A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse

A Nod's As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse
Studio album by Faces
Released 17 November 1971[1]
Recorded March–September 1971 at Olympic Studios, London
Genre Rock & roll, boogie rock, blues-rock, hard rock, country rock
Length 36:28
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Faces and Glyn Johns
Faces chronology
Long Player
(1971)		 A Nod's As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse
(1971)		 Ooh La La
(1973)

A Nod's As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse was the third album by British rock group Faces, and their second album of 1971. Bolstered somewhat by lead singer Rod Stewart's recent solo success with "Maggie May", it was their most successful album worldwide, peaking at No. 6 in the US,[2] and reaching No. 2 in the UK. It also contains their biggest US hit, the swaggering "Stay with Me" (No. 6 in the UK, No. 17 in the US), and the album itself would be certified gold by the RIAA in 1972.[3]

Generally regarded as the Faces' definitive statement, and the most consistent, balanced album of the group's career in terms of songwriting and of mood, thanks largely to the decision to share production duties with Glyn Johns. The album features two ballads and a Chuck Berry cover among its cast of bluesy rockers and rollicking bar-room swing-alongs. Bassist Ronnie Lane, often left frustrated by the division of vocal duties in the band sang lead on three of his own contributions (one co-written with keyboardist Ian McLagan), including the examination of father-son relationships, 'Debris'.

The original issue of the album came with a large poster consisting of a picture collage, including images of pills and pharmaceutical capsules, as well as polaroid photos apparently taken on tour of band and crew members reveling with naked groupies in hotel rooms. Within weeks of release, the record company had second thoughts about the poster and re-issued the album without it, turning original copies with the poster into collectors' items overnight.[4]

On 28 August 2015, the album was reissued in a remastered and expanded form, with the bonus tracks being two songs from a previously unreleased BBC session. The new vinyl reissue even replicated the poster included with the first-pressing vinyl release.

Reception

The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[5]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[6]
Robert ChristgauA−[7]
Rolling Stonemixed [8]

Track listing

Side One

  1. "Miss Judy's Farm" (Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood) – 3:42
  2. "You're So Rude" (Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan) – 3:46 (lead singer: Ronnie Lane)
  3. "Love Lives Here" (Lane, Stewart, Wood) – 3:09
  4. "Last Orders Please" (Lane) – 2:38 (lead singer: Ronnie Lane)
  5. "Stay with Me" (Stewart, Wood) – 4:42

Side Two

  1. "Debris" (Lane) – 4:39 (lead singer: Ronnie Lane, with Rod Stewart on chorus harmony)
  2. "Memphis, Tennessee" (incorrectly titled on original pressings of the album as simply "Memphis") (Chuck Berry) – 5:31
  3. "Too Bad" (Stewart, Wood) – 3:16
  4. "That's All You Need" (Stewart, Wood) – 5:05

2015 Reissue bonus tracks

  1. "Miss Judy's Farm" [BBC Session] (Stewart, Wood)
  2. "Stay With Me" [BBC Session] (Stewart, Wood)

Personnel

Reissues

Year Label Cat. number Edition
2005 Audio Fidelity AFZ 026 24 Karat Gold HDCD

References

  1. ↑ "Random Notes". Rolling Stone. Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. (96): 4. 25 November 1971.
  2. ↑ Faces > A Nod's as Good as a Wink . . . to a Blind Horse > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at AllMusic. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  3. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Faces-A-Nod-Is-As-Good-As-A-Wink To-A-Blind-Horse/release/4847644
  4. ↑ "Random Notes". Rolling Stone (99). Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. 6 January 1972. p. 4.
  5. ↑ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (7 February 2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 0-7893-1371-5.
  6. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 November 2005.
  7. ↑ Christgau, Robert (30 December 1971). "Consumer Guide (22): Faces: A Nod's As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse". The Village Voice. Retrieved 7 April 2012. Also posted in a revised version with a lower rating at "Faces: A Nod's as Good as a Wink . . . to a Blind Horse > Consumer Guide Review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  8. ↑ Landau, Jon (6 January 1972). "Faces A Nod's As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse > Album Review". Rolling Stone (99). Archived from the original on 15 May 2008. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
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