A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse

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A Nod's As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse was the third album by British rock group Faces, and their second album of 1971. Bolstered somewhat by lead singer Rod Stewart's recent solo success with "Maggie May", it was their most successful album worldwide, peaking at No. 6 in the US, and reaching No. 2 in the UK. It also contains their biggest US hit, the swaggering "Stay with Me" (No. 6 in the UK, No. 17 in the US), and the album itself would be certified gold by the RIAA in 1972.

Generally regarded as the Faces' definitive statement, and the most consistent, balanced album of the group's career in terms of songwriting and of mood, thanks largely to the decision to share production duties with Glyn Johns. Johns' judicious decisions here ensure that not a single one of the nine tracks on the album outstays its welcome. The album also features two sensitively-sequenced ballads and an endearingly ramshackle Chuck Berry cover among its cast of bluesy rockers and rollicking bar-room swing-alongs. Bassist Ronnie Lane, often left frustrated by the division of vocal duties in the band, gets his fair share of the limelight here, singing lead on three of his own contributions (one co-written with keyboardist Ian McLagan), including the moving examination of father-son relationships, 'Debris'.

The original issue of the album came with a large poster consisting of a picture collage, including images of pills and pharmaceutical capsules, as well as polaroid photos apparently taken on tour of band and crew members reveling with naked groupies in hotel rooms. Within weeks of release, the record company had second thoughts about the poster and re-issued the album without it, turning original copies with the poster into collectors' items overnight.

On 28 August 2015, the album was reissued in a remastered and expanded form, with the bonus tracks being two songs from a previously unreleased BBC session. The new vinyl reissue even replicated the poster included with the first-pressing vinyl release.

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Reception

The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

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Track listing

Side One

1. "Miss Judy's Farm" (Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood) - 3:42
2. "You're So Rude" (Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan) - 3:46 (lead singer: Ronnie Lane)
3. "Love Lives Here" (Lane, Stewart, Wood) - 3:09
4. "Last Orders Please" (Lane) - 2:38 (lead singer: Ronnie Lane)
5. "Stay with Me" (Stewart, Wood) - 4:42

Side Two

1. "Debris" (Lane) - 4:39 (lead singer: Ronnie Lane, with Rod Stewart on chorus harmony)
2. "Memphis, Tennessee" (incorrectly titled on original pressings of the album as simply "Memphis") (Chuck Berry) - 5:31
3. "Too Bad" (Stewart, Wood) - 3:16
4. "That's All You Need" (Stewart, Wood) - 5:05

2015 Reissue bonus tracks

1. "Miss Judy's Farm" [BBC Session] (Stewart, Wood)
2. "Stay With Me" [BBC Session] (Stewart, Wood)

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Personnel

• Rod Stewart - lead vocals tracks 1,3,5 & 7-9, harmonica
• Ronnie Lane - bass, acoustic guitar, percussion, lead vocals on tracks 2,4 & 6, backing vocals on "Too Bad"
• Ronnie Wood - lead, slide, acoustic and pedal steel guitars, backing vocals on "Too Bad", harmonica
• Ian McLagan - piano, organ, backing vocals on "Too Bad"
• Kenney Jones - drums, percussion
• Harry Fowler - steel drums on "That's All You Need"
• Glyn Johns - co-producer, engineer

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Reissues

Source of the article : Wikipedia