Realization (Johnny Rivers album) explained

Realization
Type:	studio
Artist:	Johnny Rivers
Cover:	Johnny Rivers - Realization.png
Released:	1968
Length:	38:45
Label:	Imperial
Producer:	Johnny Rivers Lou Adler
Prev Title:	Rewind
Prev Year:	1967
Next Title:	Slim Slo Slider
Next Year:	1970

Realization is the fifth studio album by the American musician Johnny Rivers, released in 1968. Rivers wrote two of the songs and co-wrote a third. The remaining seven are covers of popular songs from the mid-1960s.

Reception

The album reached No. 5 and included the No. 14 pop chart single "Summer Rain", written by James Hendricks, a former member of the Mugwumps. The album reflected some of the psychedelic influences of the time, like the song "Hey Joe" with a two-minute introduction and also marked a change in Rivers' musical direction with more introspective songs such as "Look to Your Soul" and "Going Back to Big Sur".^[1]

Track listing

Side one

1. "Hey Joe" (Billy Roberts) – 4:49
2. "Look to Your Soul" (James Hendricks) – 3:11
3. "The Way We Live" (Johnny Rivers) – 3:08
4. "Summer Rain" (James Hendricks) – 3:52
5. "A Whiter Shade of Pale" (Keith Reid/Gary Brooker) – 5:36

Side two

1. "Brother, Where Are You" (Oscar Brown, Jr.) – 3:36
2. "Something Strange" (Johnny Rivers/James Hendricks) – 3:28
3. "What's the Difference" (Scott McKenzie) – 2:48
4. "Going Back to Big Sur" (Johnny Rivers) – 2:28
5. "Positively 4th Street" (Bob Dylan) – 5:03

Personnel

Musicians

• Johnny Rivers – vocals, electric guitar
• Hal Blaine – drums
• Joe Osborn – electric bass guitar, guitar
• Larry Knechtel – organ
• James Burton – guitar
• James Hendricks – rhythm guitar

Technical

• Johnny Rivers, Lou Adler – producers
• Armin Steiner – engineer
• Marty Paich – horns and strings arranger/conductor
• Woody Woodward – art direction
• George Rodriguez – photography
• Wayne Kimbell – design and collage

Charts

Chart (1968)! scope="col"

Peak position
US Billboard Top LPs^[2]	5

External links

• Johnny Rivers official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Johnny Rivers Hits . 2010-10-31 . JohnnyRivers.com.
2. Web site: Johnny Rivers > Charts & Awards > Billboard. AllMusic. October 13, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006021016/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnny-rivers-mn0000203639/awards. October 6, 2014.