Not Fragile

Not Fragile
Not Fragile
Studio album by Bachman–Turner Overdrive
Released	September 1974
Recorded	1974
Studio	Kaye-Smith Studios, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
Genre	Hard rock
Length	36:14
Label	Mercury
Producer	Randy Bachman
Bachman–Turner Overdrive chronology

Not Fragile is the third album by Canadian rock band Bachman–Turner Overdrive (BTO), released in 1974. It proved to be the group's most popular album (not counting compilations), and is the only BTO album to have reached No. 1 on the US Pop Album charts.

Description[]

In a 1995 interview, Randy Bachman indicated that he thought that using the word "fragile" as a title for a rock album, as Yes had done with their 1971 album Fragile, was "strange."^[1] He thought that BTO music could be "dropped and kicked" without breaking, so, without intending any commentary about Yes, the band "tongue-in-cheek" called their next album Not Fragile.^[1]

The album marks the debut of guitarist Blair Thornton, who, unlike his predecessor Tim Bachman, is billed on the album liner notes as "second lead guitar".^[2] Thornton's dual-guitar solos with Randy Bachman are prominent features on many Not Fragile tracks. "Roll On Down the Highway" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" were hit singles, with the latter hitting #1 on the singles charts in November 1974 and receiving GOLD certification by the RIAA.^[3] Other cuts had significant airplay on FM rock radio.

"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" was a leftover track that was not originally intended to be included on Not Fragile. It was only after Charlie Fach of Mercury Records heard the other eight tracks, and didn't see hit single potential in any of them, that he asked if the band had anything else he could hear. They played him the leftover track and he assured them it was more radio-friendly than any of the others, convincing the band to add it to the album.^[4]

Not Fragile has gone on to achieve triple platinum status. Randy Bachman has called it the band's "crowning achievement," stating: "Not Fragile was when it all came together for us. We captured the album-oriented rock audience as well as the singles audience with that album. Not Fragile made BTO recognized around the world."^[5]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Christgau's Record Guide	B^[6]
Tom Hull	A^[7]

Track listing[]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Not Fragile"	C. Fred Turner	Turner	4:06
2.	"Rock Is My Life, and This Is My Song"	Randy Bachman	Randy Bachman	5:00
3.	"Roll on Down the Highway"	Turner, Rob Bachman	Turner	3:58
4.	"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet"	Randy Bachman	Randy Bachman	3:54
5.	"Free Wheelin'"	Blair Thornton	instrumental	3:45
6.	"Sledgehammer"	Randy Bachman	Randy Bachman, Turner	4:34
7.	"Blue Moanin'"	Turner	Turner	3:44
8.	"Second Hand"	Randy Bachman	Randy Bachman	3:24
9.	"Givin' It All Away"	Thornton	Randy Bachman, Turner	3:49

The original album cover listed "Free Wheelin'" as "Dedicated to Duane". Mercury "Musicassettes" (MCR4-1-1004) of Not Fragile were initially manufactured with "Free Wheelin'" divided into two tracks: "Free Wheelin' (Beg.)" on Program 1, and "Free Wheelin' (Concl.)" starting off Program 2. Although the track is split over the two programs (making each program equal in time at 18:19 each), the album's running order remains intact. This is a programming character usually used for 8-track tapes and rarely for cassettes.

Personnel[]

Randy Bachman - vocals, guitars
Robbie Bachman - percussion, drums
Blair Thornton - guitars, backing vocals
C.F. Turner - vocals, bass guitar
Frank Trowbridge - slide guitar (on "Blue Moanin'")

Production

Producer: Randy Bachman
Engineer: Mark Smith
Assistant engineer: Buzz Richmond
Mixing assistant: Richard Dashut
Mastering: Tom "Curly" Ruff
Recording Studio: Kaye-Smith Studios, Seattle, WA
Mixed at: Sound City Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Equipment: John Austin and Weasel (Greg) Morgan
Design: Joe Kotleba
Art direction: Jim Ladwig
Photography: John Brott, Tom Zamiar

Charts[]

Weekly charts[]

Chart (1974/75)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[8]	2
Canada RPM	1
UK^[9]	12

Year-end charts[]

Chart (1975)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[10]	13

Certifications[]

Album

Country	Certification
Canada	Gold
United Kingdom	Silver
United States	Gold

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Whitaker, Sterling C. (2003). Unsung Heroes of Rock Guitar. Booksurge. p. 22. ISBN 1-59109-758-4.
^ Liner notes on Not Fragile, (c), (p) 1974.
^ RIAA Official Web Site, Gold & Platinum Database, RIAA, 1974 via [1] from RIAA.com
^ Fred Bronson, The Billboard Book of Number One Hits, Billboard, 1988 via "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" from SuperSeventies.com
^ Wilkening, Matthew (February 14, 2014). "Bachman-Turner Overdrive's 'Not Fragile' Gets Expanded for 40th Birthday". ultimateclassicrock.com. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
^ Hull, Tom (April 1975). "The Rekord Report: Second Card". Overdose. Retrieved June 26, 2020 – via tomhull.com.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Not Fragile Official Charts".
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 427. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[Whitaker-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b Whitaker, Sterling C. (2003). Unsung Heroes of Rock Guitar. Booksurge. p. 22. ISBN 1-59109-758-4.

[2] Liner notes on Not Fragile, (c), (p) 1974.

[3] RIAA Official Web Site, Gold & Platinum Database, RIAA, 1974 via [1] from RIAA.com

[4] Fred Bronson, The Billboard Book of Number One Hits, Billboard, 1988 via "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" from SuperSeventies.com

[5] Wilkening, Matthew (February 14, 2014). "Bachman-Turner Overdrive's 'Not Fragile' Gets Expanded for 40th Birthday". ultimateclassicrock.com. Retrieved December 23, 2019.

[6] Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 21, 2019.

[7] Hull, Tom (April 1975). "The Rekord Report: Second Card". Overdose. Retrieved June 26, 2020 – via tomhull.com.

[aus-8] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[9] "Not Fragile Official Charts".

[10] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 427. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

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hide v t Bachman–Turner Overdrive
Billy Chapman Blair Thornton Brent Howard Fred Turner David Reimer Garry Peterson Jim Clench John Cody Marc LaFrance Mick Dalla-Vee Randy Bachman Randy Murray Robbie Bachman Tim Bachman Vince Ditrich
Studio albums	Bachman–Turner Overdrive (1973) Bachman–Turner Overdrive II (1973) Not Fragile (1974) Four Wheel Drive (1975) Head On (1975) Freeways (1977) Street Action (1978) Rock n' Roll Nights (1979) Bachman–Turner Overdrive (1984)
Live albums	Best of Bachman–Turner Overdrive Live (1994) King Biscuit Flower Hour: Bachman–Turner Overdrive (1998)
Compilation albums	Best of B.T.O. (So Far) (1976) You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet (1983) BTO's Greatest (1986) The Anthology (1993) Bachman–Turner Overdrive Gold (2005)
Singles	"Let It Ride" (1974) "Takin' Care of Business" (1974) "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" (1974) "Roll On down the Highway" (1975) "Hey You" (1975) "Down to the Line" (1975) "Take It Like a Man" (1976) "Lookin' Out for #1" (1976) "Jamaica" (1979)