ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 58 HEART - DREAMBOAT ANNIE (1976)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: Heart

Album: Dreamboat Annie

Producer: Mike Flicker

Band Members: Ann Wilson/Nancy Wilson/Roger Fisher/Howard Leese/Michael DeRosier/Steve Fossen

Singles: Crazy On You/Magic Man/Dreamboat Annie

Favorite Single: Crazy On You

Favorite Album Cut: Sing Child

Most Likely To Skip: Dreamboat Annie (Reprise) - but probably wouldn't skip any.

 

Heart released their debut album, Dreamboat Annie, in 1976 (1975 in Canada).  The album contained three singles, with Magic Man charting the highest at number nine.  The album eventually went Platinum in the U.S. 

 

I personally think it's an outstanding album.  I love the overall feel of being near the ocean.  I think I like the "Fantasy Child" version of Dreamboat Annie better than the actual song, but only slighty.  It's just so dreamy it really adds to the album's atmosphere.  Ann and Nancy wrote the vast majority of the material, receiving a little help on Sing Child.  The acoustic guitars rule here.  Check out the incredible intro of Crazy On You if you've never heard it.  I even hear a banjo on Dreamboat Annie (not performed by Nancy).  The band actually gets a little heavy on Sing Child, doing their best Jethro Tull imitation.  This is an incredible jam that is a definite hidden gem within the Heart catalog.  Ann's voice is in fine form all throughout the album, as well as the backing vocals by Nancy. 

 

Just to make sure you understand where I'm coming from, this album is outsanding from top to bottom.  I love the album cover in it's simplicity, just two beautiful sisters, nothing else.  It's readily available.  You can get a brand new copy from Amazon for 6 bucks. 

 

Side One:

 

1. Magic Man

2. Dreamboat Annie (Fantasy Child)

3. Crazy On You

4. Soul Of The Sea

5. Dreamboat Annie

 

Side Two:

 

6. White Lightning And Wine

7. (Love Me Like Music) I'll Be Your Song

8. Sing Child

9. How Deep It Goes

10. Dreamboat Annie (Reprise)

[Jon]

Nice pick, great debut album. My favorite track is #8, just love that song, but the whole album is absolutely splendid.

[Scott]

First heard Magic Man when they appeared on The Midnight Special, if I remember correctly it was the same show ABBA appeared on as well.  But it was these two women that caught my attention!  To this day girls with geetars is still a very sexy and cool thing! 

 

I think I had side 1 completely memorized before I flipped the album over, but White Lightning and Wine is my hidden treasure, it also made the short list on the SHT Drums special - MORE COWBELL!   There is nothing here to skip ti must be played through once its started!

[TageRyche]

Superb album. I'm a huge fan of the band.

I love the three singles of course, but I really like track #7 a lot too.

I actually listened to this about a month or so ago and it still stands tall today.

[RJhog (Admin)]

I totally agree with track 7.  It was between that and track 8 for my favorite album cut.

[Niels (Mod)]

I had never heard this album before, but I really like it. It's very good the whole way through. I had heard the "Title-track" and maybe one or two others, but not all of it until now. My favorite track is probably "Sing Child", and I wrote that, before I saw your favorites from the album, RJhog. If I should use my "own" rating-scale, it would be 9/10.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Hey, it seems as though I picked a winner!!!