Portrait (The 5th Dimension album)

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Portrait is the fifth album by American pop group The 5th Dimension, released in 1970 (see 1970 in music). This is the group's first album for Bell Records, having switched from the Soul City label. The cover features an impressionistic portrait by famous artist LeRoy Neiman.

The album featured the hit "One Less Bell to Answer", which reached #2 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart.

Track listing

1. "Puppet Man" (Howard Greenfield, Neil Sedaka) – 3:00
2. "One Less Bell to Answer" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) – 3:31
3. "Feelin' Alright" (Dave Mason) – 4:28
4. "This Is Your Life" (Jimmy Webb) – 4:13
5. "A Love Like Ours" (Bob Alcivar, Lamonte McLemore) – 2:39
6. "Save the Country" (Laura Nyro) – 2:39
7. "Medley" – 10:12
   • "The Declaration" (Julianne Johnson, René DeKnight)
   • "A Change Is Gonna Come" (Sam Cooke)
   • "People Gotta Be Free" (Eddie Brigati, Felix Cavaliere)
8. "Dimension 5ive" (Bob Alcivar) – 4:15
9. "On the Beach (In the Summertime)" [*] (McNeil) – 3:28

*bonus track on CD

Personnel

• Billy Davis, Jr. - lead vocals (tracks 3, 7), background vocals
• Florence LaRue - lead vocals (tracks 1, 4), background vocals
• Marilyn McCoo - lead vocals (tracks 1-2), background vocals
• Lamonte McLemore - background vocals
• Ron Townson - lead vocals (track 9), background vocals

Additional personnel

• Michael Anthony - electric guitar
• Mike Deasy - electric guitar
• Dennis Budimir - rhythm guitar
• Tommy Tedesco - rhythm guitar
• Fred Tackett - finger pickin' guitar
• Joe Osborn - bass
• Hal Blaine - drums, percussion
• Larry Bunker - congas, mallets, percussion, drums
• Gary Coleman - mallets, percussion
• Larry Knechtel - piano, organ, tack piano
• Jimmy Rowles - piano
• Gary Illingworth - electric piano
• Bob Alcivar - arranger

Production

As mentioned on the liner notes of the album, this was one of the first albums to be recorded on a 16-track recorder, and was recorded at the Wally Heider Studios in Hollywood. The sketches of the vocal recording sessions included in the album cover art are dated January 13 and January 14, 1970.

• Producer: Bones Howe
• Engineer: Bones Howe
• Mastering: Elliot Federman
• Digital transfers: Mike Hartry
• Reissue producer: Rob Santos
• Production coordination: Jeremy Holiday
• Production assistant: Bones Howe, Ann McClelland, Tom Tierney, Russ Wapensky
• Product manager: Mandana Eidgah
• Project coordinator: Arlessa Barnes, Glenn Delgado, Christina DeSimone, Karyn Friedland, Felicia Gearhart, Laura Gregory, Robin Manning, Brooke Nochomson, Ed Osborne, Larry Parra, Dana Renert, Bill Stafford, Steve Strauss
• Archivist: Joanne Feltman, Glenn Korman
• Research: Joel Whitburn
• Assistants: Larry Cox, Johnny Golden, Rik Pekkonen
• Arranger: Bob Alcivar, Bill Hollman, Bones Howe
• Art direction: Beverly Weinstein
• Reissue art director: Mathieu Bitton
• Design: Mathieu Bitton
• Cover painting: LeRoy Neiman
• Liner notes: Mike Ragogna

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1971	Black Albums	6
1971	Pop Albums	20

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1970	"The Declaration"	Pop Singles	60
1970	"On the Beach (In the Summertime)"	Pop Singles	54
1970	"Puppet Man"	Pop Singles	24
1970	"Save the Country"	Black Singles	41
1970	"Save the Country"	Pop Singles	27
1970	"One Less Bell To Answer"	Pop Singles	2