Dreamboat Annie
Encyclopedia
Dreamboat Annie is the debut album by American rock
band Heart
. It was released in the United States on February 14, 1976 through Mushroom Records
. It contained three hit singles which became staples on FM radio
. Producer Mike Flicker
helped the group to polish their sound and obtain a recording contract with the label.
label. The song Magic Man was first picked up for radio play by CJFM – FM 96 in Montreal
while the band was on tour playing small club dates. Heart's first radio success earned them a spot opening a Montreal concert for Rod Stewart
. More Canadian airplay soon followed, due in part to the fact that the album qualified for Canadian content
broadcast requirements. The album sold an impressive 30,000 copies across Canada in its first few months.
Mushroom then formed a US division and released Dreamboat Annie on Valentine's Day 1976 in the Seattle area, where Heart's members had lived and played before relocating to Canada in the early 1970s. The album was played by Seattle stations KISW and KZOK
and promptly sold another 25,000 copies in the local area. The group and their label then began working together to build success for the album city by city. According to Flicker, this was part of a plan to convince record distributors that Mushroom had a hit record, so that the album would get national distribution.
& Nancy Wilson leaning up against each other with only heads and bare shoulders visible, as on the cover of the album. The band had not been consulted and was furious with this. Hence, relations were already strained when the group and the label tried to re-negotiate their contract. With the success of Dreamboat Annie, the group expected the label to raise their royalty rate substantially. However, Mushroom refused to pay more money and said it did not want to release a second Heart album.
Placed in the position of presenting this unacceptable offer to the group, Flicker broke off negotiations with Mushroom. The group left the label, believing that their contract allowed them to do so as long as Flicker was no longer working with the label.
Mushroom decided that the contract allowed it to release a second Heart album anyway, so it created and released Magazine using material created prior to the band leaving the label. Meanwhile, Heart were in the process of releasing Little Queen
with their new record company Portrait Records
. Heart took Mushroom to court over Magazine, wanting the album taken off the market. The court ruled that Mushroom had to recall Magazine so that the group could remix several tracks and re-do vocals before re-releasing the disc. Hence, two versions of Magazine were released, one before the release of Little Queen, and a remixed version after the release of Little Queen. See Magazine for information about the differences between the two versions.
In 1980 Mushroom Records went out of business. Heart's two albums from the label were re-released by Capitol Records
in 1985 after the band moved to that label.
MM1000 16-track tape recorder (which formerly belonged to United Western Recorders
) at the Can-Base Studios in Vancouver, BC
, which were later renamed to the current Mushroom Studios
. It was the first major hit album recorded there.
& Nancy Wilson
except where noted.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Heart
Heart (band)
Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...
. It was released in the United States on February 14, 1976 through Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records (Canada)
Mushroom Records was a recording label company founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, by brothers Wink and Dick Vogel in 1974. Shelly Siegel was the label's Vice-president and creative director. Mushroom released approximately 15 LPs and 50 singles between 1974 and 1980.The Mushroom...
. It contained three hit singles which became staples on FM radio
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
. Producer Mike Flicker
Mike Flicker
Mike Flicker is an American producer in Los Angeles who has numerous credits on music and film projects. He is critically acclaimed for his work with Heart.- Early career :...
helped the group to polish their sound and obtain a recording contract with the label.
The album
The album was first released in Canada in 1975 by the small Mushroom RecordsMushroom Records (Canada)
Mushroom Records was a recording label company founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, by brothers Wink and Dick Vogel in 1974. Shelly Siegel was the label's Vice-president and creative director. Mushroom released approximately 15 LPs and 50 singles between 1974 and 1980.The Mushroom...
label. The song Magic Man was first picked up for radio play by CJFM – FM 96 in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
while the band was on tour playing small club dates. Heart's first radio success earned them a spot opening a Montreal concert for Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
. More Canadian airplay soon followed, due in part to the fact that the album qualified for Canadian content
Canadian content
Canadian content refers to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission requirements that radio and television broadcasters must air a certain percentage of content that was at least partly written, produced, presented, or otherwise contributed to by persons from...
broadcast requirements. The album sold an impressive 30,000 copies across Canada in its first few months.
Mushroom then formed a US division and released Dreamboat Annie on Valentine's Day 1976 in the Seattle area, where Heart's members had lived and played before relocating to Canada in the early 1970s. The album was played by Seattle stations KISW and KZOK
KZOK-FM
KZOK-FM is a commercial radio station located in Seattle, Washington, broadcasting on 102.5 FM. It is owned by CBS Radio and airs a classic rock music format.-History:KZOK signed on in 1964 as KTW-FM and simulcasted KTW-AM...
and promptly sold another 25,000 copies in the local area. The group and their label then began working together to build success for the album city by city. According to Flicker, this was part of a plan to convince record distributors that Mushroom had a hit record, so that the album would get national distribution.
Subsequent events
However, the group's relationship with the label began to deteriorate. Mushroom paid for an advertising campaign celebrating the sales of Dreamboat Annie which read "It was only our first time" and showing a photo of AnnAnn Wilson
Ann Dustin Wilson is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, flute player, songwriter, and occasional guitar player of the rock band Heart.-Personal life:...
& Nancy Wilson leaning up against each other with only heads and bare shoulders visible, as on the cover of the album. The band had not been consulted and was furious with this. Hence, relations were already strained when the group and the label tried to re-negotiate their contract. With the success of Dreamboat Annie, the group expected the label to raise their royalty rate substantially. However, Mushroom refused to pay more money and said it did not want to release a second Heart album.
Placed in the position of presenting this unacceptable offer to the group, Flicker broke off negotiations with Mushroom. The group left the label, believing that their contract allowed them to do so as long as Flicker was no longer working with the label.
Mushroom decided that the contract allowed it to release a second Heart album anyway, so it created and released Magazine using material created prior to the band leaving the label. Meanwhile, Heart were in the process of releasing Little Queen
Little Queen
Little Queen is the second album released by Heart. It was released in May 1977 on Portrait Records, and re-released in 2004 with two bonus tracks....
with their new record company Portrait Records
Portrait Records
Portrait Records was a sister label of Epic Records and later of Columbia Records. Cyndi Lauper and Sade signed with Portrait, but their contracts were absorbed by Epic after that incarnation of the label was shuttered....
. Heart took Mushroom to court over Magazine, wanting the album taken off the market. The court ruled that Mushroom had to recall Magazine so that the group could remix several tracks and re-do vocals before re-releasing the disc. Hence, two versions of Magazine were released, one before the release of Little Queen, and a remixed version after the release of Little Queen. See Magazine for information about the differences between the two versions.
In 1980 Mushroom Records went out of business. Heart's two albums from the label were re-released by Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in 1985 after the band moved to that label.
Technical
The album was recorded on an AmpexAmpex
Ampex is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff. The name AMPEX is an acronym, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excellence...
MM1000 16-track tape recorder (which formerly belonged to United Western Recorders
United Western Recorders
United Western Recorders, often abbreviated to UWR, was a renowned recording studio complex in Hollywood, California, which became one of the most successful independent recording studios in the world in the late 1950s and 1960s....
) at the Can-Base Studios in Vancouver, BC
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, which were later renamed to the current Mushroom Studios
Mushroom Studios
Mushroom Studios was a music recording facility located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada with a long history in Canadian music. It has now been relocated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada....
. It was the first major hit album recorded there.
Track listing
All songs written by AnnAnn Wilson
Ann Dustin Wilson is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, flute player, songwriter, and occasional guitar player of the rock band Heart.-Personal life:...
& Nancy Wilson
Nancy Wilson (guitarist)
Nancy Lamoureux Wilson is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer who, with her older sister Ann and lead guitarist Roger Fisher, became the core of the Seattle/Vancouver rock band Heart.-Life and career:...
except where noted.
Side one
- "Magic ManMagic Man"Magic Man" is a hit rock song released in 1976 by Heart. It was issued as the second single from the band's debut album Dreamboat Annie. Written by Ann and Nancy Wilson, the song is sung from the viewpoint of a young girl who is being seduced by an older man , much to the chagrin of her mother,...
" - 5:28 - "Dreamboat Annie (Fantasy Child)Dreamboat Annie (song)"Dreamboat Annie" is a song written and recorded by the rock band Heart. It is the title track from their debut album Dreamboat Annie and was released as its third single in 1976...
" - 1:10 - "Crazy on YouCrazy on You"Crazy on You" is the guitar-driven debut single from the female-fronted rock band Heart's debut album Dreamboat Annie, released in 1976. Starting with an acoustic guitar intro, the song turns into fast-paced rock song that was the signature sound of the band in their early years...
" - 4:53 - "Soul of the Sea" - 6:33
- "Dreamboat AnnieDreamboat Annie (song)"Dreamboat Annie" is a song written and recorded by the rock band Heart. It is the title track from their debut album Dreamboat Annie and was released as its third single in 1976...
" - 2:02
Side two
- "White Lightning and Wine" - 3:53
- "(Love Me Like Music) I'll Be Your Song" - 3:20
- "Sing Child" (A. Wilson, N. Wilson, Steve Fossen, Roger FisherRoger Fisher (guitarist)Roger Fisher is a guitarist primarily known as one of the founding members of the band Heart. His tenure lasted from 1967 until 1980.-Career:...
) - 4:55 - "How Deep it Goes" (A. Wilson) - 3:49
- "Dreamboat Annie (Reprise)Dreamboat Annie (song)"Dreamboat Annie" is a song written and recorded by the rock band Heart. It is the title track from their debut album Dreamboat Annie and was released as its third single in 1976...
" - 3:50
Singles
The following singles were released from the album, with the highest charting positions listed.| # | Title | Release Date | Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Crazy on You Crazy on You "Crazy on You" is the guitar-driven debut single from the female-fronted rock band Heart's debut album Dreamboat Annie, released in 1976. Starting with an acoustic guitar intro, the song turns into fast-paced rock song that was the signature sound of the band in their early years... " |
1976 | 35 |
| 2. | "Magic Man Magic Man "Magic Man" is a hit rock song released in 1976 by Heart. It was issued as the second single from the band's debut album Dreamboat Annie. Written by Ann and Nancy Wilson, the song is sung from the viewpoint of a young girl who is being seduced by an older man , much to the chagrin of her mother,... " |
1976 | 9 |
| 3. | "Dreamboat Annie Dreamboat Annie (song) "Dreamboat Annie" is a song written and recorded by the rock band Heart. It is the title track from their debut album Dreamboat Annie and was released as its third single in 1976... " |
1976 | 42 |
Personnel
- Ann WilsonAnn WilsonAnn Dustin Wilson is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, flute player, songwriter, and occasional guitar player of the rock band Heart.-Personal life:...
- lead and backing vocals, flute, acoustic guitar on track 9, violin - Nancy WilsonNancy Wilson (guitarist)Nancy Lamoureux Wilson is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer who, with her older sister Ann and lead guitarist Roger Fisher, became the core of the Seattle/Vancouver rock band Heart.-Life and career:...
- guitar, twelve string guitar, backing vocals, piano - Roger FisherRoger Fisher (guitarist)Roger Fisher is a guitarist primarily known as one of the founding members of the band Heart. His tenure lasted from 1967 until 1980.-Career:...
- guitars - Howard LeeseHoward LeeseHoward M. Leese is an American guitarist, record producer and musical director who played with Heart for 22 years...
- guitars, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals - Michael DeRosier - drums on tracks 6 and 8
- Steve Fossen - bass guitar
Additional musicians
- Dave Wilson- drums on track 1
- Kat Hendrikse- drums on tracks 3, 4, 5, 7, and 10
- Duris MaxwellDuris MaxwellDuris Maxwell , also known as Ted Lewis, is a Canadian drummer who has played with many bands, including Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers, Powder Blues Band, Doucette, The Temptations, Jefferson Airplane, and Skylark...
- drums on track 9 - Brian Newcombe- bass guitar on track 9
- Ray Ayotte- percussion
- Rob Deans- keyboards
- Geoff Foubert- banjo, backing vocals
- Mike FlickerMike FlickerMike Flicker is an American producer in Los Angeles who has numerous credits on music and film projects. He is critically acclaimed for his work with Heart.- Early career :...
- timpani - Tessie Bensussen- backing vocals
- Jim Hill- backing vocals, guitars
Album
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart | 9 |
| Canadian Albums Chart | 20 |
| Dutch Albums Chart | 7 |
| UK Albums Chart | 36 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 7 |