Fancy (Bobbie Gentry album)

Fancy is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry. It was released on April 6, 1970, by Capitol Records. The album was produced by Rick Hall and recorded at his FAME Recording Studios, apart from Wedding Bell Blues and Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head which were produced by Gentry herself, and recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California. The cover art for the album is an uncredited painting of Gentry, based upon a reference photograph. According to the liner notes for the 2004 compilation Chickasaw County Child: The Artistry of Bobbie Gentry, the painting is believed to have been done by Gentry herself.[5]

Fancy
Studio album by
Bobbie Gentry
ReleasedApril 6, 1970
RecordedApril 5, 1969–January 29, 1970
Studio
GenreSouthern soul, country pop
Length30:02
LabelCapitol
ProducerRick Hall, Bobbie Gentry
Bobbie Gentry chronology
Touch 'Em with Love
(1969)		 Fancy
(1970)		 Patchwork
(1971)
I'll Never Fall in Love Again
Cover art of the UK release.
Singles from Fancy
  1. "Fancy"
    Released: November 3, 1969[1]
  2. "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"
    Released: February 6, 1970[2]
  3. "He Made a Woman Out of Me"
    Released: March 30, 1970[3]
  4. "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody"
    Released: April 24, 1970[4]

In the UK the album was released under the title I’ll Never Fall in Love Again. This release featured a different track order and cover art, plus two additional tracks, "In the Ghetto" and "Billy the Kid", the latter would also appear on 1971’s Patchwork.

In 2007, Australian label Raven Records released the album on CD for the first time, paired with 1971’s Patchwork. The album was also made available for digital download the same year.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link
Rolling Stonelink

Critical reception

The April 18, 1970, issue of Billboard featured a review which said, "This is not merely a followup LP to a successful single; Miss Gentry's folksy story-telling vocals include some outstanding material. Opening with her hit single, "Fancy", she further impresses with her Hot 100 single, "He Made a Woman Out of Me", her No. 1 English hit of "I'll Never Fall in Love Again", and Leon Russell's "Delta Man". LP should top the single's acceptance."[6]

Cashbox published a review the same day, saying, "It seemed for a long time that Bobbie Gentry would remain forever in the shadow of "Ode to Billie Joe", the record that launched her to fame and that she failed to follow up with anything as artistically powerful or commercially successful. Her duets with Glen Campbell kept her in the limelight, and finally she had another hit single – the title song of this album – on her own. The LP is of good quality and should make the charts, and Miss Gentry should continue to prove that she is not a one-song artist."[7]

The review from Record World said, "Sexy is as sexy does and Bobbie Gentry certainly does. She's taken the sensual seductiveness of her own "Fancy" and made that the criterion for this new album. Standouts: "Delta Man", Something in the Way He Moves" (James Taylor's song that inspired George Harrison's "Something")."[8]

The album earned Gentry a Grammy nomination for "Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Performance, Female".[9]

Commercial performance

The album peaked at No. 37 on the US Billboard Top Country Albums chart and No. 96 on the US Billboard Top LP's chart. In Canada the album peaked at No. 79 on the RPM Top Albums chart.

The album's first single, "Fancy", was released in November 1969. It peaked at No. 8 on the US Billboard Top 40 Easy Listening chart, No. 26 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, and No. 31 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In Canada the single peaked at No. 1 on the RPM Top County Singles chart, No. 20 on the RPM Top Easy Listening Singles chart, and No. 26 on the RPM Top Singles chart. In Australia "Fancy" peaked at No. 70 on the Kent Music Report Top Singles chart.

In February 1970, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head", was released in the UK as the album's first single, second overall. It reached a peak position of No. 40 on the OCC UK Singles Chart.

"He Made a Woman Out of Me" was released in March 1970 as the second single, third overall. It peaked at No. 71 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In Canada it peaked at No. 57 on the RPM Top Singles chart.

In April 1970, "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody" was released as the album's second UK single, fourth overall. It failed to chart.

"Fancy" was released as the third UK single in October 1970 and failed to chart.

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Fancy"Bobbie GentryAugust 8, 19694:15
2."I'll Never Fall in Love Again"Burt Bacharach, Hal DavidApril 5, 19693:00
3."Delta Man"Leon RussellJanuary 12, 19703:03
4."Something in the Way He Moves"James TaylorAugust 1, 19692:34
5."Find 'Em, Fool 'Em and Forget 'Em"George Jackson, Rick HallJanuary 12, 19702:37
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."He Made a Woman Out of Me"Fred Burch, Don HillJanuary 12, 19702:34
2."Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"Bacharach, DavidJanuary 8, 19703:07
3."If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody"Rudy ClarkAugust 8, 19692:34
4."Rainmaker"Harry Nilsson, Bill MartinJanuary 12, 19702:35
5."Wedding Bell Blues"Laura NyroJanuary 12, 19703:15

UK release (I'll Never Fall in Love Again)

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I'll Never Fall in Love Again"Burt Bacharach, Hal David3:00
2."Something in the Way He Moves"James Taylor2:34
3."Rainmaker"Harry Nilsson, Bill Martin2:35
4."Billy the Kid"Bobbie Gentry2:40
5."Wedding Bell Blues"Laura Nyro3:15
6."Raindrops Keep Fallin'on My Head"Bacharach, David3:07
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fancy"Gentry4:15
2."In the Ghetto"Mac Davis2:49
3."Find 'Em, Fool 'Em and Forget 'Em"George Jackson, Rick Hall2:37
4."Delta Man"Leon Russell3:03
5."He Made a Woman Out of Me"Fred Burch, Don Hill2:34
6."If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody"Rudy Clark2:34

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes.

  • Bobbie Gentry - vocals, producer
  • Rick Hall - producer
  • Jimmie Haskell - string arrangements
  • Don Lee Keith - liner notes
  • Tommy Oliver - arrangements

Chart positions

Album

Year Chart Chart position
1970 Canada Top Albums (RPM) 79
US Hot Country Albums (Billboard)[10] 34
US Top LP's (Billboard)[11] 96

Singles

Year Single Chart Chart position
1969 "Fancy" Australia (Kent Music Report) 70
Canada Top Country Singles (RPM) 1
Canada Top Easy Listening Singles (RPM) 20
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 26
US Top 40 Easy Listening (Billboard)[12] 8
US Hot Country Singles (Billboard)[13] 26
US Hot 100 (Billboard)[14] 31
1970 "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" UK Singles Chart (OCC)[15] 40
"He Made a Woman Out of Me" Canada Top Singles (RPM) 57
US Hot 100 (Billboard)[16] 71

Accolades

13th Annual Grammy Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result[17]
1971 Fancy Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Female Nominated

References
  1. "Bobbie Gentry - Fancy". Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  2. "Bobbie Gentry - Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head". Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  3. "Bobbie Gentry - He Made A Woman Out Of Me". Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  4. "Bobbie Gentry - If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody". Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  5. Holly George-Warren, liner notes for Chickasaw County Child: The Artistry of Bobbie Gentry (Shout Factory DK 322778, 2004)
  6. "Billboard Magazine - April 18, 1970" (PDF). American Radio History. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  7. "Cashbox Magazine - April 18, 1970" (PDF). American Radio History. Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  8. "Record World - April 11, 1970" (PDF). American Radio History. Record World. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  9. "Bobbie Gentry, Artist". Official Grammys website. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  10. "Bobbie Gentry Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  11. "Bobbie Gentry Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  12. "Bobbie Gentry Chart History". Billboard. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  13. "Bobbie Gentry Chart History". Billboard. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  14. "Bobbie Gentry Chart History". Billboard. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  15. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 225. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  16. "Bobbie Gentry Chart History". Billboard. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  17. "10th Annual GRAMMY Awards". GRAMMY.com. 28 November 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
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