Silverbird (album)

Template:Use dmy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: November 1973 | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Just a Boy1974AlbumSilverbirdLeo Sayer - Silverbird.jpgLeo SayerNovember 19731971–1972The Barn, Sussex; Olympic Studios, London; Nova Studios, LondonSoft rock34:53Chrysalis (UK)
Warner Bros. (USA)David Courtney, Adam Faithx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} Template:Album ratings

Silverbird is the debut solo studio album by the English singer-songwriter Leo Sayer. It was originally released in November 1973 by Chrysalis (UK), and Warner Bros. (US). It was co-produced by former British pop teen idol Adam Faith and David Courtney.

Sayer began his career as a recording artist under the management guidance of Adam Faith and David Courtney who signed Sayer to the Chrysalis label in the UK and Warner Bros. Records in the USA. His debut single "Why Is Everybody Going Home" failed to chart, but he shot to national prominence in the UK with his second single, the plaintive music hall-styled song "The Show Must Go On", which Sayer memorably performed on British television wearing a pierrot costume and make-up. The single went quickly to No. 2 on the UK chart,<ref name="500 Number One Hits">Rice, Jo. The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits, first ed., Guinness Superlatives Ltd, Middlesex, UK, p.181. Template:ISBN</ref> as did this debut album, for which Courtney and Sayer wrote all eleven tracks.

Recording

The recording of Silverbird was a difficult and somewhat experimental process, Adam Faith and David Courtney had many ideas but no real experience in record production. The writers, Sayer and Courtney, were inspired however and the album started to come together at Virgin Records' Manor Studios in Shipton-on-Cherwell, Oxfordshire. Further recording took place at the Who's lead singer Roger Daltrey's Barn Studio, Burwash, East Sussex; Nova Studios and Olympic Studios; and later at the Beatles' Apple studios. At Daltrey's the recording took further shape with the team creating, amongst others, the unique "The Show Must Go On".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Track listing

All lyrics by Leo Sayer, music by David Courtney.

Side one

1. "Innocent Bystander" – 3:02
2. "Goodnight Old Friend" – 2:50
3. "Drop Back" – 3:29
4. "Silverbird" – 1:12
5. "The Show Must Go On" – 3:32
6. "The Dancer" – 4:30

Side two

1. "Tomorrow" – 4:12
2. "Don't Say It's Over" – 3:15
3. "Slow Motion" – 1:44
4. "Oh Wot a Life" – 2:53
5. "Why Is Everybody Going Home" – 4:14

Personnel

• Leo Sayer – guitar, harmonica, vocals
• Russ Ballard – guitar, keyboards
• Max Chetwyn – guitar on "Drop Back"
• David Courtney – piano
• Michael Giles – drums
• Robert Henrit – drums
• Henry Spinetti – drums
• Dave Wintour – bass guitar<ref name="AMG">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Del Newman – string arrangements

Technical

• Graham Hughes – sleeve concept, photography

Production

• Record producer: David Courtney, Adam Faith
• Engineers: John Mills (Apple Studios). Richard Dodd, Keith Harwood, Tom Newman<ref name="AMG"/>

Charts

Template:Album chart

Chart (1974)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)<ref name=aus>Template:Cite book</ref>	14

External links

• Template:Discogs master