So What (Joe Walsh album)

So What
Studio album by Joe Walsh
Released December 14, 1974
Recorded December 1973 – March 1974
Genre
Length 35:57
Label ABC-Dunhill
Producer
Joe Walsh chronology
The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get
(1973)The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get1973		 So What
(1974)		 You Can't Argue with a Sick Mind
(1976)You Can't Argue with a Sick Mind1976

So What is the third solo studio album by the American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joe Walsh. It was released in late 1974 on ABC-Dunhill Records. It contains hard rock songs such as "Welcome To The Club" and a remake of the Barnstorm track, "Turn To Stone". It also contains more introspective material such as "Help Me Through the Night" and "Song For Emma", a tribute to Walsh's daughter who had been killed in a car crash the previous year.[1] On a few tracks, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Randy Meisner of the Eagles contributed backing vocals. Over a year and a half later, Walsh would be drafted into the Eagles to replace founding member Bernie Leadon, playing on their best-selling studio album Hotel California. The album was re-issued five years later by MCA Records in 1979.

Production and recording

Two months before the release of the album, Walsh was asked about the album, and he said "I know this album's going to be an important one for me, but it's not easy to just crank them out anymore, I've got, what, six or seven albums out. I don't want the next album to sound like a bunch of outtakes from Smoker. I want it to be the difference between Revolver and Sgt. Pepper. I've held back [the album's release] until that development was there, even though the record company's been screaming for it. I want it to be a big, big step… in thoughts, vocals, playing and maturity."[2]

Don Henley wrote the lyrics for "Falling Down" with Henley providing backing vocals and "Falling Down" and "Time Out". The album features three of the four members of the Eagles Henley, Glenn Frey and Randy Meisner providing backing vocals for "Turn to Stone" and "Help Me Through The Night". This would be the first time that the band members would appear on an album with the future Eagle.[3]

"Song for Emma" was written as a memorial for Walsh's three year old daughter who died after a car accident when a drunk driver hit the Porsche driven by his girlfriend with Emma in the car. Later, Stevie Nicks wrote "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You" for Walsh after visiting Emma's grave with him.[4]

Producer Bill Szymczyk had the following written on the run out groove of the vinyl "THAT'S NO BANANY, THATS MY NOZE" on the first pressings of the vinyl.[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic [5]
The Village VoiceC+[6]

Writing retrospectively for AllMusic, critic Ben Davies wrote of the album "A number of classic Walsh tracks are featured, including a more polished version of "Turn to Stone," originally featured on his debut album, Barnstorm, in a somewhat more riotous style... Most of the nine tracks feature solos of unquestionable quality in his usual rock style. The classic rock genre that the man so well defined with his earlier albums is present here throughout, and it is pulled off with the usual unparalleled Joe Walsh ability."[5]

2011 reissue

On December 29, 2011 the original mix of the album was reissued in Japan in a miniature replica of the original album artwork. The album was remastered using Direct Stream Digital (DSD) to transfer the digital files. The release was a limited edition in the SHM-CD format. The reissue included a picture of the original vinyl label.[7] Audio Fidelity remastered the album going back to the master tapes and decoding the tapes correctly for an SACD release.

Track listing

Original release

All tracks written by Joe Walsh, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Welcome to the Club" 5:14
2."Falling Down"Walsh, Don Henley4:56
3."Pavanne for the Sleeping Beauty"Maurice Ravel1:56
4."Time Out"Walsh, Terry Trebandt4:28
5."All Night Laundry Mat Blues" 0:58
6."Turn to Stone"Walsh, Terry Trebandt3:47
7."Help Me Through the Night" 3:35
8."County Fair" 6:43
9."Song for Emma" 4:20
Total length:35:57

Cassette tape DSC-50171

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Welcome to the Club" 5:01
2."Turn to Stone" 3:45
3."Falling Down"Walsh, Don Henley4:49
4."Time Out"Terry Trebandt, Walsh4:06
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."All Night Laundry Mat Blues" 1:02
2."Help Me Through the Night" 3:35
3."Song for Emma" 4:20
4."Pavanne for the Sleeping Beauty"Maurice Ravel2:03
5."County Fair" 6:41

Personnel

Musicians

Production

Charts

Album – Billboard (United States)

Year Chart Position RIAA
1975 Billboard Pop Albums 11 Gold

Singles – Billboard (United States)

Year Single Chart Position
1975 "Turn to Stone" Pop Singles 93

Certifications

See also

References

  1. ↑ Archived September 30, 2015, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ "Rolling Stone #181: Joe Walsh - The Uncool - The Official Site for Everything Cameron Crowe". www.theuncool.com.
  3. 1 2 "Joe Walsh - So What". Discogs.
  4. ↑ Hay, Carla (August 23, 1998), "The Eye", Billboard, Nielsen Business Media, Inc., 110 (36), ISSN 0006-2510
  5. 1 2 Davies, Ben. "So What > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  6. ↑ Christgau, Robert (March 17, 1975). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
  7. ↑ "So What [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)] [SHM-CD] [Limited Release] Joe Walsh CD Album". cdjapan.co.jp.
  8. ↑ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". riaa.com.
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