Dreamboat Annie

Dreamboat Annie
Studio album by Heart
Released September 1975
Recorded July–August 1975
Studio Can-Base Studios, Vancouver, Canada
Genre Hard rock, folk rock, progressive rock
Length 40:02
Label Mushroom
Producer Mike Flicker
Heart chronology
Dreamboat Annie
(1975)		 Little Queen
(1977)
Singles from Dreamboat Annie
  1. "How Deep It Goes" / "Here Song"
    Released: 1975
  2. "Magic Man" / "How Deep It Goes"
    Released: July 1975
  3. "Crazy on You" / "Soul of the Sea"
    Released: February 1976
  4. "Dreamboat Annie" / "Sing Child"
    Released: December 1976
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Robert ChristgauC+[2]
Rolling Stone(favorable)[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]

Dreamboat Annie is the debut album by American rock band Heart. At the time, the band was based in Vancouver, British Columbia; the album was recorded in B.C. and first released in Canada by the local label Mushroom Records in the summer of 1975.[5] It was released in the United States on February 14, 1976 through the subsidiary of Mushroom Records in Los Angeles. The album contains three hit singles which became staples on FM radio. Producer Mike Flicker helped the group to polish their sound and obtain a recording contract with the label.

Recording

The album was recorded on an Ampex MM1000 16-track tape recorder (which formerly belonged to United Western Recorders) at the Can-Base Studios in Vancouver, BC, which were later renamed to the current Mushroom Studios. It was the first major hit album recorded there.

Release

Heart's first single "How Deep It Goes" b/w "Here Song" (M-7008) received little attention when released in Canada by the small Mushroom label in 1975. The second single "Magic Man" b/w "How Deep It Goes" was first picked up for radio play by CJFM-FM 96 in Montreal,[6] while the band was on tour playing small club dates.

Dreamboat Annie was released following the success of the second single. The album cover was designed by current Emily Carr University of Art and Design communication design instructor Deborah Shackleton[7] Heart's first radio success earned them a spot opening a Montreal concert for Rod Stewart in October 1975.[8] More Canadian airplay soon followed, partly because Heart's recordings qualified for Canadian content broadcast requirements. The album sold an impressive 30,000 copies across Canada in its first few months.

Mushroom then formed a US division and released Dreamboat Annie on Valentine's Day 1976 in the Seattle area, where Heart's members had lived and played before relocating to Canada in the early 1970s.[9] The album was played by Seattle stations KISW and KZOK and promptly sold another 25,000 copies in the local area. The group and their label then began working together to build success for the album city by city. According to Flicker, this was part of a plan to convince record distributors that Mushroom had a hit record, so that the album would get national distribution.

Subsequent events

The success of the album indirectly led to a break between the band and label. The first cracks appeared when the group tried to renegotiate their royalty rate to be more in keeping with what they thought a platinum band should be earning. For this Michael Fisher, who was Ann Wilson's boyfriend at the time, stepped aside as de facto manager and Ken Kinnear was hired. Mushroom's tough stance in negotiations, and their opinion that perhaps the band was a one-hit wonder, led to Mike Flicker leaving the label. He did, however, continue to produce for Heart.[10]

The relationship broke down completely when the label bought a full-page ad in Rolling Stone mocked up like a National Enquirer front page.[11] The ad used a photo similar to the one on the Dreamboat Annie album cover, showing Ann and Nancy back to back with bare shoulders. The caption under the photo read "It Was Only Our First Time". The band had not been consulted and was furious with the double meaning of the caption.

Since the label could no longer provide Flicker as producer as the contract specified, the band took the position that they were free to move to another label and signed with Portrait Records. Mushroom insisted that the band was still bound to the contract which called for two albums. So, Mushroom released Magazine with incomplete tracks, studio outtakes and live material and a disclaimer on the cover.[10]

The band got a federal injunction to stop distribution of the 1977 edition of Magazine. Most of the initial 50,000 pressings were recalled from stores. The court eventually decided that the band could sign with Portrait, but that they did owe Mushroom a second album. The band returned to the studio to re-record, remix, edit, and re-sequence the recordings. Magazine was re-released in 1978 and sold a million copies in less than a month.[10]

Shelley Siegel, the promoter behind the "First Time" ad and Vice President of the record label, died a few months after the re-release, and Mushroom Records went bankrupt two years later. The episode had at least one more repercussion. Not long after the ad appeared, a radio promoter asked Ann about her lover; he was referring to Nancy, thus implying that the sisters were incestuous lesbian lovers. The encounter infuriated Ann who went back to her hotel and penned the words to what became Heart's signature song, "Barracuda".[10]

Track listing

All tracks written by Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson, except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Magic Man"5:28
2."Dreamboat Annie (Fantasy Child)"1:10
3."Crazy on You"4:53
4."Soul of the Sea"6:33
5."Dreamboat Annie"2:02
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."White Lightning & Wine" 3:53
7."(Love Me Like Music) I'll Be Your Song" 3:20
8."Sing Child"A. Wilson, N. Wilson, Steve Fossen, Roger Fisher4:55
9."How Deep It Goes"A. Wilson3:49
10."Dreamboat Annie (reprise)" 3:50

Personnel

Heart

  • Ann Wilson - lead vocals (1-10), electric guitar (9), flute (3, 8, 10), backing vocals (3, 7-9)
  • Nancy Wilson - acoustic guitar (1-10), electric guitar (1, 6), backing vocals (2, 3, 5-10)
  • Roger Fisher - electric guitar (1, 3, 4, 6-8), acoustic guitar (1), lap steel guitar (7)[12]
  • Howard Leese - electric guitar (1, 3), synthesizer (1), bells (2, 7), backing vocals (8), orchestral arrangements (4, 7, 9, 10)
  • Steve Fossen - bass guitar (1-8, 10)
  • Michael DeRosier - drums (6, 8)

Additional Musicians

  • Ray Ayotte - conga (1), percussion (4)
  • Tessie Bensussen - backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 10)
  • Geoff Foubert - banjo (2, 5), backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 7, 10)
  • Jim Hill - backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 10)
  • Rob Deans - piano (9, 10), synthesizer (3, 9), orchestral arrangements (4, 7, 9, 10)
  • Mike Flicker - timpani (10), percussion (1)
  • Kat Hendrikse - drums (2-5, 7, 10)
  • Duris Maxwell - drums (9)
  • Brian Newcombe - bass guitar (9)
  • Dave Wilson - drums (1)

Production

  • Mike Flicker – producer, engineer, mixing, arrangements
  • Rolf Hennemann – engineer
  • Mike Fisher – special direction
  • Howard Leese – production assistance
  • Patrick Collins – mastering

Charts

Album

Year Chart Peak
position
1976 Billboard 200 (USA)[13] 7
GfK Dutch Charts[14] 7
Australian Albums Chart[15] 9
RPM100 Albums Chart (Canada)[16] 20
1977 UK Albums Chart[17] 36

Singles

Year Title Chart Peak
position
1976 "Crazy on You" RPM100 Singles (Canada)[18] 25
Billboard Hot 100 (USA)[19] 35
1977 GfK Dutch Charts[20] 8
Ultratop Belgium Charts (Flanders)[21] 16
1976 "Magic Man" Billboard Hot 100 (USA)[19] 9
RPM100 Singles (Canada)[22] 26
1977 GfK Dutch Charts[23] 8
Ultratop Belgium Charts (Flanders)[24] 10
New Zealand Charts[25] 26
1976 "Dreamboat Annie" Billboard Hot 100 (USA)[19] 42
1977 RPM100 Singles (Canada)[26] 53

Certifications

Country Organization Year Sales
USA RIAA 1976 Platinum (+ 1,000,000)[27]
Canada CRIA 1979 2x Platinum (+ 200,000)[28]

References

  1. ↑ Henderson, Alex. "Heart – Dreamboat Annie review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  2. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "CG: Heart". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  3. ↑ Holden, Stephen (October 21, 1976). "Heart: Dreamboat Annie : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 5, 2008. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
  4. ↑ Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 372. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  5. ↑ Read, Jeani (October 2, 1976). "Canada! Coast Industry Focuses on Its Uniqueness". Billboard. 88 (40): C-20. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  6. ↑ Shelley Siegel. "A Canadian Success Story Not To Be Forgotten". Retrieved April 4, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Deborah Shackleton". Ecuad.ca. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  8. ↑ VH1 Behind the Music
  9. ↑ See the Heart (band) page for the origins of the group.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson; Charles R. Cross (2012). "Ch. 12 – Burn to the Wick". Kicking & Dreaming. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780062101679.
  11. ↑ "Mushroom Records Ad" (JPG). Mushroom Records (Canada). Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  12. ↑ Saulnier, Jason (March 15, 2012). "Roger Fisher Interview". Music Legends. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Dreamboat Annie Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Heart – Dreamboat Annie (album)". GfK Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Media Control Charts. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  15. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (doc)|format= requires |url= (help). Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  16. ↑ "Top Albums/CDs – Volume 26, No. 2, 9 October 1976". Library and Archives Canada. October 9, 1976. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Artist Chart History – Heart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Top Singles – Volume 25, No. 6, 8 May 1976". Library and Archives Canada. May 8, 1976. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  19. 1 2 3 "Dreamboat Annie Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Heart – Crazy on You (nummer)". GfK Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Media Control Charts. Archived from the original on June 16, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Heart – Crazy on You". Ultratop (in Dutch). Media Control Charts. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Top Singles – Volume 23, No. 5, 30 October 1976". Library and Archives Canada. October 30, 1976. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Heart – Magic Man (nummer)". GfK Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Media Control Charts. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Heart – Magic Man". Ultratop (in Dutch). Media Control Charts. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  25. ↑ "Heart – Magic Man (song)". Charts.org.nz. Media Control Charts. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 20, 12 February 1977". Library and Archives Canada. February 12, 1977. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  27. ↑ "RIAA Searchable database: search for "Dreamboat Annie"". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Gold Platinum Search for Heart". Music Canada. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
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