Jemima" (Molland)
Side Two
- "Name of the Game" (Ham)
- "Loving You" (Gibbins)
- "Money/Flying" (Evans/Molland/Evans)
- "Sing for the Song" (Evans)
- "Perfection" (Ham)
Badfinger
- Pete Ham – Guitar, Piano, Vocals
- Tom EvansTom Evans (musician)Thomas Evans Jr was a musician who was most notable for his work with the band Badfinger.- Badfinger :In 1969, The Iveys changed their name to Badfinger and Paul McCartney of The Beatles gave the group a boost by offering them his song "Come and Get It" which he produced for the band...
– Bass, Vocals - Joey MollandJoey MollandJoseph "Joey" Charles Molland is an English composer and rock guitarist whose recording career spans four decades...
– Guitar, Vocals - Mike Gibbins – Drums
Others
- George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
– Slide Guitar on "Day After Day", Producer (+) - Leon RussellLeon RussellClaude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
– Piano on "Day After Day", Guitar on "Suitcase" - Klaus Voorman - Electric Piano on "Suitcase"
- Todd RundgrenTodd RundgrenTodd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
– Producer - Bill Collins - Accordion on "Sweet Tuesday Morning"
- Geoff EmerickGeoff EmerickGeoffrey Emerick is an English recording studio audio engineer, who is best known for his work with The Beatles' albums Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles and Abbey Road...
– Producer (++)
CD Reissue Credits
- Ron Furmanek – Research
- Peter MewPeter MewPeter Mew is a British music audio engineer at Abbey Road Studios where he is now senior mastering engineer. He came to Abbey Road in 1965 as a tape operator and has since worked with many artists at the studio...
– Engineer (for CD release only) - Mike Jarratt – Engineer (for CD release only)
- Marcia McGovern – Pre-Production Director (for CD release only)
- Roberta Ballard – Production Manager (for CD release only)
- Gene Mahon – Design (for CD release only)
- Richard DiLello – Design, Photography
- Andy Davis – Liner Notes (for CD release only)