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#1 Record
From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work
#1 Record · As fifteen-year-olds, Alex Chilton and Chris Bell saw the Beatles in 1966 in their home town of Memphis. That remained their example: they wanted to write like Lennon and McCartney and put the name Bell/Chilton on as many songs as possible. The album was released on Ardent Records in Memphis. Many tracks grew in the studio: Chilton brought something raw, Bell added sweet backing vocals. Bell, the technical driving force behind the recordings, was an official member only on this album, and producer John Fry finished the mix with great care.
The sound is more polished than on the later albums. There are harmonies, rock songs and acoustic ballads, such as Thirteen and Watch the Sunrise. Reviews were glowing, but the album was poorly distributed and sold fewer than ten thousand copies. Interest only grew in the late 1970s, when EMI reissued it in England together with Radio City. It is now regarded as a foundational work of power pop.
Listening
Track list
- 1Feel3:33Apple Music ↗
- 2The Ballad of El Goodo4:20Apple Music ↗
- 3In the Street2:55Apple Music ↗
- 4Thirteen2:35Apple Music ↗
- 5Don't Lie To Me3:07Apple Music ↗
- 6The India Song2:21Apple Music ↗
- 7When My Baby's Beside Me3:24Apple Music ↗
- 8My Life Is Right3:07Apple Music ↗
- 9Give Me Another Chance3:27Apple Music ↗
- 10Try Again3:32Apple Music ↗
- 11Watch the Sunrise3:44Apple Music ↗
- 12St 100/60:59Apple Music ↗
30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗