Gasoline Alley (album)

Gasoline Alley
Studio album by
Rod Stewart
Released12 June 1970
RecordedFebruary–April 1970
StudioMorgan Studios, London
Length42:30
LabelMercury, Vertigo
ProducerRod Stewart, Lou Reizner
Rod Stewart chronology
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down
(1969) 		Gasoline Alley
(1970) 		Every Picture Tells a Story
(1971)

Gasoline Alley is the second solo studio album by the British singer-songwriter Rod Stewart. It was released on 12 June 1970 by Vertigo Records. It is a collection of covers combined with Stewart's own compositions.[1] Like many of Stewart's solo albums from the period, it featured significant musical contributions from the other members of his band Faces.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideA−[2]
Rolling Stone(favourable)[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]
The Village VoiceB+[5]

The album was well received, with Langdon Winner of Rolling Stone feeling that Stewart had "a rare sensitivity for the delicate moments in a person's existence",[3] and that this, Stewart's second solo album, was the work "of a supremely fine artist".[3]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Gasoline Alley"Stewart, Ronnie Wood4:02
2."It's All Over Now"Bobby Womack, Shirley Jean Womack6:22
3."Only a Hobo"Bob Dylan4:13
4."My Way of Giving"Ronnie Lane, Steve Marriott3:55
5."Country Comfort"Elton John, Bernie Taupin4:42
6."Cut Across Shorty"Wayne P. Walker, Marijohn Wilkin6:28
7."Lady Day"Stewart3:57
8."Jo's Lament"Stewart3:24
9."You're My Girl (I Don't Want to Discuss It)"Dick Cooper, Beth Beatty, Ernie Shelby4:27
CD bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."It's All Over Now (single version)"Bobby Womack, Shirley Jean Womack3:35

Personnel

  • Rod Stewart – lead vocals, acoustic guitar on "Jo's Lament"
  • Ronnie Wood – guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar
  • Martin Quittenton – acoustic guitar
  • Stanley Matthews – mandolin
  • Ronnie Lane – bass on "My Way Of Giving" and "You're My Girl", backing vocals on "My Way Of Giving"
  • Pete Sears – piano on "Country Comfort", bass on "Cut Across Shorty".
  • Ian McLagan – piano, Hammond organ (the UK credit list notes: "Mac not available due to bus strike", while the US release credits him)[6]
  • Mick Waller – drums
  • Kenney Jones – drums on "My Way Of Giving" and "You're My Girl"
  • William Gaff – whistle
  • Dennis O'Flynn, Dick Powell – violin
  • Jack Reynolds – backing vocals on "Country Comfort"

Production

  • Producers – Rod Stewart and Lou Reizner
  • Mastering – Gilbert Kong at Masterdisk (New York, NY)
  • Album Design and Photography – Marcus Keef at Colbeck Mews, Kensington[7]

Weekly charts

Chart (1970–71) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[8] 24
United States (Billboard 200) 27

Notable covers by other artists

  • Elkie Brooks later achieved a hit with a version of the title track in 1983.
Chart Peak Position Ref.
UK Top 100 Airplay 12 [9]
UK Singles Charts 52 [10]
Irish Singles Charts 15 [11]

References

  1. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Gasoline Alley - Rod Stewart | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 13 March 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. ^ a b c Winner, Langdon (3 September 1970). "Gasoline Alley | Album Reviews | Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  4. ^ "Rod Stewart: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  5. ^ Christgau, Robert (30 July 1970). "Consumer Guide (12)". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  6. ^ "Rod Stewart – Gasoline Alley (1970, Gatefold, Vinyl)". Discogs. June 1970.
  7. ^ "Musical Maps".
  8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992: 23 years of hit singles & albums from the top 100 charts. St Ives, N.S.W, Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 295. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ^ "Record Business" (PDF). Airplay Charts. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Elkie Brooks Chart History: Top 75". Official Charts. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Elkie Brooks Chart". Ireland Archive Charts. Retrieved 12 April 2022.