Perspective (Rick Nelson album)
Perspective is the seventeenth studio album by American singer Ricky Nelson, and his eleventh for Decca Records.
| Perspective | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 2, 1969 | |||
| Genre | Rock and Roll, Psychedelic pop | |||
| Length | 30:56 | |||
| Label | Decca Records | |||
| Producer | John Boylan | |||
| Ricky Nelson chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
The album was a departure from Nelson's previous rockabilly records and an experiment in a more contemporary orchestral style.[2] Like Nelson's prior album Another Side of Rick, it was produced by John Boylan.[3] Boylan selected a number of contemporary songs for the album, including four by Randy Newman, who was not yet a well known songwriter.[4] He also contributed two of his own songs, while Nelson's wife Kris performed vocals on "Hello to the Wind" (a joint Boylan/Nelson composition) and supplied album artwork.[4] The album was recorded in California in 1968, Nelson's only recording that year. It was not released until nearly a year later.[4]
Neither of the two Boylan-produced albums were a commercial success.[4] Although Nelson grew to dislike Perspective's overproduced style, he credits the album with clarifying his future musical direction. "Perspective with those songs was a complete experiment and those Steve Miller type sound effects between tracks were my idea.... I'm not sorry I did those things because, if anything, it made up my mind as to the way I wanted to go... I just simplified the whole thing and went back to the formula of drums, bass, and guitar. That's where I'd always been most effective."[3]
Track listing
Side one
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "When the Sun Shined Its Face on Me" | Reid Whitelaw | 2:19 |
| 2. | "Without Her" | Harry Nilsson | 2:32 |
| 3. | "The Lady Stayed with Me" | John Boylan | 2:19 |
| 4. | "Three Day Eternity" | Richie Havens | 2:22 |
| 5. | "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" | Paul Simon | 2:43 |
| 6. | "Stop by My Window" | John Boylan | 2:52 |
Side two
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hello to the Wind" | John Boylan, Ricky Nelson | 3:05 |
| 2. | "Wait 'til Next Year" | Randy Newman | 2:29 |
| 3. | "Love Story" | Randy Newman | 2:59 |
| 4. | "So Long Dad/Love Story (Reprise) [Medley]" | Randy Newman | 3:57 |
| 5. | "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" | Randy Newman | 3:19 |
References
- ""Perspective" - Album Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
- Courrier, Kevin (2005). Randy Newman's American Dreams. ECW Press. p. 117. ISBN 978-1-55022-690-4.
- Homer, Sheree (2012). Rick Nelson, Rock 'n' Roll Pioneer. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-7864-6060-1.
- Selvin, Joel (1990). Ricky Nelson: Idol for a Generation. Chicago: Contemporary Books. p. 175. ISBN 978-0-8092-4187-3.