Pieces of April (song)
"Pieces of April" is a ballad written by Dave Loggins which became a Top 20 hit for Three Dog Night in January 1973.
| "Pieces of April" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Three Dog Night | ||||
| from the album Seven Separate Fools | ||||
| B-side | "The Writing's on the Wall" | |||
| Released | November 1972 | |||
| Genre | easy listening | |||
| Length | 4:09 | |||
| Label | Dunhill 4331 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Dave Loggins | |||
| Producer(s) | Richard Podolor | |||
| Three Dog Night singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Three Dog Night version edit
First recorded by Loggins for his 1972 debut album Personal Belongings, "Pieces of April" was recorded for the 1972 Three Dog Night album Seven Separate Fools produced and arranged by Richard Podolor with Three Dog Night themselves credited as co-arrangers.[1][2] According to Three Dog Night vocalist Chuck Negron, the group's two other vocalists Danny Hutton and Cory Wells left London where the Seven Separate Fools album was being recorded before the album was complete, necessitating Negron recording the album's final two tracks - which included "Pieces of April" - without them. As a result, "Pieces of April" became the second of two Three Dog Night singles not to feature all three of the group's vocalists, at least on background vocals, with the first being their inaugural Hot 100 single: the 1969's "Try a Little Tenderness" sung by Wells.[3]
Released in October 1972 as the followup to the #1 hit "Black and White", "Pieces of April" was an atypically delicate Three Dog Night track, being particularly distinct from the rollicking "Black and White",[4][5] and "Pieces of April" would not become one of Three Dog Night's biggest hits, rising no higher than #19 on the Hot 100 in Billboard magazine whose Easy Listening hit ranking afforded "Pieces of April" a #6 peak.[6] In Canada, "Pieces of April" ranked as high as #14 on the national hit parade featured in RPM magazine,[7] whose Easy Listening survey ranked the track as high as #9.[8]
Other versions edit
- The song's composer Dave Loggins had recorded "Pieces of April" for his 1972 debut album Personal Belongings from which it was single-released in January 1973. That was the same month the Three Dog Night version reached the Top 20, with Loggins' single release evidently being an attempt to generate a C&W hit. Loggins would remake "Pieces of April" for his final album, the 1979 release Dave Loggins. "Pieces of April" was single-released and became an Easy Listening hit, ranking as high as #22 on the Adult Contemporary chart in Billboard[9]
- Andy Williams recorded "Pieces of April" for his 1972 album, Alone Again (Naturally).
- Johnny Mathis recorded "Pieces of April" in the 1972 sessions for his album Me and Mrs. Jones. The track was shelved and not released until 2017 when it was issued as a bonus track on the CD release of Me and Mrs. Jones, as well as on the box set entitled The Voice of Romance: The Columbia Original Album Collection.
- Twiggy recorded "Pieces of April" for her 1976 self-titled album.
References edit
- ^ Three Dog Night, Seven Separate Fools, Discogs.com, Retrieved February 9, 2015
- ^ Three Dog Night, "Pieces of April" single release, 45cat.com Retrieved February 9, 2015
- ^ "MorleyView: Chuck Negron (Ex-Three Dog Night) Interview". Antimusic.com. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
- ^ Billboard November 1972 "Radio Action & Pick Singles" p.80
- ^ Pittsburgh Press 29 October 1972 " Sabbath's Vol. 4 Tunes Up As Best Offering Of Bad Lot" by Tony Palermo p.124
- ^ Three Dog Night, "Pieces of April" U.S. Chart Positions, Musicvf.com, Retrieved February 9, 2015
- ^ Three Dog Night, "Pieces of April" Canadian Pop Chart Position, Collectionscanada.bc.ca, Retrieved February 9, 2015
- ^ Three Dog Night, "Pieces of April" Canadian A.C. Chart Position, Collectionscanada.bc.ca, Retrieved February 9, 2015
- ^ Dave Loggins, "Pieces of April" Chart Position, Musicvf.com, Retrieved February 9, 2015