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A Nod's As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse
Studio album by Faces
Released	17 November 1971
Recorded	March–September 1971 at Olympic Studios, London
Length	35:56
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Faces and Glyn Johns
Faces chronology
Long Player (1971) A Nod's As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse (1971) Ooh La La (1973)

A Nod's as Good as a Wink... To a Blind Horse is the third album by British rock group Faces, and their second album of 1971. Bolstered 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.

The album features two original ballads and a cover of Chuck Berry's "Memphis Tennessee". Bassist Ronnie Lane, usually confined to backing vocals and the occasional sole lead vocal on previous Faces records, sings lead on three of his own compositions here (one co-written with keyboardist Ian McLagan). Of these, "Debris", an elliptical examination of father-son relationships, was chosen as the B-side to their hit "Stay With Me". (Lane's "You're So Rude" served as the B-side of the American release.)

Release and reception

The original issue of the album came with a large poster. The poster included the lyrics for the album, as well as close-up images of pills and pharmaceutical capsules, and 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 re-issued the album without the poster, 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.

Reception

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

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Rolling Stone	mixed
The Village Voice	A−

Track listing

2015 reissue bonus tracks

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

Personnel

Track numbering refers to CD and digital releases of the album.

• Rod Stewart – lead vocals on 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, harmonica, backing vocals on "Too Bad"
• 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

Charts

Certifications and sales

Reissues

References

1. "Random Notes". Rolling Stone. No. 96. Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. 25 November 1971. p. 4.
2. Faces > A Nod's as Good as a Wink . . . to a Blind Horse > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at AllMusic. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
3. "Random Notes". Rolling Stone. No. 99. New York City: Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. 6 January 1972. p. 4.
4. Dimery, Robert; Lydon, Michael (7 February 2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Bloomington, Indiana: Universe. ISBN 0-7893-1371-5.
5. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 November 2005.
6. Christgau, Robert (30 December 1971). "Consumer Guide (22): Faces: A Nod's As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse". The Village Voice. Retrieved 7 April 2012 – via robertchristgau.com.
7. Landau, Jon (6 January 1972). "Faces A Nod's As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse > Album Review". Rolling Stone. No. 99. Archived from the original on 15 May 2008. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 107. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
9. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 7504". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
10. "Dutchcharts.nl – Faces – A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...To A Blind Horse" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
11. "Offiziellecharts.de – Faces – A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...To A Blind Horse" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
12. "Norwegiancharts.com – Faces – A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...To A Blind Horse". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
13. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
14. "Faces Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
15. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1971" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
16. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1972" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
17. "American album certifications – Faces – A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...To A Blind Horse". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 26 July 2023.

• 1971 albums
• Faces (band) albums
• Warner Records albums
• Albums produced by Glyn Johns
• Albums recorded at Olympic Sound Studios
• Albums produced by Rod Stewart
• Albums produced by Ronnie Lane
• Albums produced by Ronnie Wood
• Albums produced by Kenney Jones
• Albums produced by Ian McLagan