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Tons of Sobs

Tons of Sobs is the debut studio album by the English rock band Free, released in the UK on 14 March 1969.[2] While the album failed to chart in the UK, it reached number 197 in the US.[4] Free are cited as one of the definitive bands of the British blues boom of the late 1960s, even though this is the only album of their canon that can strictly be called blues rock.[5] It had the band's first minor hit "I'm a Mover", which was released as a single in December 1968.

Tons of Sobs
Studio album by
Released14 March 1969 (1969-03-14)[1][2]
RecordedOctober–December 1968
StudioMorgan, London
GenreBlues rock[3]
Length38:55
LabelIsland
ProducerGuy Stevens
Free chronology
Tons of Sobs
(1969)
Free
(1969)

Recording edit

Free were a new band when they recorded Tons of Sobs, and they were young; all were teenagers and the youngest, Andy Fraser, was 16. They had achieved a following through constant touring, and their debut album consisted mostly of their live set list. With the band signed to Chris Blackwell's Island Records, Guy Stevens was hired to produce the album. He took a minimalist attitude to production due to the extremely low budget of about £800, and created a raw, raucous sound – although the relative inexperience of the band possibly contributed to this. The album is in marked contrast to the band's later albums in terms of production. The simple nature of the recording meant that many tracks translated well to a live setting and several songs from this album were still performed even when the band had written and recorded many more for subsequent LP's.

The majority of the album was recorded over a few days in October 1968. Originally slated for a November release, the album was delayed until early 1969 due to the late addition of the cover of "The Hunter". The song was a mainstay of their live sets and was recorded at a December 1968 session at Stevens' insistence.

Professional reviews
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [6]
Rolling Stone(negative)[7]

Track listing edit

Side one
  1. "Over the Green Hills (Pt. 1)" (Paul Rodgers) – 0:49
  2. "Worry" (Rodgers) – 3:26
  3. "Walk in My Shadow" (Andy Fraser, Simon Kirke, Paul Kossoff, Rodgers) – 3:29
  4. "Wild Indian Woman" (Fraser, Rodgers) – 3:39
  5. "Goin' Down Slow" (James Burke Oden) – 8:20
Side two
  1. "I'm a Mover" (Rodgers, Fraser) – 2:56
  2. "The Hunter" (Booker T. Jones, Carl Wells, Donald Dunn, Al Jackson Jr., Steve Cropper) – 4:13
  3. "Moonshine" (Fraser, Kirke, Kossoff, Rodgers) – 5:04
  4. "Sweet Tooth" (Rodgers) – 4:54
  5. "Over the Green Hills (Pt. 2)" (Rodgers) – 1:58
Bonus tracks

Recent CD reissues contain several bonus tracks:

  1. "I'm a Mover" (BBC session) (Rodgers, Fraser) – 3:04
  2. "Waitin' on You" (BBC session) (B.B. King, Ferdinand Washington) – 2:15
  3. "Guy Stevens Blues" (Rodgers, Fraser, Kirke, Kossoff) – 4:39
  4. "Moonshine" (Alternative vocal) (Fraser, Kirke, Kossoff, Rodgers) – 5:09
  5. "Sweet Tooth" (Early take and alternative vocal) (Rodgers) – 4:53
  6. "Visions of Hell" (Fraser, Rodgers) – 3:46
  7. "Woman by the Sea" (Fraser, Rodgers) – 3:30
  8. "Over the Green Hills" (BBC session) (Rodgers) – 3:51

Personnel edit

Additional personnel
  • Guy Stevens – producer
  • Andy Johns – engineer
  • Mike Sida – front cover photograph
  • Richard Bennett Zeff – inside cover photography

Charts edit

Chart (1969) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[8] 197

References edit

  1. ^ "Tons of Sobs - Free - The Official Website". Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Release group "Tons of Sobs" by Free - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  3. ^ "The Top 30 British Blues Rock Albums of All Time". Classic Rock. 23 March 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  4. ^ "Free Tons of Sobs Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  5. ^ V. Bogdanov, C. Woodstra, S. T. Erlewine, eds, All Music Guide to the Blues: The Definitive Guide to the Blues (Backbeat, 3rd edn., 2003), pp. 700–2.
  6. ^ Thompson, Dave. "Free - Tons of Sobs Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". allmusic. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  7. ^ Leimbacher, Ed (18 October 1969). "Records". Rolling Stone. No. 44. San Francisco, California. p. 37.
  8. ^ "Free Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2024.

Bibliography edit

  • Strong, Martin C. The Great Rock Discography, 6th edition. Edinburgh: Canongate Books 1994, 2002. pp. 392–3.
  • Sutcliffe, Phil. Notes to Tons of Sobs by Free. Universal Island Records Ltd. 1968, 2001.

External links edit

  • Tons of Sobs at Discogs (list of releases)

tons, sobs, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, june, 2021, lea. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Tons of Sobs news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message Tons of Sobs is the debut studio album by the English rock band Free released in the UK on 14 March 1969 2 While the album failed to chart in the UK it reached number 197 in the US 4 Free are cited as one of the definitive bands of the British blues boom of the late 1960s even though this is the only album of their canon that can strictly be called blues rock 5 It had the band s first minor hit I m a Mover which was released as a single in December 1968 Tons of SobsStudio album by FreeReleased14 March 1969 1969 03 14 1 2 RecordedOctober December 1968StudioMorgan LondonGenreBlues rock 3 Length38 55LabelIslandProducerGuy StevensFree chronologyTons of Sobs 1969 Free 1969 Contents 1 Recording 2 Track listing 3 Personnel 4 Charts 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External linksRecording editFree were a new band when they recorded Tons of Sobs and they were young all were teenagers and the youngest Andy Fraser was 16 They had achieved a following through constant touring and their debut album consisted mostly of their live set list With the band signed to Chris Blackwell s Island Records Guy Stevens was hired to produce the album He took a minimalist attitude to production due to the extremely low budget of about 800 and created a raw raucous sound although the relative inexperience of the band possibly contributed to this The album is in marked contrast to the band s later albums in terms of production The simple nature of the recording meant that many tracks translated well to a live setting and several songs from this album were still performed even when the band had written and recorded many more for subsequent LP s The majority of the album was recorded over a few days in October 1968 Originally slated for a November release the album was delayed until early 1969 due to the late addition of the cover of The Hunter The song was a mainstay of their live sets and was recorded at a December 1968 session at Stevens insistence Professional reviewsReview scoresSourceRatingAllMusic nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 6 Rolling Stone negative 7 Track listing editSide one Over the Green Hills Pt 1 Paul Rodgers 0 49 Worry Rodgers 3 26 Walk in My Shadow Andy Fraser Simon Kirke Paul Kossoff Rodgers 3 29 Wild Indian Woman Fraser Rodgers 3 39 Goin Down Slow James Burke Oden 8 20 Side two I m a Mover Rodgers Fraser 2 56 The Hunter Booker T Jones Carl Wells Donald Dunn Al Jackson Jr Steve Cropper 4 13 Moonshine Fraser Kirke Kossoff Rodgers 5 04 Sweet Tooth Rodgers 4 54 Over the Green Hills Pt 2 Rodgers 1 58 Bonus tracks Recent CD reissues contain several bonus tracks I m a Mover BBC session Rodgers Fraser 3 04 Waitin on You BBC session B B King Ferdinand Washington 2 15 Guy Stevens Blues Rodgers Fraser Kirke Kossoff 4 39 Moonshine Alternative vocal Fraser Kirke Kossoff Rodgers 5 09 Sweet Tooth Early take and alternative vocal Rodgers 4 53 Visions of Hell Fraser Rodgers 3 46 Woman by the Sea Fraser Rodgers 3 30 Over the Green Hills BBC session Rodgers 3 51Personnel editPaul Rodgers vocals Paul Kossoff guitar Andy Fraser bass guitar Simon Kirke drums Additional personnel Guy Stevens producer Andy Johns engineer Mike Sida front cover photograph Richard Bennett Zeff inside cover photographyCharts editChart 1969 Peakposition US Billboard 200 8 197References edit Tons of Sobs Free The Official Website Retrieved 14 March 2022 a b Release group Tons of Sobs by Free MusicBrainz musicbrainz org Retrieved 14 March 2022 The Top 30 British Blues Rock Albums of All Time Classic Rock 23 March 2007 Retrieved 1 September 2018 Free Tons of Sobs Chart History Billboard com Retrieved 9 March 2018 V Bogdanov C Woodstra S T Erlewine eds All Music Guide to the Blues The Definitive Guide to the Blues Backbeat 3rd edn 2003 pp 700 2 Thompson Dave Free Tons of Sobs Album Reviews Songs amp More AllMusic allmusic Retrieved 1 April 2023 Leimbacher Ed 18 October 1969 Records Rolling Stone No 44 San Francisco California p 37 Free Chart History Billboard 200 Billboard Retrieved March 25 2024 Bibliography editStrong Martin C The Great Rock Discography 6th edition Edinburgh Canongate Books 1994 2002 pp 392 3 Sutcliffe Phil Notes to Tons of Sobs by Free Universal Island Records Ltd 1968 2001 External links editTons of Sobs at Discogs list of releases Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tons of Sobs amp oldid 1217268389, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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