Charity Ball
| Charity Ball | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 1971 | |||
| Studio | Village Recorders, Los Angeles Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood Larrabee Sound Studios, Hollywood | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 38:52 | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Producer | Richard Perry | |||
| Fanny chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Charity Ball | ||||
| ||||
Charity Ball is the second studio album by the American rock group Fanny, released in July 1971 on Reprise.[1][2] The album's title track became the group's first top 40 hit.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| Robert Christgau | B+[4] |
Background[edit]
The album was, like the previous year's debut Fanny, produced by Richard Perry. The songs were all written by the group, with the exception of a cover of Buffalo Springfield's "Special Care". The group experimented with a wider range of musical styles than the first album, including ballads and funk in addition to straightforward rock 'n' roll. The photograph of the band used in the front cover artwork was taken by Candice Bergen.[3]
Critical reception[edit]
Music critic Robert Christgau wrote, "This record exploits [drummer Alice de Buhr's] chops and presence, sinking the pop harmonies in a harder, funkier frame. The title tune is a pure raver that oughta be a hit, but almost every song has something—or several somethings—to recommend it."[4]
In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Mark Deming said that Charity Ball, in comparison with the group's first album, is a "stronger, more confident, and more enjoyable disc," writing that "the push and pull between June Millington's tough guitar figures and Nickey Barclay's rollicking keyboards yield more exciting results here." He felt that the band has better songs on Charity Ball, but that the production is "sometimes a bit more polished than this music needed."[3]
Release[edit]
The album reached No. 150 on the Billboard 200.[5] The title track was released as a single,[6] reaching No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.[7]
Track listing[edit]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Charity Ball" | June Millington, Jean Millington, Alice de Buhr | 2:30 |
| 2. | "What Kind of Lover" | Nickey Barclay | 2:58 |
| 3. | "Cat Fever" | Barclay | 3:23 |
| 4. | "A Person Like You" | Barclay | 2:58 |
| 5. | "Special Care" | Stephen Stills | 4:23 |
| 6. | "What's Wrong With Me" | Jean Millington | 1:42 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. | "Soul Child" | Barclay, Millington, Millington | 3:49 |
| 8. | "You're the One" | Millington, Millington | 4:09 |
| 9. | "Thinking of You" | June Millington | 3:24 |
| 10. | "Place in the Country" | Barclay | 4:04 |
| 11. | "A Little While Later" | Barclay | 5:39 |
| Total length: | 38:52 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Charity Ball" (single version) | Millington, Millington, de Buhr | 2:29 |
| 13. | "Charity Ball" (live version) | Millington, Millington, de Buhr | 5:47 |
| 14. | "Place in the Country" (live version) | Barclay | 3:39 |
| Total length: | 50:54 | ||
Personnel[edit]
Adapted from the album's liner notes.[8]
- Fanny
- June Millington – guitar, vocals
- Jean Millington – bass, vocals
- Nickey Barclay – piano, organ, vocals
- Alice de Buhr – drums, percussion, vocals
- Technical
- Richard Perry – producer
- Richard Moore – engineer (Village Recorders), remixing (Wally Heider's)
- Bill Lazarus – engineer, remixing (Sunset Sound)
- Matt Hyde – engineer (Larrabee Sound)
- Tom Harvey – remixing (Sunset Sound)
- Dean O. Torrence – album design
- Candice Bergen – cover photo of Fanny
- Kim Tucker – cover photo
- Layton Huber – prop design
References[edit]
- ^ "The Music: Charity Ball". fannyrocks.com. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
- ^ "Album Reviews – Charity Ball". Billboard. July 17, 1971. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
- ^ a b c Deming, Mark. "Charity Ball | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert. "CG: Fanny". Robert Christgau. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
- ^ "Fanny Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^ "Charity Ball". Billboard. November 13, 1971. p. 9.
- ^ "Fanny Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^ Charity Ball (Album liner notes). Fanny. Reprise. 1971.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
External links[edit]
- Charity Ball – Fanny Rocks (official website)
