The Bells (album)
Encyclopedia
The Bells is the ninth album
by Lou Reed
, released through Arista Records
in 1979. It is recorded in binaural
sound. "City Lights" is a tribute to Charlie Chaplin
. "Disco Mystic" is indeed played in a disco style, and the lyrics consist of those two words repeated. "Families" is an explicitly personal entreaty to his own parents and sister, with the closing line "Families that live out in the suburbs often make each other cry". "I Want to Boogie With You" has a doo-wop flavor (even if underneath the horns are the synthesizers which permeate this album), a I-to-IV Plagal Cadence
repeated throughout. The title track is said to be a favorite of Reed's, and he claims the lyrics were made up extemporaneously. Three tracks were co-composed with Nils Lofgren
and their joint compositions are also included on Nils
, Lofgren's 1979 album.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
, released through Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
in 1979. It is recorded in binaural
Binaural recording
Binaural recording is a method of recording sound that uses two microphones, arranged with the intent to create a 3-D stereo sound sensation for the listener of actually being in the room with the performers or instruments. This effect is often created using a technique known as "Dummy head...
sound. "City Lights" is a tribute to Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
. "Disco Mystic" is indeed played in a disco style, and the lyrics consist of those two words repeated. "Families" is an explicitly personal entreaty to his own parents and sister, with the closing line "Families that live out in the suburbs often make each other cry". "I Want to Boogie With You" has a doo-wop flavor (even if underneath the horns are the synthesizers which permeate this album), a I-to-IV Plagal Cadence
Cadence (music)
In Western musical theory, a cadence is, "a melodic or harmonic configuration that creates a sense of repose or resolution [finality or pause]." A harmonic cadence is a progression of two chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music...
repeated throughout. The title track is said to be a favorite of Reed's, and he claims the lyrics were made up extemporaneously. Three tracks were co-composed with Nils Lofgren
Nils Lofgren
Nils Hilmer Lofgren is an American rock music recording artist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...
and their joint compositions are also included on Nils
Nils (album)
Nils is the fifth solo album from Nils Lofgren.- Track listing :All tracks composed by Nils Lofgren; except where indicated# "No Mercy" – 4:06# "I'll Cry Tomorrow" – 4:28# "Baltimore" – 6:43...
, Lofgren's 1979 album.
Track listing
- "Stupid Man" - 2:33 (Reed, Nils LofgrenNils LofgrenNils Hilmer Lofgren is an American rock music recording artist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...
) - "Disco Mystic" - 4:30 (Reed, Ellard Boles, Marty Fogel, Michael Fonfara, Michael Suchorsky)
- "I Want to Boogie With You" - 3:55 (Reed, Michael Fonfara)
- "With You" - 2:21 (Reed, Nils Lofgren)
- "Looking for Love" - 3:29 (Reed)
- "City Lights" - 3:22 (Reed, Nils Lofgren)
- "All Through the Night" - 5:00 (Reed, Don CherryDon Cherry (jazz)Donald Eugene Cherry was an innovative African-American jazz cornetist whose career began with a long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman. He went on to live in many parts of the world and work with a wide variety of musicians.-Biography:Cherry was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and...
) - "Families" - 6:09 (Reed, Ellard Boles)
- "The Bells" - 9:17 (Reed, Marty Fogel)
Personnel
- Lou ReedLou ReedLewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
- vocals, electric guitar, synthesizer, bass - Ellard "Moose" Boles - 12-string electric guitar, synthesizer, bass, background vocals
- Don CherryDon Cherry (jazz)Donald Eugene Cherry was an innovative African-American jazz cornetist whose career began with a long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman. He went on to live in many parts of the world and work with a wide variety of musicians.-Biography:Cherry was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and...
- African hunting guitar, trumpet - Marty Fogel - ocarina, soprano & tenor saxophones, Fender Rhodes, guitar on "The Bells"
- Michael Fonfara - electric & Fender Rhodes pianos, keyboards, Oberheim synthesizer, background vocals, Executive Producer
- Michael Suchorsky - percussion