Every Picture Tells a Story explained

Every Picture Tells a Story
Type:studio
Artist:Rod Stewart
Cover:EveryPictureTellsaStory.jpg
Released:28 May 1971
Recorded:November 1970−January 1971
Studio:Morgan Studios, London
Genre:
Length:40:31
Label:Mercury
Producer:Rod Stewart
Prev Title:Gasoline Alley
Prev Year:1970
Next Title:Never a Dull Moment
Next Year:1972

Every Picture Tells a Story is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Rod Stewart, released on 28 May 1971, by Mercury Records. It incorporates hard rock, folk, and blues styles. It went to number one on both the UK and US charts and finished third in the Jazz & Pop critics' poll for best album of 1971.[3] It has been an enduring critical success, including a number 172 ranking on Rolling Stones 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[4]

History

This album is a mixture of rock, country, blues, soul, and folk, and includes Stewart's breakthrough hit, "Maggie May", as well as "Reason to Believe", a song from Tim Hardin's debut album of 1966. "Reason to Believe", with Pete Sears on piano, was released as the first single from the album with "Maggie May" as the B-side; however, "Maggie May" became more popular and was a No. 1 hit in both the UK and US.

The album includes a version of Arthur Crudup's "That's All Right (Mama)" (the first single for Elvis Presley) and a cover of the Bob Dylan song "Tomorrow Is a Long Time", an outtake from Dylan's 1963 album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (it would see release on 1971's Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II).

All five members of the Faces (with whom Stewart at that time was lead vocalist) appear on the album, with guitarist/bassist Ronnie Wood and keyboardist Ian McLagan on Hammond B3 organ being employed most. Due to contractual restrictions, the personnel listings were somewhat vague, and it was unclear that the full Faces line-up recorded the version of the Motown hit "(I Know) I'm Losing You".[5] Other contributors included Ray Jackson on mandolin (though Stewart allegedly forgot his name and merely mentioned "the mandolin player in Lindisfarne" on the sleeve) and Micky Waller on drums. Maggie Bell performed backing vocals (mentioned on the sleeve as "vocal abrasives") on the title track, and Madeline Bell sang backup on the next track, "Seems Like A Long Time". Pete Sears played all the piano on the album except for one track, "I'm Losing You", which had Ian McLagan on piano, along with the Faces as a band.

The album reached the number-one position in both the UK (for six weeks) and the US (four weeks) at the same time that "Maggie May" was topping the singles charts in both territories.

The Temptations cover, "I Know I'm Losing You" reached the top 40 at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.

Reception

In his original Rolling Stone review, John Mendelsohn wrote: "Boring as half of it may be, there's enough that is unqualifiedly magnificent on the other half."[6] However, Village Voice critic Robert Christgau gave the album a glowing review, writing: "Rod the Wordslinger is a lot more literate than the typical English bloozeman, Rod the Singer can make words flesh, and though Rod the Bandleader's music is literally electric it's the mandolin and pedal steel that come through sharpest."

A retrospective review by Pitchforks Tal Rosenberg called it "a rollicking and surprisingly grounded document of early '70s folk-rock".

Legacy

The album has been an enduring critical success, including a number 172 ranking on Rolling Stones 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time,[4] maintaining the rating in a 2012 revised list,[7] dropping slightly in a 2020 revised list to number 177.[8] In 1992, the album was awarded the number-one spot in Jimmy Guterman's book The Best Rock 'N' Roll Records of All Time: A Fan's Guide to the Stuff You Love. It was ranked 99th in a 2005 survey held by British television's Channel 4 to determine the 100 greatest albums of all time.

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "Without greatly altering his approach, Rod Stewart perfected his blend of hard rock, folk, and blues on his masterpiece, Every Picture Tells a Story."

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

On the album's liner notes, the names of two alcoholic beverages (Martell Cognac and Mateus Rosé) are interspersed amongst the personnel credits.

Technical

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1971–1972)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australian Kent Music Report[9] 1
Canadian RPM Albums Chart[10] 1
Dutch Albums Chart[11] 2
Japanese Oricon LPs Chart[12] 84
Norwegian Albums Chart[13] 9
Spanish Albums Chart[14] 4
Swedish Kvällstoppen Chart[15] 5
UK Albums Chart[16] 1
US Billboard 200[17] 1
West German Media Control Albums Chart[18] 23

Year-end charts

Chart (1971)! scope="col"
Position
Australian Albums Chart17
Dutch Albums Chart[19] 5
UK Albums Chart[20] 2
US Billboard Pop Albums[21] 34
Chart (1972)! scope="col"
Position
Australian Albums Chart23
Dutch Albums Chart[22] 47
US Billboard Pop Albums[23] 65

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rod Stewart: Every Picture Tells a Story Album Review . 10 December 2023 . Pitchfork . 25 August 2024 . Today we revisit the album that made Rod Stewart a star, a rollicking and surprisingly grounded document of early ’70s folk-rock.Today we revisit the album that made Rod Stewart a star, a rollicking and surprisingly grounded document of early ’70s folk-rock..
  2. Book: Strong, Martin C.. Martin C. Strong. 2006. ...the album was a masterclass in roots rock.... The Essential Rock Discography. 1046. 1841958271. Canongate.
  3. News: The Village Voice. 10 February 1972. The 1971 Jazz & Pop Critics Poll. 16 July 2011.
  4. Book: Levy, Joe. 172 | Every Picture Tells a Story – Rod Stewart. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/every-picture-tells-a-story-rod-stewart-19691231. 16 July 2011. Steven Van Zandt. Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 2005. 3rd. 2006. Turnaround. London. 1-932958-61-4. 70672814. RS500. 6 July 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110706104437/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/every-picture-tells-a-story-rod-stewart-19691231. dead.
  5. Liner notes, Faces' The Definitive Rock Collection, Rhino Records, 2007
  6. News: Rolling Stone. 86. 8 July 1971. John. Mendelsohn. John Mendelsohn (musician). Every Picture Tells A Story. 15 August 2011.
  7. 500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. 2012. Rolling Stone. 18 September 2019.
  8. 2020-09-22. The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 2021-09-14. Rolling Stone. en-US.
  9. Book: Kent, David. Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book. St Ives, NSW. 1993. 0-646-11917-6.
  10. Top Albums/CDs – Volume 16, No. 12. 6 November 1971. RPM. 15 June 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20140429075912/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.7541&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=svcn9l0k61q3vjfucibefndnc0. 29 April 2014. dead.
  11. Web site: dutchcharts.nl Rod Stewart – Every Picture Tell a Story. Hung Medien. MegaCharts. nl. ASP. 1 May 2012.
  12. Book: Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Oricon Entertainment. Roppongi, Tokyo. 2006. 4-87131-077-9.
  13. Web site: norwegiancharts.com Rod Stewart – Every Picture Tell a Story. ASP. 1 May 2012.
  14. Book: Salaverri, Fernando. Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002. 1st. September 2005. Fundación Autor-SGAE. Spain. 84-8048-639-2.
  15. Web site: Swedish Charts 1969–1972/Kvällstoppen – Listresultaten vecka för vecka > Augusti 1971 > 10 Augusti. sv. hitsallertijden.nl. 3 May 2012. Note: Kvällstoppen combined sales for albums and singles in the one chart; Every Picture Tells a Story ranked at the number-thirteen on the list on 10 August 1971.
  16. Web site: Rod Stewart > Artists > Official Charts. UK Albums Chart. 1 May 2013.
  17. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r19100/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic: ''Every Picture Tell a Story'' : Charts & Awards : Billboard Albums]. allmusic.com. 1 May 2013.
  18. Web site: Album Search: Rod Stewart – Every Picture Tell a Story. ASP. de. Media Control. 1 May 2013.
  19. Web site: Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1971. ASP. nl. 2 April 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140512112218/http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1971&cat=a. 12 May 2014.
  20. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20071217020432/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/album_chart_history_1971.php. The Official UK Charts Company : Album Chart History. 17 December 2007. 17 December 2007.
  21. https://archive.today/20121231073210/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/archivesearch/article_display/855873?imw=Y. Billboard.BIZ Top Pop Albums of 1971. Billboard. 31 December 2012. 29 April 2014. dead.
  22. Web site: Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1972. ASP. nl. 2 April 2014.
  23. https://archive.today/20121206011151/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/archivesearch/article_display/855843?imw=Y. Billboard.BIZ Top Pop Albums of 1972. Billboard. 6 December 2012. 29 April 2014. dead.

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