Playing the Fool

Playing the Fool - The Official Live is a live album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant which was released in 1977. It demonstrates the band's complex musicianship and talent as well as showcasing versions of songs which are often greatly modified from the original album versions. The album contains versions of tracks from all of the band's studio albums to that point except for Acquiring the Taste (although a section from the title track of that album is featured in "Excerpts from Octopus"). The original UK LP came with a 12-page booklet that has not been reproduced in any of the CD editions.

Playing the Fool - The Official Live
Live album by Gentle Giant
Released	18 January 1977
Recorded	23 September – 7 October 1976 in Düsseldorf, Paris, Brussels and Munich
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	78:09
Label	Chrysalis (UK) Capitol (U.S.)
Producer	Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant chronology
Interview (1976) Playing the Fool - The Official Live (1977) The Missing Piece (1977)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Babyblaue Seiten	14.33/15 link
Sea of Tranquility	link

Track listing

All tracks are written by Kerry Minnear, Derek Shulman, and Ray Shulman except where noted.

Side one

No.	Title	Notes	Length
1.	"Just the Same/Proclamation"	Düsseldorf, 1976-09-23	11:13
2.	"On Reflection"	Düsseldorf, 1976-09-23	6:20

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Notes	Length
1.	"Excerpts from Octopus (The Boys in the Band/Raconteur Troubadour/Acquiring the Taste/Knots/Ocean Bridge/The Advent of Panurge)" (incl. the famous recorder quartet)	Minnear, Shulman, Shulman, Phil Shulman	Paris, 1976-10-05	15:35
2.	"Funny Ways"	Minnear, Shulman, Shulman, Shulman	Munich, 1976-09-25	8:35

Side three

No.	Title	Notes	Length
1.	"The Runaway/Experience"	Paris, 1976-10-05	9:31
2.	"So Sincere"	Paris, 1976-10-05	10:22

Side four

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Notes	Length
1.	"Free Hand"		Brussels, 1976-10-07	7:40
2.	"Sweet Georgia Brown" (instrumental)	Ben Bernie, Maceo Pinkard	Brussels, 1976-10-07	1:15
3.	"Peel the Paint/I Lost My Head"	Minnear, Shulman, Shulman, Shulman ("Peel the Paint")	Paris, 1976-10-05	7:35

35th anniversary re-release edition

Disc 1

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Just the Same"	5:57
2.	"Proclamation/Valedictory"	5:18
3.	"On Reflection"	6:20
4.	"Excerpts from Octopus"	15:39
5.	"Funny Ways"	8:30
Total length:		41:44

Disc 2

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Runaway"	3:56
2.	"Experience"	5:36
3.	"So Sincere"	10:20
4.	"Free Hand"	7:40
5.	"Sweet Georgia Brown (Breakdown in Brussels)" (instrumental)	1:21
6.	"Peel the Paint/I Lost My Head"	7:32
Total length:		36:25

Note: The track listing and times have changed throughout the years and the different releases that this album has seen.

Personnel

• Gary Green – electric and acoustic 6- and 12-string guitars, backing vocals, alto and soprano recorders, percussion
• Kerry Minnear – electric piano, backing vocals, clavinet, Hammond organ, Moog synthesizer, cello, vibes, tenor recorder, percussion
• Derek Shulman – lead vocals, alto saxophone, soprano recorder, bass, percussion
• Ray Shulman – bass, backing vocals, violin, acoustic guitar, soprano recorder, trumpet, percussion
• John Weathers – drums, backing vocals, vibes, tambourine, percussion

There are no official instrument credits listed on the album.

Charts

Year	Chart	Position
1977	US Billboard 200	89

Release details

• 1977, UK, Chrysalis Records CTY 1133, Release Date 28 January 1977, LP
• 1977, US, Capitol Records SKBB-11592, Release date 18 January 1977, LP
• 1994, UK, Terrapin Trucking RGOF Cat# RGF CD 1009, Release Date ? ? 1994, CD (Re-Master)
• 2004, UK, BGO BGOCD435, Release Date 12 July 2004, CD (2 x CD with Civilian)
• 2005, UK, DRT Entertainment/Pinnacle RTE354, Release Date 10 October 2005, CD (35th Anniversary Enhanced Re-Master)