The Turn of a Friendly Card

The Turn of a Friendly Card
The Turn of a Friendly Card
Studio album by The Alan Parsons Project
Released	7 November 1980
Recorded	1979-1980
Studio	, Paris, France
Genre	Progressive rock, symphonic rock, new wave
Length	40:25
Label	Arista
Producer	Alan Parsons
The Alan Parsons Project chronology
Singles from The Turn of a Friendly Card
	"Games People Play"; Released: December 1980; "Time"; Released: April 1981; "Snake Eyes"; Released: September 1981;

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[2]
Rolling Stone	^[3]

The Turn of a Friendly Card is the fifth studio album by the British progressive rock band The Alan Parsons Project, released in 1980 by Arista Records. It is a concept album that revolves around the theme of gambling and of the inherent effects that arise from gambling addiction. The title piece, which appears on side 2 of the LP, is a 16-minute suite broken up into five tracks, with the five tracks listed as sub-sections. The Turn of a Friendly Card spawned the hits "Games People Play" and "Time", the latter of which was Eric Woolfson's first lead vocal appearance.

Track listing[]

All songs written and composed by Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson.

Side one
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"May Be a Price to Pay" (Woolfson)	Elmer Gantry	4:58
2.	"Games People Play" (Woolfson)	Lenny Zakatek	4:22
3.	"Time" (Woolfson)	Eric Woolfson	5:04
4.	"I Don't Wanna Go Home" (Woolfson/Parsons)	Lenny Zakatek	5:03

Side two
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"The Gold Bug" (Parsons)	Instrumental	4:34
2.	"The Turn of a Friendly Card i. The Turn of a Friendly Card, Pt. 1 (2:44) (Woolfson) ii. Snake Eyes (3:14) (Woolfson/Parsons) iii. The Ace of Swords (2:57) (Parsons) iv. Nothing Left to Lose (4:07) (Woolfson) v. The Turn of a Friendly Card, Pt. 2 (3:22) (Woolfson)"	Chris Rainbow (1, 2, 5), Eric Woolfson (4), Instrumental (3)	16:24

Though numbered as a single work, "The Turn of a Friendly Card" is split into five tracks.

The Turn of a Friendly Card was remastered and reissued in 2008 with the following bonus tracks:

"May Be a Price to Pay" (Intro/demo)
"Nothing Left to Lose" (Basic backing track)
"Nothing Left to Lose" (Chris Rainbow overdub compilation)
"Nothing Left to Lose" (Early studio version with Woolfson's guide vocal)
"Time" (Early studio attempt)
"Games People Play" (Rough mix)
"The Gold Bug" (Demo)

Personnel[]

Stuart Elliott – drums, percussion
David Paton – bass guitar
Ian Bairnson – electric, acoustic and classical guitars; pedal steel guitar on "Time"
Eric Woolfson – piano, harpsichord, lead vocals
Alan Parsons – Projectron on "Games People Play", whistling and finger snaps on "The Gold Bug", Clavinet on "The Gold Bug" and "The Ace of Swords", harpsichord on "The Ace of Swords", additional vocals on "Time"
Chris Rainbow – lead and backing vocals
Elmer Gantry (Real name: David Henry Trais Terry) – lead vocal
Lenny Zakatek – lead and backing vocals
The Philharmonia Orchestra, arranged and conducted by Andrew Powell

Produced and engineered by Alan Parsons
Executive producer: Eric Woolfson
Mastering consultant: Chris Blair
Sleeve concept: Lol Creme and Kevin Godley

Ted Jensen Original LP UK & US Pressings.

Additional instrumentation[]

"The Gold Bug", which references the same-titled short story by Edgar Allan Poe, includes a whistling part by Parsons, who imitates the style of Ennio Morricone's legendary Spaghetti Western film themes,^[4] and wordless vocals by Rainbow, while the main theme is played on an alto saxophone. The saxophone player, originally credited as Mel Collins, is instead credited on the liner notes for the remastered edition as "A session player in Paris whose name escapes us"; this refers to the fact that the saxophone part is a composite of several separate takes.^[5] Similarly, the accordion part on "Nothing Left to Lose" is credited in the liner notes to "An unidentified Parisian session player". Also on "The Gold Bug", the newer liner notes credit a "Harmonized Rotating Triangle" to drummer Stuart Elliott. This refers to the phasing sound effects heard throughout the rhythm-free introduction to the piece.

Charts[]

Weekly charts[]

Chart (1980–1981)	Peak position
Australia Albums (Kent Music Report)^[6]	24
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[7]	2
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[8]	16
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[9]	17
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[10]	2
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)^[11]	11
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[12]	18
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[13]	22
UK Albums (OCC)^[14]	38
US Billboard 200^[15]	13

Year-end charts[]

Chart (1981)	Position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[16]	5
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[17]	8
US Billboard 200^[18]	11
Canada RPM 100^[19]	54

Certifications and sales[]


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)^[20]	2× Platinum	200,000^{^}
France (SNEP)^[22]	none	216,900^[21]
Germany (BVMI)^[23]	Gold	250,000^{^}
Netherlands (NVPI)^[24]	Gold	50,000^{^}
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[25]	Gold	7,500^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[26]	Platinum	1,000,000^{^}
Summaries
Worldwide	N/A	2,000,000+ ^[27]
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Covers[]

The album's title track was covered by German funeral doom metal band Ahab for their album The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" in 2015.

Notes[]

^ "Alan Parsons albums".
^ The Turn of a Friendly Card at AllMusic
^ https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews
^ Ennio Morricone's main theme for the 1964 film A Fistful of Dollars (as heard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_UD-zxgRUs) similarly features a whistled melody over an arpeggiating acoustic guitar.
^ Liner notes on The Turn of a Friendly Card remastered CD booklet
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 229. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Austriancharts.at – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0287". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
^ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
^ "Charts.nz – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
^ "Swedishcharts.com – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
^ "The Alan Parsons Project | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
^ "The Alan Parsons Project Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1981". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
^ "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1981 - December 26, 1981" (PDF).
^ "Canadian album certifications – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn of a Friendly Card". Music Canada.
^ http://www.infodisc.fr/Ventes_Albums_Tout_Temps.php?debut=1900
^ "French album certifications – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn of a Friendly Card" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (The Alan Parsons Project; 'The Turn of a Friendly Card')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
^ "Dutch album certifications – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn of a Friendly Card" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter The Turn of a Friendly Card in the "Artiest of titel" box.
^ "New Zealand album certifications – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn of a Friendly Card". Recorded Music NZ.
^ "American album certifications – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn of a Friendly Card". Recording Industry Association of America.
^ "The Alan Parson Project. Phenomenon". Billboard. 25 July 1981. Retrieved 19 September 2018.

[1] "Alan Parsons albums".

[2] The Turn of a Friendly Card at AllMusic

[3] ttps://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews

[4] Ennio Morricone's main theme for the 1964 film A Fistful of Dollars (as heard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_UD-zxgRUs) similarly features a whistled melody over an arpeggiating acoustic guitar.

[5] Liner notes on The Turn of a Friendly Card remastered CD booklet

[aus-6] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 229. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[ac_Austria_The_Alan_Parsons_Project-7] "Austriancharts.at – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2021.

[group=-8] "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0287". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 18 June 2021.

[ac_Netherlands_The_Alan_Parsons_Project-9] "Dutchcharts.nl – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2021.

[ac_Germany4_The_Alan_Parsons_Project-10] "Offiziellecharts.de – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 15 March 2021.

[ac_Norway_The_Alan_Parsons_Project-11] "Norwegiancharts.com – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2021.

[ac_New_Zealand_The_Alan_Parsons_Project-12] "Charts.nz – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2021.

[ac_Sweden_The_Alan_Parsons_Project-13] "Swedishcharts.com – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2021.

[ac_UK_The_Alan_Parsons_Project-14] "The Alan Parsons Project | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 15 March 2021.

[ac_Billboard200_The_Alan_Parsons_Project-15] "The Alan Parsons Project Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2021.

[16] "Jahreshitparade Alben 1981". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 15 March 2021.

[17] "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 15 March 2021.

[18] "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2021.

[19] "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1981 - December 26, 1981" (PDF).

[CanadaThe_Alan_Parsons_ProjectThe_Turn_of_a_Friendly_CardalbumCertRef-20] "Canadian album certifications – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn of a Friendly Card". Music Canada.

[FRGD-21] ttp://www.infodisc.fr/Ventes_Albums_Tout_Temps.php?debut=1900

[FranceThe_Alan_Parsons_ProjectThe_Turn_of_a_Friendly_CardalbumCertRef-22] "French album certifications – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn of a Friendly Card" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.

[GermanyThe_Alan_Parsons_ProjectThe_Turn_of_a_Friendly_CardalbumCertRef-23] "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (The Alan Parsons Project; 'The Turn of a Friendly Card')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.

[NetherlandsThe_Alan_Parsons_ProjectThe_Turn_of_a_Friendly_CardalbumCertRef-24] "Dutch album certifications – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn of a Friendly Card" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter The Turn of a Friendly Card in the "Artiest of titel" box.

[New_ZealandThe_Alan_Parsons_ProjectThe_Turn_of_a_Friendly_CardalbumCertRef-25] "New Zealand album certifications – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn of a Friendly Card". Recorded Music NZ.

[United_StatesThe_Alan_Parsons_ProjectThe_Turn_of_a_Friendly_CardalbumCertRef-26] "American album certifications – The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn of a Friendly Card". Recording Industry Association of America.

[27] "The Alan Parson Project. Phenomenon". Billboard. 25 July 1981. Retrieved 19 September 2018.

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hide v t The Alan Parsons Project
Alan Parsons Eric Woolfson Ian Bairnson Andrew Powell David Paton Stuart Elliott Stuart Tosh Richard Cottle Laurence Cottle Duncan Mackay Mel Collins Lenny Zakatek Chris Rainbow Geoff Barradale John Miles Colin Blunstone Jack Harris Dave Townsend
Studio albums	Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1976) I Robot (1977) Pyramid (1978) Eve (1979) The Turn of a Friendly Card (1980) Eye in the Sky (1982) Ammonia Avenue (1983) Vulture Culture (1984) Stereotomy (1985) Gaudi (1987) Freudiana (1990) The Sicilian Defence (2014)
Compilations	The Best of the Alan Parsons Project (1983) The Best of the Alan Parsons Project, Vol. 2 (1988) The Instrumental Works (1988) The Definitive Collection (1997) The Best of the Alan Parsons Project (2002) The Essential Alan Parsons Project (2007)
Singles	"(The System of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether" "The Raven" "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" "Games People Play" "Time" "Sirius" "Eye in the Sky" "Old and Wise" "Don't Answer Me"
Related articles	Discography Keats Freudiana