Jump to content

Suzi ... and Other Four Letter Words

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 82.2.194.74 (talk) at 22:42, 18 March 2017 (→Critical reception: allmusic from 1991). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

"I've Never Been in Love" redirects here. For the song written by Frank Loesser (instead of the song sung by Suzi Quatro), see I've Never Been in Love Before.

Untitled

Suzi ... and Other Four Letter Words, released in 1979, is the sixth studio album by British-based American singer-songwriter, bass guitar player, and actress Suzi Quatro. By August 2012 this was still Quatro's highest-charting album in Norway (at number 4) and her second-highest-charting album in the United States (at number 117). [1]: 1–3 [2]

The album contains the songs of three singles, all of which charted. "She's in Love with You" was a top 20 hit in the United Kingdom, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. It also charted in New Zealand and the United States. "Mama's Boy" charted both in the United Kingdom and in the Netherlands. "I've Never Been in Love" charted both in the United Kingdom and in the United States.

Background

This, Quatro's sixth studio album, was released after she moved from the United States to Britain. It is her last studio album before she decided not to renew her contract with record producer Mickie Most's RAK Records label. (Instead she signed a contract with Dreamland Records, which had been set up by songwriters/producers Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn).[3]: 4 

While still in the United States, Quatro had released two singles with all-female band The Pleasure Seekers (which became Cradle before breaking up).[4] Next, she signed a contract with record producer Mickie Most's RAK Records label and moved to Britain as a solo artist. Her first solo single, "Rolling Stone", was recorded with session players. "Rolling Stone" only achieved popularity in Portugal, where it went to number 1.[5]: 7 

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Smash Hits7½10[7]

Writing for Smash Hits in 1979, Red Starr described the album as "ten immediately accessible chunks of bouncy, straightforward pop-rock".[7] In his retrospective review for AllMusic, Donald A. Guarisco awards this album . He sees Quatro as making "a strong return to her hard-rocking roots" with the album. Example "bracing rocker" tracks are "I've Never Been in Love" and "She's in Love with You". These are "judiciously balanced with a string of tuneful, keyboard-based mid-tempo tunes" such as "Hollywood" and the "pop-inflected reggae groove" of "Four Letter Words". Guarisco feels that the downside of the album is that "many of the songs recycle the same double-time backbeat" and singles out "You Are My Lover" whose melody "is minimalist to the point of being repetitive". He concludes that:

"Despite these minor problems, Suzi...and Other Four Letter Words remains a solid slab of rock that is guaranteed to please the Suzi Quatro fanbase."[6]

Track listing

  1. "I've Never Been in Love" (Melissa A. Connell) – 3:02
  2. "Mind Demons" (Suzi Quatro, Len Tuckey) – 2:25
  3. "She's in Love with You" (Mike Chapman, Nicky Chinn) – 3:32
  4. "Hollywood" (Quatro, Tuckey) – 2:57
  5. "Four Letter Words" (Chapman, Chinn) – 3:27
  6. "Mama's Boy" (Quatro, Tuckey) – 3:35
  7. "Starlight Lady" (Quatro, Tuckey) – 3:36
  8. "You Are My Lover" (Jack Lee) – 3:12
  9. "Space Cadets" (Quatro, Tuckey) – 4:18
  10. "Love Hurts" (Quatro, Tuckey) – 2:45

[8]

Personnel

  • Suzi Quatro – lead vocals, bass guitar, writer
  • Len Tuckey – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals, writer
  • Jamie Crompton – guitar, backing vocals
  • Bill Hurd – keyboard, backing vocals
  • Dave Neal – drums
  • Dave Tickle – engineer
  • Peter Coleman – engineer
  • Glenn Ross – art direction
  • Norman Seeff – photography
  • Steve Hall – mastering
  • Nicky Chinn – writer
  • Mike Chapman – producer, writer

Charts

Suzi ... and Other Four Letter Words (1979 album)
Chart Peak
position
Norway 4[9]
Sweden 36[9]
United States, The Billboard 200 117[10]

By August 2012 Suzi...and Other Four Letter Words (1979) was still Quatro's highest-charting album in Norway, beating both Quatro (1974), which reached number 5, and Suzi Quatro (1973), which reached number 6.[9] It was also her second-highest-charting album in the United States, behind If You Knew Suzi... (1978), which reached number 37 in The Billboard 200.[11]

"She's in Love with You" / "Space Cadets" (or "Starlight Lady" in the US) (1979 single)
Chart Peak
position
United Kingdom 11[12]
Austria 4[13]
Netherlands 6[13]
New Zealand 24[13]
Norway 10[13]
Switzerland 6[13]
United States, The Billboard Hot 100 41[11]
"Mama's Boy" / "Mind Demons" (1980 single)
Chart Peak
position
United Kingdom 34[12]
Netherlands 43[14]
"I've Never Been in Love" / "Starlight Lady" (or "Space Cadets" in the US) (1980 single)
Chart Peak
position
United Kingdom 56[12]
United States, The Billboard Hot 100 44[11]

References

  1. ^ Auslander, Philip (28 January 2004). "I Wanna Be Your Man: Suzi Quatro's musical androgyny" (PDF). Popular Music. 23 (1). United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/S0261143004000030. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  2. ^ "BBC Queens of British Pop, Suzi Quatro – David Jensen film clip 2009". www.bbc.co.uk. London, UK: BBC. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  3. ^ Hendriks, Phil; Tim Smith (February 2011). Rock Hard (CD booklet). Suzi Quatro. London, United Kingdom: 7T's Records. GLAM CD 126. {{cite AV media notes}}: Unknown parameter |titlelink= ignored (|title-link= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "Michigan Rock and Roll Legends – SUZI QUATRO". www.michiganrockandrolllegends.com. Michigan, United States: Michigan Rock and Roll Legends. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  5. ^ Hendriks, Phil; Gered Mankowitz (January 2011). Suzi Quatro (CD booklet). Suzi Quatro. London, United Kingdom: 7T's Records. GLAM CD 118. {{cite AV media notes}}: Unknown parameter |titlelink= ignored (|title-link= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b Guarisco, Donald A. "Suzi...And Other Four Letter Words – Suzi Quatro : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". www.allmusic.com. Ann Arbor, USA: Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  7. ^ a b Starr, Red. "Albums". Smash Hits (November 29 – December 12 1979): 31.
  8. ^ "Suzi Quatro – Suzi... And Other Four Letter Words". Discogs. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  9. ^ a b c "norwegiancharts.com – Suzi Quatro – Suzi ... and Other Four Letter Words". norwegiancharts.com. Dietikon, Switzerland: Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  10. ^ Guarisco, Donald A. "Suzi...And Other Four Letter Words – Suzi Quatro: Awards: AllMusic". www.allmusic.com. Ann Arbor, USA: Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  11. ^ a b c Unterberger, Richie. "Suzi Quatro – Awards: AllMusic". www.allmusic.com. Ann Arbor, USA: Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  12. ^ a b c "SUZI QUATRO / Artist / Official Charts". officialcharts.com. London, United Kingdom: The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  13. ^ a b c d e "norwegiancharts.com – Suzi Quatro – She's In Love With You". norwegiancharts.com. Dietikon, Switzerland: Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  14. ^ "norwegiancharts.com – Suzi Quatro – Mama's Boy". norwegiancharts.com. Dietikon, Switzerland: Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Suzi_..._and_Other_Four_Letter_Words&oldid=770999547"