Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Silverbird (album)

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Released
  
January 1974

Length
  
34:53

Artist
  
Leo Sayer

Label
  
Chrysalis Records

Recorded
  
1973

Silverbird (1974)
  
Just a Boy (1974)

Release date
  
January 1974

Genre
  
Soft rock

Silverbird (album) httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumb1

Producers
  
David Courtney, Adam Faith

Similar
  
Just a Boy, Endless Flight, Cool Touch, Living in a Fantasy, World Radio

Leo sayer the innocent bystander


Silverbird is the debut solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Leo Sayer. It was originally released in January 1974 by Chrysalis (UK), and Warner Bros. (US). It was co-produced by former British pop teen idol Adam Faith and David Courtney.

Contents

Sayer began his career as a recording artist under the management guidance of Adam Faith, who signed Sayer to the Chrysalis label in the UK and Warner Bros. Records in the USA. His debut single "Why Is Everybody Going Home" failed to chart, but he shot to national prominence in the UK with his second single, the plaintive music hall-styled song "The Show Must Go On", which Sayer memorably performed on British television wearing a pierrot costume and make-up. The single went quickly to #2 on the UK chart, as did this debut album, for which Sayer wrote nine of the eleven tracks; the other two tracks were co-written with Courtney.

Two steps from hell flight of the silverbird


Recording

The recording of "Silverbird" was a difficult and somewhat experimental process, Adam Faith and David Courtney were having loads of ideas but had no real experience in record production. The writers were inspired however and the album started to come together with further recording taking place at the Who's lead singer Roger Daltrey's Barn Studio, Burwash, East Sussex, and later at the Beatles' Apple studios. Here the recording took further shape with the team creating, amongst others, the unique "The Show Must Go On".

Track listing

All songs written by Leo Sayer, except where noted

Side one

  1. "Innocent Bystander" – 3:02
  2. "Slow Motion" – 1:44
  3. "Drop Back" – 3:29
  4. "Silverbird" – 1:12
  5. "The Show Must Go On " (David Courtney, Leo Sayer) – 3:32
  6. "Dancer" (David Courtney, Sayer) – 4:30

Side two

  1. "Tomorrow" – 4:12
  2. "Don't Say It's Over" – 3:15
  3. "Goodnight Old Friend" – 2:50
  4. "Oh Wot a Life" – 2:53
  5. "Why Is Everybody Going Home?" – 4:14

Personnel

  • Leo Sayer - guitar, harmonica, vocals
  • Russ Ballard - guitar, keyboard
  • Max Chetwyn - guitar
  • David Courtney - piano
  • Michael Giles - drums
  • Robert Henrit - drums
  • Henry Spinetti - drums
  • Dave Wintour - bass
  • Production

  • Producers: David Courtney, Adam Faith
  • Engineers: John Mills Apple Studios.Richard Dodd, Keith Harewood, Tom Newman
  • Album

    Billboard (North America)

    UK Albums Chart (United Kingdom)

    Single

    UK Singles Chart (United Kingdom)

    Songs

    1Innocent Bystander3:03
    2Goodnight Old Friend2:50
    3Drop Back3:29

    References

    Silverbird (album) Wikipedia