A Night on the Town (Rod Stewart album)
A Night on the Town | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 18 June 1976 | |||
Recorded | December 1975-April 1976 | |||
Studio | Cherokee Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA (except "The First Cut Is the Deepest": Muscle Shoals Sound, AL), String overdubs: Criteria, Miami, FL Caribou Ranch, Nederland, CO. | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 41:19 | |||
Label | Riva, Warner Bros. | |||
Producer | Tom Dowd | |||
Rod Stewart chronology | ||||
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Singles from A Night on the Town | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Christgau's Record Guide | B[2] |
Rolling Stone | (favourable)[3] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
A Night on the Town is Rod Stewart's seventh album, released in 1976. The cover art is based on Pierre-Auguste Renoir's painting Bal du moulin de la Galette, with Stewart inserted in the centre in period costume. On 30 June 2009, Rhino reissued the album as a two-disc CD with bonus tracks. Stewart performed "Big Bayou" regularly with The Faces during their final US tour the previous year, although that version was based on the one Ronnie Wood released on his solo album, Now Look. A Night on the Town was Stewart's last UK number-one studio album until Time in 2013.
The album is regarded as one of Stewart's finest. "The Killing Of Georgie" is one of Stewart's most hard hitting set of lyrics, a melancholic tale of a gay friend who is cast out by his family and becomes a sensation in the New York nightlife, only to be mugged and beaten to death by a New Jersey gang in New York City. Controversial "Tonight's the Night" was a No. 1 hit but was banned by some radio stations due to the very obvious lyrics about sex and loss of virginity. A cover of Cat Stevens' "The First Cut Is the Deepest" was also a success and has since become one of Stewart's signature songs. Another controversial song, "The Balltrap", again had explicit sexual references in its lyrics as well as a touch of racism towards a trashy woman.
Track listing[]
Original release[]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" | Rod Stewart | 3:54 |
2. | "The First Cut Is the Deepest" | Cat Stevens | 4:31 |
3. | "Fool for You" | Stewart | 3:49 |
4. | "The Killing of Georgie (Part I and II)" | Stewart | 6:28 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Balltrap" | Stewart | 4:37 |
2. | "Pretty Flamingo" | Mark Barkan | 3:27 |
3. | "Big Bayou" | Gib Guilbeau | 3:54 |
4. | "The Wild Side of Life" | Arlie Carter, William Warren | 5:09 |
5. | "Trade Winds" | Ralph MacDonald, William Salter | 5:16 |
2009 re-release[]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" | 3:56 |
2. | "The First Cut Is the Deepest" | 4:28 |
3. | "Fool for You" | 3:47 |
4. | "The Killing of Georgie (Part I and II)" | 6:22 |
5. | "The Balltrap" | 4:41 |
6. | "Pretty Flamingo" | 3:32 |
7. | "Big Bayou" | 3:55 |
8. | "The Wild Side of Life" | 5:10 |
9. | "Trade Winds" | 5:28 |
10. | "Rosie" | 3:50 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Share" (Studio Outtake) | 4:19 |
2. | "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" (Early version) | 3:51 |
3. | "The First Cut Is the Deepest" (Early version) | 3:48 |
4. | "Fool for You" (Early version) | 3:40 |
5. | "The Killing of Georgie (Part I)" (Early version) | 4:22 |
6. | "The Balltrap" (Early version) | 4:40 |
7. | "Pretty Flamingo" (Early version) | 3:26 |
8. | "Big Bayou" (Early version) | 4:13 |
9. | "The Wild Side of Life" (Early version) | 4:47 |
10. | "Trade Winds" (Early version) | 4:44 |
11. | "Rosie" (Early version) | 4:21 |
12. | "Get Back" (From the soundtrack All This and World War II) | 4:05 |
13. | "The Killing Of Georgie [Part II]" ([Alternate Vocals]) | |
14. | "Tonight's The Night [Gonna Be Alright]" ([Spoken Excerpt]) |
Personnel[]
- Rod Stewart – vocals
- Donald Dunn, Bob Glaub, David Hood, Willie Weeks, Lee Sklar – bass guitar
- Steve Cropper, Billy Peek, Joe Walsh, Jesse Ed Davis, David Lindley, Fred Tackett – guitar
- John Barlow Jarvis, David Foster, Barry Beckett, J. Smith – keyboards
- Roger Hawkins, Andy Newmark, Al Jackson Jr., Rick Shlosser – drums
- Tommy Vig, Joe Lala – percussion
- Jimmy Horowitz, Mel Lewis, Arif Mardin – string arrangements
- Tower of Power horn section – French horn
- Jerry Jumonville, Plas Johnson – tenor saxophone
Charts[]
Weekly charts[]
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Year-end charts[]
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Certifications[]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA)[21] | 6× Platinum | 420,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada)[22] | 2× Platinum | 200,000^ |
Sweden (GLF)[24] | Gold | 50,000[23] |
United Kingdom (BPI)[25] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[26] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References[]
- ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "A Night on the Town – Rod Stewart". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 13 March 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Dave Marsh (26 August 1976). "Rod Stewart A Night on the Town Album Review". Rolling Stone.
- ^ "Rolling Stone Album Guide". Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5136a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
- ^ "Officialcharts.de – Rod Stewart – A Night on the Town". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Rod Stewart – A Night on the Town" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Rod Stewart – A Night on the Town". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Rod Stewart – A Night on the Town". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Rod Stewart – A Night on the Town". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "Rod Stewart | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "Rod Stewart Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 428. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top 100 Albums of '76". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1976". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1976 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Top 50 Albums of 1976" (PDF). Music Week. 25 December 1976. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021 – via worldradiohistory.com.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 429. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1977 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1977". Billboard. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Rod Stewart – A Night on the". Music Canada. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
- ^ "Night on the Town" (PDF). Cash Box. 18 December 1976. p. 47. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
- ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011.
- ^ "British album certifications – Rod Stewart – A Night on the Town". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
- ^ "American album certifications – Rod Stewart – A Night on the". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
- Rod Stewart albums
- Riva Records albums
- 1976 albums
- Albums produced by Tom Dowd
- Albums recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio
- Warner Records albums