Faithful (Todd Rundgren album)

Faithful
Studio album by Todd Rundgren
Released	April 1976
Genre	Pop rock Psychedelic rock
Length	50:04
Label	Bearsville Rhino
Producer	Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren chronology
Initiation (1975) Faithful (1976) Hermit of Mink Hollow (1978)

Faithful is Todd Rundgren's seventh album, released in 1976. The first side of the LP is dedicated to "faithful" re-recordings, meaning treatments approaching near-replications of the originals, of some classic 1960s psychedelic-era songs, while side two comprised original material.

Rundgren explained the motivation of the first side as treating rock music like European classical music, where a piece is performed over and over again in essentially the same way. Critics generally hailed the latter half of the album as a comeback for Rundgren as a pop songwriter^{[citation needed]}.

Also alluding to the name of the album in concept, it was released with virtually no advertising. Bearsville Records President Paul Fiskin theorized (and was essentially proven correct) Rundgren's faithful listeners would purchase just as many albums as his previous releases based solely on word of mouth.

One oddity of the production is the cover of the Beach Boy's "Good Vibrations" was so spot-on, radio stations ran contests challenging listeners to identify if the version played was the original or Rundgren's.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Rolling Stone	(Not rated)
This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.

Track listing

Side one

1. "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" (Jeff Beck, Jim McCarty, Jimmy Page, Keith Relf) - 3:12
2. "Good Vibrations" (Mike Love, Brian Wilson) - 3:44
3. "Rain" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 3:16
4. "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)" (Bob Dylan) - 3:24
5. "If 6 Was 9" (Jimi Hendrix) - 4:55
6. "Strawberry Fields Forever" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 3:53

Side two

All songs written by Todd Rundgren

1. "Black and White" - 4:42
2. "Love of the Common Man" - 3:35
3. "When I Pray" - 2:58
4. "Cliché" - 4:00
5. "The Verb "To Love"" - 7:25
6. "Boogies (Hamburger Hell)" - 5:00

Personnel

• Todd Rundgren - Guitar, Producer, vocals
• Roger Powell - Trumpet, Keyboards
• John Siegler - Bass, Cello
• John Wilcox - drums

Charts

Album - Billboard

Year	Chart	Position
1976	Pop Albums	54

Singles - Billboard

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1976	"Good Vibrations"	Pop Singles	34