Home (Procol Harum album)

Home
Studio album by
Released5 June 1970
RecordedFebruary 1970
StudioEMI Studios, Abbey Road, London
GenreProgressive rock, blues rock
Length39:11
LabelPolydor (Germany), Regal Zonophone (UK), A&M Records (US/Canada & Australia)
ProducerChris Thomas
Procol Harum chronology
A Salty Dog
(1969)
Home
(1970)
Broken Barricades
(1971)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideC+[2]
Rolling Stone(not rated)[3]

Home is Procol Harum's fourth album, released in 1970. With the departure of organist Matthew Fisher and bassist David Knights, and the addition of bassist/organist Chris Copping to the remaining core roster of players (lead singer and pianist Gary Brooker, drummer B. J. Wilson and lead guitarist Robin Trower), Procol Harum became, to all intents and purposes, the Paramounts again in all but name. The purpose of bringing in Copping was to return some of the R&B sound to the band that they had had with their previous incarnation.[4]

The initial sessions were performed in London at Trident Studios in the autumn of 1969 under the supervision of former organist Matthew Fisher, who had also produced the band's previous album. Unhappy with the sound and performances, the band scrapped the Trident sessions and began again in February 1970 with producer Chris Thomas and engineer Jeff Jarratt at Abbey Road Studios. Once the album was completed, it was decided that the cover would be a parody of a British edition of the board game snakes and ladders, featuring members of the band.

When the album was released in June 1970 it charted at No. 34 in the U.S. and No. 49 in the UK; it made the Danish Top 10, peaking at No. 6.[5] The album was preceded by the single "Whisky Train", written by guitarist Robin Trower with lyricist Keith Reid.[6]

Track listing

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All songs written by Gary Brooker and Keith Reid except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Whisky Train"Robin Trower, Reid4:31
2."The Dead Man's Dream" 4:46
3."Still There'll Be More" 4:53
4."Nothing That I Didn't Know" 3:38
5."About to Die"Trower, Reid3:35
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Barnyard Story"2:46
2."Piggy Pig Pig"4:47
3."Whaling Stories"7:06
4."Your Own Choice"3:13
Bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
1."Still There'll Be More" (Take 3; raw track)4:57
2."Whaling Stories" (Raw track)7:05

Salvo/Fly reissue 2009

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In 2009 Salvo reissued the Procol Harum catalogue and included bonus tracks for each album. "Home" included two bonus tracks selected and approved by Gary Brooker and Keith Reid, "Whaling Stories" and "Still There'll Be More". The two bonus tracks are work-in-progress mixes that lack the final overdubs from the completed versions.

Personnel

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Procol Harum
Additional musicians
Technical
  • Jeff Jarratt – recording engineer
  • Helmut Hastenteufel – sleeve design

Charts

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Chart (1970–1971) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[7] 24
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[8] 13
UK Albums (OCC)[9] 49
US Billboard 200[10] 34

References

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  1. ^ "Home - Procol Harum". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: P". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  3. ^ von Tersch, Gary (2011). "Procol Harum: Home : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 23 May 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  4. ^ Reissue booklet for "Home" CD
  5. ^ "Danskehitlister.dk". Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  6. ^ Billboard Charts 1970
  7. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 241. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  8. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5195". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  9. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  10. ^ "Procol Harum Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
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