Not Fragile
Not Fragile is the third album by Canadian rock band Bachman–Turner Overdrive (BTO), released in 1974. It proved to be the group's most popular album (not counting compilations), and is the only BTO album to have reached No. 1 on the US Pop Album charts.
| Not Fragile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 1974 | |||
| Recorded | 1974 | |||
| Studio | Sound City, Van Nuys, California | |||
| Genre | Hard rock | |||
| Length | 36:14 | |||
| Label | Mercury | |||
| Producer | Randy Bachman | |||
| Bachman–Turner Overdrive chronology | ||||
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Description
In a 1995 interview, Randy Bachman indicated that he thought that using the word "fragile" as a title for a rock album, as Yes had done with their 1971 album Fragile, was "strange."[1] He thought that BTO music could be "dropped and kicked" without breaking, so, without intending any commentary about Yes, the band "tongue-in-cheek" called their next album Not Fragile.[1]
The album marks the debut of guitarist Blair Thornton, who, unlike his predecessor Tim Bachman, is billed on the album liner notes as "second lead guitar".[2] Thornton's dual-guitar solos with Randy Bachman are prominent features on many Not Fragile tracks. "Roll On Down the Highway" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" were hit singles, with the latter hitting #1 on the singles charts in November 1974 and receiving GOLD certification by the RIAA.[3] Other cuts had significant airplay on FM rock radio.
"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" was a leftover track that was not originally intended to be included on Not Fragile. It was only after Charlie Fach of Mercury Records heard the other eight tracks, and didn't see hit single potential in any of them, that he asked if the band had anything else he could hear. They played him the leftover track and he assured them it was more radio-friendly than any of the others, convincing the band to add it to the album.[4]
Not Fragile has gone on to achieve triple platinum status. Randy Bachman has called it the band's "crowning achievement," stating: "Not Fragile was when it all came together for us. We captured the album-oriented rock audience as well as the singles audience with that album. Not Fragile made BTO recognized around the world."[5]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B[6] |
| Tom Hull | A[7] |
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Not Fragile" | C. Fred Turner | Turner | 4:06 |
| 2. | "Rock Is My Life, and This Is My Song" | Randy Bachman | Randy Bachman | 5:00 |
| 3. | "Roll on Down the Highway" | Turner, Rob Bachman | Turner | 3:58 |
| 4. | "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" | Randy Bachman | Randy Bachman | 3:54 |
| 5. | "Free Wheelin'" | Blair Thornton | instrumental | 3:45 |
| 6. | "Sledgehammer" | Randy Bachman | Randy Bachman, Turner | 4:34 |
| 7. | "Blue Moanin'" | Turner | Turner | 3:44 |
| 8. | "Second Hand" | Randy Bachman | Randy Bachman | 3:24 |
| 9. | "Givin' It All Away" | Thornton | Randy Bachman, Turner | 3:49 |
The original album cover listed "Free Wheelin'" as "Dedicated to Duane". Mercury "Musicassettes" (MCR4-1-1004) of Not Fragile were initially manufactured with "Free Wheelin'" divided into two tracks: "Free Wheelin' (Beg.)" on Program 1, and "Free Wheelin' (Concl.)" starting off Program 2. Although the track is split over the two programs (making each program equal in time at 18:19 each), the album's running order remains intact. This is a programming character usually used for 8-track tapes and rarely for cassettes.
Personnel
- Randy Bachman - vocals, guitars
- Robbie Bachman - percussion, drums
- Blair Thornton - guitars, backing vocals
- C.F. Turner - vocals, bass guitar
- Frank Trowbridge - slide guitar (on "Blue Moanin'")
Production
- Producer: Randy Bachman
- Engineer: Mark Smith
- Assistant engineer: Buzz Richmond
- Mixing assistant: Richard Dashut
- Mastering: Tom "Curly" Ruff
- Recording Studio: Kaye-Smith Studios, Seattle, WA
- Mixed at: Sound City Studios, Los Angeles, CA
- Equipment: John Austin and Weasel (Greg) Morgan
- Design: Joe Kotleba
- Art direction: Jim Ladwig
- Photography: John Brott, Tom Zamiar
Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Pop Albums | 1 |
| 1974 | Canada RPM | 1 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100 | 1 | ||
| Canada RPM | 1 | ||
| 1975 | "Roll On Down the Highway" | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 14 |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100 | 8 | ||
| Canada RPM | 4 | ||
Certifications
Album
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Canada | Gold |
| United Kingdom | Silver |
| United States | Gold |
References
- Whitaker, Sterling C. (2003). Unsung Heroes of Rock Guitar. Booksurge. p. 22. ISBN 1-59109-758-4.
- Liner notes on Not Fragile, (c), (p) 1974.
- RIAA Official Web Site, Gold & Platinum Database, RIAA, 1974 via from RIAA.com
- Fred Bronson, The Billboard Book of Number One Hits, Billboard, 1988 via "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" from SuperSeventies.com
- Wilkening, Matthew (February 14, 2014). "Bachman-Turner Overdrive's 'Not Fragile' Gets Expanded for 40th Birthday". ultimateclassicrock.com. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
- Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
- Hull, Tom (April 1975). "The Rekord Report: Second Card". Overdose. Retrieved June 26, 2020 – via tomhull.com.