Exotic Birds and Fruit
1974 studio album by Procol Harum
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Exotic Birds and Fruit is the seventh studio album by British progressive rock band Procol Harum.[3] It was released in 1974.[4] The cover artwork for the album is by Jakob Bogdani, a noted Hungarian artist whose paintings centered on exotic birds and fruit.
| Exotic Birds and Fruit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 1974 | |||
| Recorded | 1973–1974 | |||
| Studio | AIR, London | |||
| Genre | Progressive rock, symphonic rock | |||
| Length | 37:00 | |||
| Label | Chrysalis | |||
| Producer | Chris Thomas | |||
| Procol Harum chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Exotic Birds and Fruit | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| Rolling Stone | (not rated)[2] |
In Argentina, the album was titled Pájaros Y Frutas Exóticas (literally translated as "Birds and Exotic Fruit").
Recording
Collaborating again with producer Chris Thomas, Procol Harum recorded the album at George Martin's AIR Studios in London. According to singer/songwriter/piano player and bandleader Gary Brooker, the album was recorded in reaction to the two preceding albums which used extensive orchestration. Brooker stated, "We made the live album with an orchestra. We'd then taken the orchestra into the studio for 'Grand Hotel'...we'd had enough of orchestras".[5]
The album features the song "Butterfly Boys", written about the founders of the band's record label at the time, Chrysalis. The band were unhappy with the terms of their contract and expressed that frustration in song.
Reception
Exotic Birds and Fruit met with a good critical reception[6] but only rose to No. 86 on the Billboard album charts.[7] In Denmark, it peaked at #9 upon release, and in early 1975 it re-entered the Top 20 peaking at #19.[8] The album was preceded by the single release of the opening track, "Nothing but the Truth", backed with the single-only B-side track "Drunk Again".
2009 Salvo reissue
In 2009 Salvo reissued Procol Harum's entire discography on CD remastered by Nick Robbins. The reissue for Exotic Birds and Fruit included two bonus tracks selected by Brooker and Keith Reid. "Drunk Again", the B-side to the single "Nothing but the Truth", appeared on CD along with an alternate mix of "As Strong as Samson".
Track listing
All music by Gary Brooker, all lyrics by Keith Reid.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Nothing but the Truth" | 3:13 |
| 2. | "Beyond the Pale" | 3:03 |
| 3. | "As Strong as Samson" | 5:05 |
| 4. | "The Idol" | 6:38 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 5. | "The Thin End of the Wedge" | 3:44 |
| 6. | "Monsieur R. Monde" | 3:40 |
| 7. | "Fresh Fruit" | 3:05 |
| 8. | "Butterfly Boys" | 4:25 |
| 9. | "New Lamps for Old" | 4:07 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 10. | "Drunk Again" (B-side) | 4:31 |
| 11. | "As Strong as Samson" (single version) | 3:46 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "The Blue Danube" | Johann Strauss II; arranged by Gary Brooker | 9:12 |
Personnel
- Procol Harum
- Gary Brooker – vocals, piano
- Mick Grabham – guitar
- BJ Cole – pedal steel guitar track 3
- Chris Copping – organ
- Alan Cartwright – bass guitar
- B. J. Wilson – drums
Production
- Produced By Chris Thomas
- Engineer: John Punter
Charts
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[9] | 82 |
| Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)[10] | 16 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[11] | 38 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[12] | 12 |
| US Billboard 200[13] | 86 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 1974 | Chrysalis Records | stereo LP | 63 07 531 |
| North America | 2004 | Friday Music | remastered CD | Friday Music 1021 |