The Way They Were

''American Woman'' is the sixth studio album by Canadian rock band the Guess Who, released in January 1970. It was the last to feature lead guitarist Randy Bachman until a reformation effort in 1983.
The album was one of their most successful releases, receiving Gold certification in the United States.

The album contains several of the group's most popular hits, including the title cut and " No Sugar Tonight", which together reached number one in Canada and the US, and a remake of " No Time", a song the group previously recorded for ''Canned Wheat''. The newer version was released as a single and is the one most familiar to listeners. The album's musical styles consists of psychedelic rock and hard rock.

Release history

In addition to the usual 2 channel stereo version a 4 channel quadraphonic mix was also released by RCA on the 8-track tape format. ''American Woman'' was first released on CD by RCA in 1998. Buddha Records released a remastered version in 2000 and included a bonus track, "Got to Find Another Way". In 2017, Iconoclassic Records released a two-disc deluxe version featuring various single edits, outtakes, and the entire 1976 ''The Way They Were'' release, which is a collection of tracks recorded in 1970 before Randy Bachman quit the band, intended for the follow-up album to ''American Woman''.

In 2019 the album was reissued again in the UK by Dutton Vocalion on the Super Audio CD format. This disc is a 2 albums on 1 disc compilation which also contains the 1970 Guess Who album '' Share the Land''. The Dutton Vocalion release contains the complete stereo and quad versions of both albums.

Reception

''American Woman'' became the Guess Who's only album to reach the top 10 on the ''Billboard'' Pop Albums chart, peaking at number 9 and staying 55 weeks on the charts. The album also reached number one on the Canadian Albums Chart.

Track listing

All songs written by Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings except as noted.
;Side one
#"American Woman" (Bachman, Cummings, Jim Kale, Garry Peterson) – 5:07
#" No Time" – 3:45
#"Talisman" – 5:05
#"No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature" – 4:52
;Side two
#

"969 (The Oldest Man)" (instrumental) (Bachman) – 2:58
#"When Friends Fall Out" – 2:58
#"8:15" – 3:26
#"Proper Stranger" – 4:47
#"Humpty's Blues/American Woman (Epilogue)" (Bachman, Cummings, Kale, Peterson) – 6:11

;2000 Remaster
#

"Got to Find Another Way" (bonus) – 2:51

;2017 Iconoclassic Records deluxe 2-disc re-issue The Guess Who – American Woman Iconoclassic Records
Retrieved February 12, 2019 at Discogs

Disc 1: ''Bonus Tracks''

#

"American Woman" ingle edit(Bachman, Cummings, Kale, Peterson) – 3:50
#"No Sugar Tonight" ingle edit– 2:04
#"Got To Find Another Way" ession outtake– 2:51
#"Close Up The Honky Tonks" ession outtake(Red Simpson) – 3:33
#"Not to Return" akes 1&2– 3:30
#"Talisman" ake 1– 4:30
#"Talisman" ession chatter– 2:05
#"No Sugar Tonight" akes 1&2– 6:59
#"American Woman" ake 1(Bachman, Cummings, Kale, Peterson) – 4:44

Disc 2: ''The Way They Were''

#"Silver Bird" – 2:41
#"Species Hawk" – 3:29
#"Runnin’ Down the Street" (Kale, Peterson) – 4:16
#"Miss Frizzy" – 5:08
#"Palmyra" – 5:50
#"The Answer" – 3:54
#"Take the Long Way Home" (Bachman) – 5:43

Personnel

;The Guess Who
*Burton Cummings – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, flute, harmonica
*Randy Bachman – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals
*Jim Kale – bass, backing vocals
*Garry Peterson – drums, backing vocals

;Production
* Jack Richardson – producer
*Brian Christian – engineer
*Vic Anesini – 2017 remaster (Iconoclassic Records deluxe 2-disc re-issue)

Charts

Certifications

References

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1970 albums
The Guess Who albums
Albums produced by Jack Richardson (record producer)
RCA Victor albums