Annie in Wonderland

Updated on Dec 21, 2023

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Released 1977 Annie In Wonderland (1977) Still Life (1985) Release date 1977 Label Sire Records		Length 41:06 Artist Annie Haslam Producer Roy Wood
Studio De Lane Lea Music Centre, Wembley, UK Genres Progressive rock, Symphonic rock Similar Annie Haslam albums, Progressive rock albums

Annie haslam introlise if i were made of music

Annie in Wonderland is the first solo album by Annie Haslam, vocalist with the 1970s band Renaissance. It was produced by the multi-talented Roy Wood, who also wrote some of the material, arranged all the songs, played nearly all of the instruments (including an uncredited lead vocal on "I Never Believed in Love"), and illustrated the cover. The album features a range of musical styles enabling Haslam to experiment with vocal styles outside the ethos of Renaissance. The range for which Haslam is well-known is still apparent, however, especially in the showcase number "Rockalise". The album peaked at No. 167 on the Billboard "pop albums" chart.

Album cover

Annie in Wonderland was originally released in a gatefold sleeve featuring original artwork by Roy Wood. Many of John Tenniel's characters from Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland appear, in particular the Knave of Hearts (as a teddy boy), the March Hare (as a football supporter), and the caterpillar (as Wood himself) - the caricatures are reasonably faithful to the original illustrations. The interior features photographs of the performers, friends and family as well as the track listing and credits.

Reception

Allmusic's reviewer described the album as "whimsical, fanciful, and verging on precious", particularly praising "If I Loved You" and commenting in reference to "Nature Boy" that "Haslam gets right to the heart of this beautifully soulful song".

Track listing

Side one

"Introlise" – 0:30
"If I Were Made of Music" (Jon Camp) – 4:29
"I Never Believed in Love" (Roy Wood) – 3:38
"If I Loved You" (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) – 4:38
"Hunioco" (Wood) – 7:32

Side two

"Rockalise" (Wood) – 6:08 – to alison
"Nature Boy" (Eden Ahbez) – 4:53
"Inside My Life" (Camp) – 4:50
"Going Home" (Antonín Dvořák, William Arms Fisher) – 5:06

Musicians

Annie Haslam - lead vocals, backing vocals

Roy Wood - electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitar, string bass, mandolin, cello, balalaikas, saxophones, drums, bass clarinet, trumpet, African drums, percussion, string ensemble, Moog, piano, clavinet, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "I Never Believed in Love"

Jon Camp - bass guitar on "I Never Believed in Love", "Nature Boy" and "Inside My Life"; bass pedals and acoustic guitar on "If I Were Made of Music"; backing vocals on "Inside My Life"

Dave Donovan - drums on "Nature Boy" and "If I Were Made of Music"

Louis Clark - polymoog and string arrangements on "Rockalise", brass and choir arrangements and flute on "Going Home"