Just a Boy

Just a Boy is the second album by English singer-songwriter, Leo Sayer, and was released in 1974. It features his interpretations of two songs ("One Man Band" and "Giving It All Away") written by Sayer and David Courtney for The Who's lead vocalist Roger Daltrey's debut album, Daltrey. Sayer's singles "One Man Band" and "Long Tall Glasses" both hit the charts in the U.K. and around the world. Leo Sayer was now popular in Europe and made many promotional appearances there. He headlined in Paris at The Theatre D’ Champs Elysees, the theatre known as the home of his then-hero, mime artist Marcel Marceau.

Just a Boy
Studio album by
Leo Sayer
ReleasedOctober 1974
Recorded1974
StudioKingsway Recorders, London
GenreSoft rock
Length38:04
LabelChrysalis Records (UK)
Warner Bros. Records (USA)
ProducerDavid Courtney, Adam Faith
Leo Sayer chronology
Silverbird
(1973)		 Just a Boy
(1974)		 Another Year
(1975)
Singles from Just a Boy
  1. "Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)"
    Released: February 28, 1975
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideC+[2]
The Village VoiceC+[3]

Album cover artwork

The cover is a painting by Humphrey Butler-Bowden.[4] It is a tribute to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's artwork for his famous novella The Little Prince. The album's back cover pointedly depicted a group of new Sayers giving Pierrot the elbow.

Recording

Adam Faith, David Courtney and Sayer had already started work on the album, cutting "One Man Band" while Sayer was on an American tour. More recording took place in London. This time the recording went smoothly and the right results were quickly accomplished. Some of the songs, like "Long Tall Glasses", were written in the studio.[5] Roger Daltrey had first recorded Sayer's songs, "One Man Band" and "Giving It All Away" on his 1973 debut solo album, Daltrey.

A cover of the song "I Can Dance (Long Tall Glasses)" by the Canadian band Shooter hit the Canadian charts the same week as the Sayer original. The Sayer version reached No. 18, where the Shooter version reached No. 22, both on 3 May chart.[6]

Track listing

All lyrics by Leo Sayer and music by David Courtney.

Side one
  1. "Telepath" – 3:12
  2. "Train" – 4:25
  3. "The Bells of St Mary's" – 3:36
  4. "One Man Band" – 3:35
  5. "In My Life" – 3:23

Side two
  1. "When I Came Home This Morning" – 5:17
  2. "Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)" – 3:19
  3. "Another Time" – 3:26
  4. "Solo" – 3:59
  5. "Giving it All Away" – 3:52

Personnel
  • Leo Sayer – vocals
  • David Courtney – acoustic piano (1, 8, 10)
  • Cliff Hall – acoustic piano (2, 3, 7, 9)
  • David Rose – acoustic piano (4, 5, 6)
  • John Mealing – organ (5)
  • Paul Keogh – guitars (2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9)
  • James Litherland – guitars (4, 5, 6)
  • Keith Nelson – banjo (7)
  • Dave Markee – bass (2, 3, 7, 8, 9)
  • Bill Smith – bass (4, 5, 6)
  • Theo Thunder – drums (2-7, 9)
  • Michael Giles – drums (8)
  • Andrew Powell – string, woodwind and brass arrangements
  • Jeanie Greene – backing vocals
  • Barry St. John – backing vocals (5)
  • Liza Strike – backing vocals (5)
  • Lucas Piccoli – inspiration

Production
  • David Courtney – producer
  • Adam Faith – producer
  • Louis Austin – engineer
  • Martin Birch – engineer
  • George Sloan – tape operator
  • Paul "Chas" Watkins – tape operator
  • Terry O'Neill – photography, back cover conception
  • Humphrey Butler-Bowdon – cover painting

[4]

Production
  • Producers: David Courtney, Adam Faith[4]

Charts
Chart (1974/75) Peak
Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 3
UK Albums Chart 4
US Pop Albums 16

Year-end charts
Chart (1975) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 2

Singles
Year Single Chart Peak
position
1974 "Long Tall Glasses" Ireland (IRMA) 4
"Long Tall Glasses" UK Singles Chart[9] 4
"One Man Band" 6
1975 "Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)"
Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] 7
US Pop Singles[11] 9
Canada (RPM) Top Singles[12] 18
South Africa[13] 9
"One Man Band" US Pop Singles[11] 96

References
  1. Allmusic review
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 12 March 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. Christgau, Robert (17 March 1975). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  4. Allmusic album credits
  5. "Leo's Story – So Far… | Leo Sayer.com". Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  6. "RPM Top 100 Singles – May 3, 1975" (PDF).
  7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 265. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 427. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 483. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  10. Australian-charts.com
  11. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  12. "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017.
  13. SA Charts 1965 – 1989, 28 February 1975
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