Fanny Hill (album) - Misplaced Pages

Fanny Hill is the third studio album by American rock band Fanny, released in February 1972 by Reprise Records. It was recorded at Apple Studios in London and reached No. 135 on the US Billboard 200 charts. A single from the album, a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Ain't That Peculiar", became a minor hit, peaking at number 85 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It is named after Fanny Hill, a 1748 erotic novel which was, in the 1960s, repeatedly prosecuted and republished.

Background and recording

By late 1971, Fanny had achieved some critical and commercial success, with the title track to the album Charity Ball reaching the Billboard top 40.

Fanny Hill was recorded at Apple Studios in London and produced by Richard Perry. Former Beatles associate Geoff Emerick engineered the album. Regular Rolling Stones sidesmen Bobby Keys and Jim Price performed on several tracks, particularly the Stones-influenced "Borrowed Time".

The opening track was a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Ain't That Peculiar", which was rearranged to include Latin-influenced percussion and a slide guitar solo from June Millington. It was released as a single, reaching No. 85 on the Billboard Hot 100. The group also covered the Beatles' "Hey Bulldog". Their arrangement included different lyrics from the original, which were reportedly approved by the Beatles.

Release

The album was originally released in February 1972 by Reprise Records. It reached No. 135 on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2015, an expanded version was released on CD by Real Gone Records, including out-takes and backing tracks.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Robert Christgau	B−

The album received a good review in Rolling Stone, who said "the number of groups that can inspire affection the way Fanny have with this album, simply from the pure exuberance of their music, are far and few between". Robert Christgau had mixed opinions on the album, saying half of the original material was reasonable but that the group "give themselves away" by the two covers that opened each side. In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Mark Deming called it the group's "strongest and most exciting work."

Track listing

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Ain't That Peculiar"	Smokey Robinson, Warren "Pete" Moore, Robert Rogers, Marvin Tarplin	June Millington	4:05
2.	"Knock on My Door"	Nickey Barclay	Jean Millington	3:20
3.	"Blind Alley"	Barclay, Alice de Buhr	Barclay, Jean Millington	4:15
4.	"You've Got a Home"	June Millington	June Millington	3:50
5.	"Wonderful Feeling"	Jean Millington	Jean Millington	3:19
6.	"Borrowed Time"	Barclay	Barclay	3:25

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
7.	"Hey Bulldog"	John Lennon, Paul McCartney	Millington, Millington, Barclay	3:56
8.	"Think About the Children"	June Millington	Millington, Millington	4:02
9.	"Rock Bottom Blues"	Millington, Millington, Barclay, de Buhr	de Buhr (harmony vocal by Barclay)	3:07
10.	"Sound and the Fury"	June Millington	June Millington	3:05
11.	"The First Time"	Barclay	Barclay	4:49
Total length:				41:13

2015 expanded edition CD bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
12.	"Tomorrow" (album outtake)	June Millington	2:16
13.	"Young and Dumb" (non-album single, 1972)	Ike Turner	3:33
14.	"No Deposit, No Return" (unissued recording, circa 1971)	Barclay	2:27
15.	"Wonderful Feeling" (single version; remix)	Jean Millington	3:17
16.	"Rock Bottom Blues" (backing track)	Millington, Millington, Barclay, de Buhr	3:08
17.	"Rock Bottom Blues" (original vocal)	Millington, Millington, Barclay, de Buhr	3:14
Total length:			59:50

Notes

Tracks 12, 15–17 from Fanny Hill sessions; recorded at Apple Studios, December 1971.
Track 13 produced by Roy Silver, Mark Hammerman and Lord Trenchtown, engineered by Robert Appère.
Track 14 recorded at Village Recorders, Hollywood. Produced by Richard Perry, engineered by Richard Moore.

Personnel

Taken from the album's sleeve notes.

Fanny

June Millington – electric, acoustic and slide guitar, clavinet, percussion, lead and backing vocals
Jean Millington – bass, lead and backing vocals
Nickey Barclay – piano, organ, keyboards, lead and backing vocals
Alice de Buhr – drums, tambourine, lead and backing vocals

Additional personnel

Bobby Keys – saxophones (1, 6, 9)
Jim Price – brass (6, 9, 11)

Technical personnel

Richard Perry – production
Geoff Emerick – engineering
Phillip MacDonald – engineering
Andy Johns – engineering
Alan Harris – engineering
Doug Sax – mastering
David Bailey – front cover photo
Amalie R. Rothschild – rear cover photo

References

^ "Fanny – Fanny Hill". Rebeat Magazine. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
"Fanny Hill – Fanny – Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
"How Warners Plans on Beating The Odds Again : February 72 releases". Billboard. March 4, 1972. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
"Fanny Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
"Fanny Hill [Expanded Edition]". AllMusic. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
^ Deming, Mark. "Fanny Hill". AllMusic. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
^ "Fanny". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
Edwards, Gavin (June 11, 2015). "20 Rock Albums Rolling Stone Loved in the 1970s That You Never Heard". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
^ Fanny Hill (Media notes). Reprise Records. 1972. K 44174.
Fanny Hill (Expanded Edition) (Media notes). Real Gone Music. 2015. RGM-0369.

External links

Fanny Hill – Fanny Rocks (official website)

v t e Fanny
June Millington Jean Millington Alice de Buhr Nickey Barclay Patti Quatro Brie Brandt Cam Davis
Albums	Fanny (1970) Charity Ball (1971) Fanny Hill (1972) Mothers Pride (1973) Rock and Roll Survivors (1974) Fanny Live (1998) First Time in a Long Time – The Reprise Recordings (2002) Fanny Walked the Earth (2018)
Related articles	Richard Perry

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