Not Fragile

Not Fragile is the third studio album by Canadian rock band Bachman–Turner Overdrive (BTO), released in 1974. It proved to be the group's most popular album (not counting compilations), and is the only BTO album to have reached No. 1 on the US Billboard 200.

Not Fragile
Studio album by
Bachman–Turner Overdrive
ReleasedAugust 1974[1]
Recorded1974
StudioKaye-Smith Studios, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. Sound City (Van Nuys)
Genre
Length36:14
LabelMercury
ProducerRandy Bachman
Bachman–Turner Overdrive chronology
Bachman–Turner Overdrive II
(1973)		 Not Fragile
(1974)		 Four Wheel Drive
(1975)

Description

In a 1995 interview, Randy Bachman indicated that he thought that using the word "fragile" as a title for a rock album, as Yes had done with their 1971 album Fragile, was "strange."[4] He thought that BTO music could be "dropped and kicked" without breaking, so, without intending any commentary about Yes, the band "tongue-in-cheek" called their next album Not Fragile.[4]

The album marks the debut of guitarist Blair Thornton, who, unlike his predecessor Tim Bachman, is billed on the album liner notes as "second lead guitar".[5] Thornton's dual-guitar solos with Randy Bachman are prominent features on many Not Fragile tracks. "Roll On Down the Highway" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" were hit singles, with the latter hitting No. 1 on the Canadian and US singles charts in November 1974, receiving GOLD certification by the RIAA.[6] Other cuts had significant airplay on FM rock radio. The album produced the only BTO singles to chart in the United Kingdom. "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" hit No. 2 on the UK charts in November 1974, and "Roll On Down the Highway" hit the No. 22 position in January 1975.[7]

"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" was a leftover track that was not originally intended to be included on Not Fragile. It was only after Charlie Fach of Mercury Records heard the other eight tracks, and did not see hit single potential in any of them, that he asked if the band had anything else he could hear. They played him the leftover track and he assured them it was more radio-friendly than any of the others, convincing the band to add it to the album.[8]

The Not Fragile album contains the only instrumental track in BTO's discography, a Blair Thornton composition called "Free Wheelin'". This track would appear as the B-side to the "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" single.

Not Fragile has gone on to achieve triple platinum status. Randy Bachman has called it the band's "crowning achievement," stating: "Not Fragile was when it all came together for us. We captured the album-oriented rock audience as well as the singles audience with that album. Not Fragile made BTO recognized around the world."[9]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link
Christgau's Record GuideB[10]
Tom HullA[11]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Not Fragile"C.F. TurnerTurner4:06
2."Rock Is My Life, and This Is My Song"Randy BachmanRandy Bachman5:00
3."Roll on Down the Highway"Turner, Rob BachmanTurner3:58
4."You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet"Randy BachmanRandy Bachman3:54
5."Free Wheelin'"Blair Thorntoninstrumental3:45
6."Sledgehammer"Randy BachmanRandy Bachman, Turner4:34
7."Blue Moanin'"TurnerTurner3:44
8."Second Hand"Randy BachmanRandy Bachman3:24
9."Givin' It All Away"ThorntonRandy Bachman, Turner3:49

The original album cover listed "Free Wheelin'" as "Dedicated to Duane" (Duane Allman). Mercury "Musicassettes" (MCR4-1-1004) of Not Fragile were initially manufactured with "Free Wheelin'" divided into two tracks: "Free Wheelin' (Beg.)" on Program 1, and "Free Wheelin' (Concl.)" starting off Program 2. Although the track is split over the two programs (making each program equal in time at 18:19 each), the album's running order remains intact. This is a programming character usually used for 8-track tapes and rarely for cassettes.

Personnel

Bachman–Turner Overdrive

Guest musician

Production

  • Producer: Randy Bachman
  • Engineer: Mark Smith
  • Assistant engineer: Buzz Richmond
  • Mixing assistant: Richard Dashut
  • Mastering: Tom "Curly" Ruff
  • Recording studio: Kaye-Smith Studios, Seattle, WA
  • Mixed at: Sound City Studios, Los Angeles, CA
  • Equipment: John Austin and Weasel (Greg) Morgan
  • Design: Joe Kotleba
  • Art direction: Jim Ladwig
  • Photography: John Brott, Tom Zamiar

Charts

Singles
Year Single Chart Position
1974 "You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet" U.S. Billboard Pop Singles 1
1974 "You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet" Canada RPM Singles 1
1975 ”Roll On Down the Highway" U.S. Billboard Pop Singles 14
1975 ”Roll On Down the Highway" Canada RPM Singles 4

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[23] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[25] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Top Album Picks: Spotlight". Billboard. August 24, 1974. p. 48.
  2. Davies, Ben. "Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Not Fragile Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". allmusic. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  3. Breihan, Tom (June 12, 2019). "The Number Ones: Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  4. Whitaker, Sterling C. (2003). Unsung Heroes of Rock Guitar. Booksurge. p. 22. ISBN 1-59109-758-4.
  5. Liner notes on Not Fragile, (c), (p) 1974.
  6. RIAA Official Web Site, Gold & Platinum Database, RIAA, 1974 via from RIAA.com
  7. "Bachman-Turner Overdrive (UK Chart History)". officialcharts.com. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  8. Fred Bronson, The Billboard Book of Number One Hits, Billboard, 1988 via "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" from SuperSeventies.com
  9. Wilkening, Matthew (February 14, 2014). "Bachman-Turner Overdrive's 'Not Fragile' Gets Expanded for 40th Birthday". ultimateclassicrock.com. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  10. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  11. Hull, Tom (April 1975). "The Rekord Report: Second Card". Overdose. Retrieved June 26, 2020 – via tomhull.com.
  12. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  13. "Austriancharts.at – Bachman-Turner Overdrive – Not Fragile" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  14. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3873a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  15. "Dutchcharts.nl – Bachman-Turner Overdrive – Not Fragile" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  16. "Offiziellecharts.de – Bachman-Turner Overdrive – Not Fragile" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  17. "Charts.nz – Bachman-Turner Overdrive – Not Fragile". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  18. "Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Se alla låtar och listplaceringar". NostalgiListan (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  19. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  20. "Bachman-Turner Overdrive Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  21. 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.
  22. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1975. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  23. "Canadian album certifications – Bachman-Turner Overdrive – Not Fragile". Music Canada. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  24. "British album certifications – Bachman-Turner Overdrive – Not Fragile". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  25. "American album certifications – Bachman-Turner Overdrive – Not Fragile". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
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