A Way of Life (album)
Encyclopedia
A Way of Life is the début album by British vocal harmony and folk-rock group The Family Dogg. It features singer-songwriter Albert Hammond
, and a session group includes Led Zeppelin
's John Paul Jones
, Jimmy Page
, and John Bonham
. Elton John
may have played piano on the title track. Released by the UK subsidiary of Bell Records in November, 1969, the album was reissued in 1995 as a CD with bonus tracks, which included B-sides and songs found on other compilation and sampler records.
Family Dogg also released the singles The Storm in 1967 (a song originally written by the BeeGees in Australia), Silly grin/Couldn't help it and Brown eyed girl/Let it rain in 1968 both on the Fontana label, both b sides written by Hammond/Hazlewood
Albert Hammond
Albert Hammond OBE is a British singer, songwriter and record producer from Gibraltar.-Birth and early success:Hammond was born in London, England, where his family had been evacuated to from Gibraltar during World War II. His family returned to Gibraltar shortly after his birth, and there he grew...
, and a session group includes Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
's John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones (musician)
John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
, Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
, and John Bonham
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
. Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
may have played piano on the title track. Released by the UK subsidiary of Bell Records in November, 1969, the album was reissued in 1995 as a CD with bonus tracks, which included B-sides and songs found on other compilation and sampler records.
Track listing
- "Julie's Just Gone" (Mark Jordan) – 3:20
- "All the Best Songs and Marches" (Terry Stamp) – 2:31
- "In the GhettoIn the Ghetto"In the Ghetto" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music in 1969. It was written by Mac Davis and made famous by Elvis Presley who had a major comeback hit with the song in 1969. It was released in 1969 as a 45 rpm single with "Any Day Now" as the flip side...
" (Mac DavisMac DavisMac Davis is a country music singer, songwriter, and actor originally from Lubbock, Texas who has enjoyed much crossover success...
) – 3:06 - "Today I Killed a Man I Didn't Know" (Roger CookRoger Cook (songwriter)Roger Cook is an English songwriter who has written many hits for other recording artists. He has also had a successful recording career in his own right.-Early life:Cook was born in Fishponds, Bristol, England...
, Roger GreenawayRoger GreenawayRoger Greenaway , is a popular English songwriter, best known for his collaborations with Roger Cook.-Career:...
) – 4:13 - "Pattern People" (Jimmy WebbJimmy WebbJimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
) – 2:40 - "Save the Life of My Child" (Paul SimonPaul SimonPaul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
) – 4:45 - "Love Minus Zero/No LimitLove Minus Zero/No Limit"Love Minus Zero/No Limit" is a song written by Bob Dylan for his fifth studio album Bringing It All Back Home, released in 1965 . The song was originally written as a tribute to Dylan's future wife Sara Lowndes...
" (Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
) – 2:54 - "Reflections 'Of Your Face'" (Amory Kane) – 4:05
- "Run Run Run Fly Fly Fly" (Ben Findon) – 2:47
- "Moonshine Mary" (Albert HammondAlbert HammondAlbert Hammond OBE is a British singer, songwriter and record producer from Gibraltar.-Birth and early success:Hammond was born in London, England, where his family had been evacuated to from Gibraltar during World War II. His family returned to Gibraltar shortly after his birth, and there he grew...
, Mike Hazlewood) – 3:26 - "You Were On My Mind" (Traditional; arranged by Kane, Rowland, Hammond, Hazlewood) – 4:37
- "Place in the Sun" (Bryan Wells, Ronald Miller) – 4:55
- "A Way of Life" (Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway) – 4:04
Personnel
- Steve RowlandSteve Rowland (record producer)Steve Rowland is singer, columnist, record producer and actor. He grew up in Beverly Hills. His father is film director Roy Rowland, his mother Ruth was a writer, whilst Louis B...
– Lead vocals (tracks 1, 3-9, 11, 13), backing vocals, congas, producer - Albert HammondAlbert HammondAlbert Hammond OBE is a British singer, songwriter and record producer from Gibraltar.-Birth and early success:Hammond was born in London, England, where his family had been evacuated to from Gibraltar during World War II. His family returned to Gibraltar shortly after his birth, and there he grew...
– Lead vocals (tracks 4-7, 9, 11-13), backing vocals, 12-string guitar - Mike HazelwoodMike Hazelwood (singer)Mike Hazlewood was an English singer, composer and songwriter.-Biography:Educated at Hazelwick School, in Crawley, West Sussex, Hazlewood began his career as a DJ at the radio station Radio Luxembourg in the early 1960s. In 1966 he founded the group The Family Dogg, together with Albert Hammond...
– Lead vocals (tracks 2, 5, 7), backing vocals, acoustic guitar - Christine Holmes – Lead vocals (track 5), backing vocals
- Pam "Zooey" Quinn – Lead vocals (track 10), backing vocals
- Doreen De Veuve – vocals (uncredited)
- Jimmy PageJimmy PageJames Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
– Electric guitarsElectric GuitarsElectric Guitars were formed early in 1980 by Neil Davenport and Richard Hall who were both studying English at Bristol University. The band soon increased to a five-man line-up, with Andy Saunders , Matt Salt and Dick Truscott , they also later added two backing singers: Sara and Wendy... - John Paul JonesJohn Paul Jones (musician)John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
– Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, arranger (tracks 4, 8, 11) - Amory Kane – guitar, fills between every track
- John BonhamJohn BonhamJohn Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
– Drums - Alan ParkerAlan Parker (musician)Alan Parker is a British guitarist and composer. Parker was trained by Julian Bream at London’s Royal Academy of Music....
– Acoustic guitar - Alan "Hawk" HawkshawAlan HawkshawAlan Hawkshaw is a British composer and performer, particularly of themes for movies and television programmes...
– Piano, organ - Clem CattiniClem CattiniClem Cattini , is an English rock and roll drummer who was a member of The Tornados before becoming well known for his work as a session musician...
– Drums - Big Jim SullivanBig Jim SullivanBig Jim Sullivan is an English musician, whose career started in 1959. He is best known as a session guitarist. In the 1960s and 1970s, Sullivan was one of the most "in-demand" studio musicians in the UK, and performed in more than one thousand charting singles over his career...
– Arranger, guitar (uncredited) - Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
– Piano (track 13, uncredited) - Stan Barrett – Percussion
- Denis Lopez – Percussion
- Phil Dennys – Arranger
- Reg Tilsey – Arranger
- Ken Woodman – Arranger
- Damon Lyon Shaw – Engineer (IBC Studios)
- John Iles – Engineer (Chappell Studios)
- John Timperley – Engineer (Chappell Studios)
- John MackswithJohn MackswithJohn Anthony Mackswith is a British Sound engineer.Since the late 1960s, he has engineered the recordings of an array of notable performers at Landsdowne Studios & Utopia Studios in London and at various studios in Israel, New York, Canada and the Netherlands....
– Engineer (Landsdowne Studios) - Mike Weighell – Engineer (Landsdowne Studios)
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Pop albums (Billboard 200) |
|
| 1969 | UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | "A Way of Life" | Billboard Pop Singles (Billboard Hot 100) | |
| 1969 | "A Way of Life" | UK Pop Singles | 6 |
| 1969 | "Arizona" | UK Pop Singles |
Family Dogg also released the singles The Storm in 1967 (a song originally written by the BeeGees in Australia), Silly grin/Couldn't help it and Brown eyed girl/Let it rain in 1968 both on the Fontana label, both b sides written by Hammond/Hazlewood