Tres Hombres

Tres Hombres
Studio album by ZZ Top
Released	July 26, 1973
Recorded	Brian Studios, Ardent Studios, Memphis, Tennessee
Genre	Blues rock, boogie rock, southern rock, hard rock
Length	33:32
Label	London
Producer	Bill Ham
ZZ Top chronology
Rio Grande Mud (1972) Tres Hombres (1973) Fandango! (1975)

Tres Hombres (Spanish for "three men") is the third album by American blues rock band ZZ Top and was released in 1973. The album marked the first of many times the band worked with engineer Terry Manning which proved a successful combination as the release was the band's first commercial breakthrough. The album hit the top ten while the single "La Grange" hit #41 on the singles chart.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 498 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

During the height of ZZ Top's success in the early 1980s a digitally remixed version of the recording was released on CD and the original 1973 mix version was discontinued. The remix version created controversy among fans because it significantly changed the sound of the instruments, especially drums. The remix version was used on all early CD copies and was the only version available for over 20 years. A remastered and expanded edition of the album was released on February 28, 2006, which contains three bonus live tracks. The 2006 edition is the first CD version to use Manning's original 1973 mix.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Rolling Stone	(favorable)

Allmusic gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars, stating: "Tres Hombres is the record that bought ZZ Top their first top ten record, making them stars in the process. It couldn't have happened to a better record."

The album peaked at #8 on the Billboard 200.

Singles

The only single released from the album was "La Grange" (b/w "Just Got Paid" from ZZ Top's second album Rio Grande Mud) which peaked at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Track listing

Side A

1. "Waitin' for the Bus" (Gibbons, Hill) – 2:59
2. "Jesus Just Left Chicago" (Gibbons, Hill, Frank Beard) – 3:30
3. "Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers" (Gibbons, Hill, Beard) – 3:23
4. "Master of Sparks" (Gibbons) – 3:33
5. "Hot, Blue and Righteous" (Gibbons) – 3:14

Side B

1. "Move Me on Down the Line" (Gibbons, Hill) – 2:32
2. "Precious and Grace" (Gibbons, Hill, Beard) – 3:09
3. "La Grange" (Gibbons, Hill, Beard) – 3:52
4. "Shiek" (Gibbons, Hill) – 4:05
5. "Have You Heard?" (Gibbons, Hill) – 3:15

2006 remastered version bonus tracks

11. "Waitin' for the Bus" (Live) (Gibbons, Hill) – 2:42
12. "Jesus Just Left Chicago" (Live) (Gibbons, Hill, Beard) – 4:03
13. "La Grange" (Live) (Gibbons, Hill, Beard) – 4:44

Personnel

• Billy Gibbons – guitar, vocals
• Dusty Hill – bass guitar, keyboards, vocals
• Frank Beard – drums, percussion
• Bill Ham – production
• Terry Manning, Robin Brians - engineering
• Bill Narum - album cover
• Galen Scott - photography

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1974	Billboard Pop Albums	8

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1974	"La Grange"	Billboard Pop Singles	41