''The Original Soundtrack'' is the third studio album by the English rock band
10cc
10cc are an English rock music, rock band formed in Stockport, southeast of Manchester, in 1972. The group initially consisted of four musicians, Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, who had written and recorded togethe ...
. It was released in 1975 and peaked at number three on the
UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for album, albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the O ...
. ''The Original Soundtrack'' includes the singles "
Life Is a Minestrone", and "
I'm Not in Love
"I'm Not in Love" is a song by British group 10cc, written by band members Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman. It is known for its innovative and distinctive backing track, composed mostly of the band's multitrack recording, multitracked vocals. ...
", the band's most popular song.
The album received good reviews when originally released on LP, 8-Track and cassette by
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. Mercury Records released ...
in March 1975. It was ranked number 976 in ''
All-Time Top 1000 Albums'' (2000).
Background
The album was recorded and produced by the band at
Strawberry Studios
Strawberry Studios was a recording studio in Stockport, historically in Cheshire, now within Greater Manchester, England. Founded in 1968, it operated until the early 1990s. Strawberry Studios was used by a range of artists including the Ramones ...
in 1974 with
Eric Stewart
Eric Michael Stewart (born 20 January 1945) is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer, best known as a founding member of the rock groups the Mindbenders with whom he played from 1963 to 1968, and likewise of ...
engineering and mixing. The album was the first to be released by
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. Mercury Records released ...
after signing the band for $1 million in February 1975. The catalyst for the deal was that the record executives had heard one song – "I'm Not in Love". Eric Stewart recalled:
The rest of the album, which was already complete, was released just weeks later.
The artwork was designed by
Hipgnosis
Hipgnosis were an English art design group, based in London, that specialised in creating album cover artwork for rock musicians and bands. Their commissions included work for Pink Floyd, Def Leppard, T. Rex, the Pretty Things, Black S ...
and illustrated by artist
Humphrey Ocean
Humphrey Ocean (born 22 June 1951) is a contemporary British painter.
Early life
Humphrey Ocean was born Humphrey Anthony Erdeswick Butler-Bowdon, on 22 June 1951 in Sussex. He went to Ampleforth College and in 1967 went to Tunbridge Wells Sc ...
.
Release
The album has been reissued on several occasions with bonus tracks including b-sides and single edits and has been remastered.
Reception
''The Original Soundtrack'' was a critical and commercial success reaching No. 3 in the UK
and No. 15 in the US
Ken Barnes gave the album a rave review in ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was first known fo ...
'', commenting, "Musically there's more going on than in ten
Yes
Yes or YES may refer to:
* An affirmative particle in the English language; see yes and no
Education
* YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, Texas, US
* Young Eisner Scholars, in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Appalachia, US
* Young Ep ...
albums, yet it's generally as accessible as a straight pop band (though less so than the two preceding 10cc LPs)." He particularly praised the album for being ambitious without being excessive or pretentious, and for its lyrical content.
''
Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Ma ...
'' critic
Robert Christgau
Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...
panned the album, remarking of the song "I'm Not in Love": "stretching your only decent melody (a non-satirical love song) over six tedious minutes, is that a joke?"
The first single "Life Is a Minestrone" was another UK Top 10 for the band, peaking at No. 7.
Their biggest success came with the song that sold the album, "I'm Not in Love", which gave the band their second UK No. 1 in June 1975, staying there for two weeks.
The song also provided them with their first major US chart success when the song reached No. 2.
Track listing
Bonus tracks on the 1997 CD edition
Additional bonus tracks on Japanese edition
Personnel
Adapted from the liner notes of the album:
; 10cc
*
Eric Stewart
Eric Michael Stewart (born 20 January 1945) is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer, best known as a founding member of the rock groups the Mindbenders with whom he played from 1963 to 1968, and likewise of ...
– lead
(1–6) and backing vocals
(1, 3–5, 7, 8), electric
(3–8) and steel guitars
(1, 3),
Fender Rhodes electric piano (2, 4, 6), piano
(3, 4, 6), organ
(8), percussion
(8)
*
Lol Creme
Laurence Neil "Lol" Creme ( ; born 19 September 1947) is an English musician and music video director, best known for his work in 10cc. He was later one half of the duo Godley & Creme, with 10cc drummer Kevin Godley. Creme has collaborated with ...
– lead
(1, 3, 7) and backing vocals
(all tracks), piano
(all but 3), Fender Rhodes electric piano
(1, 7), organ
(3),
Moog synthesizer
The Moog synthesizer ( ) is a modular synthesizer invented by the American engineer Robert Moog in 1964. Moog's company, R. A. Moog Co., produced numerous models from 1965 to 1981, and again from 2014. It was the first commercial synthesizer ...
(5), percussion
(1, 4, 7, 8), electric
(4, 7) and acoustic guitars
(6),
Gizmo
A gizmo is a gadget, especially one whose real name is unknown or forgotten.
Gizmo may also refer to:
Technology
* The Gizmo or "Gizmotron", an effects device for electric guitars
* Gizmo key, found on certain flutes
* Gizmos, interactive o ...
(3, 5),
vibraphone
The vibraphone (also called the vibraharp) is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using Percussion mallet, mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone ...
(1), violins
(5),
autoharp
An autoharp or chord zither is a string instrument belonging to the zither family. It uses a series of bars individually configured to mute all strings other than those needed for the intended chord. The term ''autoharp'' was once a trademark of t ...
(6),
mandolin
A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...
(8)
*
Graham Gouldman
Graham Keith Gouldman (born 10 May 1946) is an English singer, musician and songwriter, best known as the co-lead singer and bassist of the art rock band 10cc. He has been the band's only constant member since its formation in 1972. Before 10c ...
– lead
(1, 3, 8) and backing vocals
(all but 8), bass guitar
(all tracks), electric
(2–4, 7, 8) and acoustic guitars
(6, 7), percussion
(1), double bass
(5), autoharp
(6), mandolin
(8)
*
Kevin Godley
Kevin Michael Godley (born 7 October 1945) is an English singer-songwriter, drummer and music video director. He was a singer and drummer of the art rock band 10cc and later was part of collaboration duo Godley & Creme with Lol Creme.
Early ...
– lead
(1, 3, 5) and backing vocals
(all tracks), drums
(1, 3, 4, 6, 7), bass drum
(5), timpani
(1, 5), marimba
(5), timbales
(7), bongos
(8), percussion
(1, 4, 6–8), Moog synthesizer
(2), cellos
(5)
; Technical
*
10cc
10cc are an English rock music, rock band formed in Stockport, southeast of Manchester, in 1972. The group initially consisted of four musicians, Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, who had written and recorded togethe ...
– production
*
Hipgnosis
Hipgnosis were an English art design group, based in London, that specialised in creating album cover artwork for rock musicians and bands. Their commissions included work for Pink Floyd, Def Leppard, T. Rex, the Pretty Things, Black S ...
– cover design
*
Humphrey Ocean
Humphrey Ocean (born 22 June 1951) is a contemporary British painter.
Early life
Humphrey Ocean was born Humphrey Anthony Erdeswick Butler-Bowdon, on 22 June 1951 in Sussex. He went to Ampleforth College and in 1967 went to Tunbridge Wells Sc ...
– cover illustration
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Original Soundtrack, The
10cc albums
1975 albums
Albums with cover art by Hipgnosis
Albums recorded at Strawberry Studios
Mercury Records albums