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{{About|the music album|the article on physically challenging work|Manual labour|the penal sentence|Penal labour|other uses|Hard labor (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Hard Labor
| type = [[Album]]
| artist = [[Three Dog Night]]
| cover = Three Dog Night - Hard Labor.jpg
| alt =
| released = March 6, 1974
| recorded = 1973
| venue =
| studio = [[Record Plant]], [[Sausalito]], California
| genre = [[Pop music|Pop]], [[Rock music|rock]]
| length = 35:51
| label = [[Dunhill Records|Dunhill]] DSD-50168
| producer = [[Jimmy Ienner]]
| prev_title = [[Cyan (Three Dog Night album)|Cyan]]
| prev_year = 1973
| next_title = [[Joy to the World: Their Greatest Hits]]
| next_year = 1974
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Hard Labor
| type = studio
| single1 = [[The Show Must Go On (Leo Sayer song)|The Show Must Go On]]
| single1date = 1974
| single2 = [[Sure As I'm Sittin' Here]]
| single2date = 1974
| single3 = [[Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)]]
| single3date = 1974
}}
{{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative cover
| type = studio
| cover = Three Dog Night Hard Labor censored.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption =
}}
}}

'''''Hard Labor''''' is the eleventh [[album]] by American [[rock music|rock]] band [[Three Dog Night]], released in [[1974 in music|1974]]. For this album, the band replaced long-time producer [[Richard Podolor]] with [[Jimmy Ienner]], who was known for his production work with [[Raspberries (band)|the Raspberries]].<ref name=Malder1974 />

== Cover artwork ==
The original album cover, depicting the birth of a record album, was deemed too controversial and was first included with a manila file folder covering most of the cover. This was soon reworked with a huge [[Band-Aid]] covering the "birth". Subsequent printings had the Band-Aid printed directly on the cover. The packaging also includes an attached "birth record sheet" for the album. The CD reissue by [[MCA Records]] in the 1990s restored the cover to its original look showing the record.

==Reception==
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = ''[[AllMusic]]''
| rev1Score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name=allmusic />
| rev2 = ''[[Circus Raves]]''
| rev2Score = [[File:Ear noun 42647 cc.svg|x14px|alt=Ear]] [[File:Ear noun 42647 cc.svg|x14px|alt=Ear]]<ref name=circusraves />
}}
Tom Von Malder of the [[Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois)|''Daily Herald'']] called ''Hard Labor'' the band's finest record up to that point, applauding the production and finding the choice of songs representing the band at "its most competent, most mature level". Malder singled out "The Show Must Go On" and "I'd Be So Happy" as its two best, and "almost perfect", songs.<ref name=Malder1974>{{cite journal | last=Malder | first=Tom Von | date=April 5, 1974 | url=https://archive.org/details/arlington-heights-daily-herald-suburban-chicago-1974-04-05/page/n18/ | title=Three Dog Night maturing | journal=Daily Herald | location=Arlington Heights, Illinois | publisher=Paddock Publications | volume=25 | issue=117 | page=S2-3 | via=the Internet Archive}}</ref> ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' called Inner's production "immaculate as always" and wrote that the album was marked by "mood changes both subtle and obvious", making it a "fantastic study in theatrical and musical contrast".<ref>{{cite journal | last=Staff writer | date=April 6, 1974 | url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_40/page/30/ | title=''Hard Labor''—Three Dog Night—ABC DSD 50168 | journal=Cash Box | publisher=The Cash Box Publishing Company | volume=XXXV | issue=47 | page=30 | via=the Internet Archive}}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' found the track listing a "fine mix of material" and wrote that the instrumental section was "tight and almost perfect".<ref>{{cite magazine | last=Staff writer | date=April 6, 1974 | url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1974/Billboard%201974-04-06.pdf | title=Spotlight | magazine=Billboard | publisher=Billboard Publications | volume=86 | issue=14 | page=72 | via=the Internet Archive}}</ref>

''[[Circus Raves]]'' writer Jon Tiven gave the record "two ears"—indicating an album to "listen to ... 'til the grooves grow old" and wrote that the band "are the best when they're transforming half-arsed songs into good ones, but they run into trouble when the original rendition of the tune was fine in the first place (e.g. 'The Show Must Go On')."<ref name=circusraves>{{cite journal | last=Tiven | first=Jon | date=August 1974 | url=https://archive.org/details/sim_circus-raves_1974-08_1_6/page/60/ | title=Shortcuts | journal=Circus Raves | publisher=Canadian APAG House Publications | volume=1 | issue=6 | page=60 | via=the Internet Archive}}</ref> Writing retrospectively, Joseph McCombs of ''[[AllMusic]]'' felt that the album's preference for songs with solo vocals rather than the group's previous use of harmonies led to the band "los[ing] much of their soul and spirit" and saw the album as "show[ing] the growing cracks in the band's armor". Like Malder, McCombs found "I'd Be So Happy" and "The Show Must Go On" the highlights of the album.<ref name=allmusic>{{cite web | last=McCombs | first=Joseph | date=n.d. | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/hard-labor-mw0000202894 | title=Three Dog Night: ''Hard Labor'' | work=AllMusic | publisher=Netaktion | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604064927/https://www.allmusic.com/album/hard-labor-mw0000202894 | archivedate=June 4, 2012}}</ref>

==Track listing==
{{Track listing
| headline=Side A
| extra_column=Lead vocal(s)

| title1=Prelude
| writer1=[[Public domain]]*
| length1=1:00
| extra1=''Instrumental''

| title2=[[Sure As I'm Sittin' Here]]
| writer2=[[John Hiatt]]
| length2=4:45
| extra2=[[Cory Wells]]

| title3=Anytime Babe
| writer3=Larry Weiss
| length3=3:07
| extra3=[[Chuck Negron]]

| title4=Put Out the Light
| writer4=Daniel Moore
| length4=3:06
| extra4=Wells

| title5=Sitting in Limbo
| writer5=Gully Bright, [[Jimmy Cliff]]
| length5=5:03
| extra5=[[Danny Hutton]]
}}

{{Track listing
| headline=Side B
| extra_column=Lead vocal

| title1=I'd Be So Happy
| writer1=[[Skip Prokop]]
| length1=4:48
| extra1=Negron

| title2=[[Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)]]
| writer2=[[Allen Toussaint]]
| length2=4:48
| extra2=Wells

| title3=On the Way Back Home
| writer3=Moore
| length3=4:16
| extra3=Hutton, Negron, Wells

| title4=[[The Show Must Go On (Leo Sayer song)|The Show Must Go On]]
| writer4=[[David Courtney (musician)|David Courtney]], [[Leo Sayer]]
| length4=4:24
| extra4=Negron
}}
* While the first track "Prelude" may have been in the Public Domain in 1974, it does have a title and writer: "[[Entrance of the Gladiators]]" is a military march composed in 1897 by the Czech composer Julius Fučík. Likewise, the introduction of their cover of Leo Sayer's [[The Show Must Go On (Leo Sayer song)|The Show Must Go On]] also quotes the Fučík march.

==Personnel==
*[[Mike Allsup]] – [[banjo]], [[guitar]]s
*[[Jimmy Greenspoon]] – [[keyboard instrument|keyboard]]
*[[Danny Hutton]] – lead vocals, background vocals
*[[Skip Konte]] – keyboard, [[ARP Instruments, Inc.|ARP]], chamberlin
*[[Chuck Negron]] – lead vocals, background vocals
*Jack Ryland – [[bass guitar|bass]]
*Joe Schermie – bass
*[[Floyd Sneed]] – [[percussion instrument|percussion]], [[Drum kit|drums]]
*[[Cory Wells]] – lead vocals, background vocals
*Jimmy Ienner – production

==Production==
*Producer: Jimmy Ienner
*Engineers: Greg Calbi, [[Roy Cicala]], Dennis Ferrante, Jimmy Ienner, Jay Messina, Tom Rabstenek, John Stronach
*Assistant engineers: Corky Stasiak
*Remixing: [[Roy Cicala]], Jay Messina
*Arranger: Three Dog Night
*Art direction and photography: [[Ed Caraeff]]
*Design: David Larkham

==Charts==
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Album charts
!Chart (1974)
!Peak<br>position
|-
|Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=309}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 61
|-
|rowspan="1"|Japan [[Oricon]]
|align="center"|50
|-
|US [[Billboard 200|Top 200]]
|align="center"|20<ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/album/hard-labor-mw0000202894/awards Three Dog Night, ''Hard Labor'' Chart Position] Retrieved February 16, 2015</ref>
|-
|Canada
|align="center"|16
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Singles charts
!Year
!Single
!Chart
!Position
|-
|rowspan="17"|1974
|rowspan="9"|"[[The Show Must Go On (Leo Sayer song)|The Show Must Go On]]"
|US [[Billboard Hot 100|Pop Singles]]
|align="center"|4<ref>[http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=The+Show+Must+Go+On+by+Three+Dog+Night&id=46008 Three Dog Night, "The Show Must Go On" Chart Position] Retrieved February 16, 2015</ref>
|-
|US [[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]
|align="center"|1
|-
|US [[Record World]]
|align="center"|1
|-
|US [[Radio & Records]]
|align="center"|3
|-
|Canada [[RPM (magazine)|Pop Singles]]
|align="center"|2
|-
|[[GfK Entertainment Charts|Germany Top 100]]
|align="center"|12
|-
|[[Single Top 100|Netherlands Top 100]]
|align="center"|6
|-
|Belgium [[Ultratop]]
|align="center"|23
|-
|Japan [[Oricon Singles Chart]]
|align="center"|77
|-
|rowspan="4"|"[[Sure As I'm Sittin' Here]]"
|US Pop Singles
|align="center"|16<ref>[http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=Sure+As+I%27m+Sittin%27+Here+by+Three+Dog+Night&id=46009 Three Dog Night, "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here" Chart Position] Retrieved February 16, 2015</ref>
|-
|US Cash Box
|align="center"|18
|-
|US Record World
|align="center"|22
|-
|Canada Pop Singles
|align="center"|18
|-
|rowspan="4"|"[[Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)]]"
|US Pop Singles
|align="center"|33<ref>[http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=Play+Something+Sweet+%28Brickyard+Blues%29+by+Three+Dog+Night&id=46010 Three Dog Night, "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)" Chart Position] Retrieved February 16, 2015</ref>
|-
|US Cash Box
|align="center"|26
|-
|US Record World
|align="center"|24
|-
|Canada Pop Singles
|align="center"|25
|-
|}

==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Three Dog Night|title=Hard Labor|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=1974|certyear=1974|access-date=February 14, 2019 }}
{{Certification Table Bottom| nosales=true}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Three Dog Night}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1974 albums]]
[[Category:Three Dog Night albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Jimmy Ienner]]
[[Category:Dunhill Records albums]]

Hard Labor - Revision history

imported>Ser Amantio di Nicolao: add {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}