| Suitable for Framing | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Three Dog Night |
| Cover: | Suitable cover.JPG |
| Released: | [1] |
| Recorded: | 1969 |
| Studio: | American Recording, Studio City, California[2] |
| Genre: | Rock |
| Label: | Dunhill (U.S. original release) MCA (U.S. CD reissue) Stateside (UK) |
| Producer: | Gabriel Mekler |
| Prev Title: | Three Dog Night |
| Prev Year: | 1968 |
| Next Title: | Captured Live at the Forum |
| Next Year: | 1969 |
Suitable for Framing is the second studio album by American rock band Three Dog Night. The album was released on the Dunhill record label on June 11, 1969 and was the first of two albums released by the band that year.
The album contains the top 20 hit singles "Easy to Be Hard", "Eli's Coming", and "Celebrate"; the latter of which (along with the album's opening track "Feelin' Alright") featured the Chicago horn section. It is also notable for being the first album by Three Dog Night to include songs written by band members, and for its inclusion of the Elton John / Bernie Taupin song "Lady Samantha," as the duo of John/Taupin would not become widely known in the United States for another year.
The album reached the top 10 on charts in both The United States and Canada and became certified gold by the RIAA at the end of the year.
As with the band's self-titled debut album, Suitable for Framing was recorded at American Recording Company, was produced by Gabriel Mekler (who produced other Dunhill artists including Steppenwolf), and was engineered by Richard Podolor (who would later become the group's producer) and Bill Cooper. The band members during the album's recording were Danny Hutton (vocals), Chuck Negron (vocals), Cory Wells (vocals), Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Michael Allsup (guitars), Joe Schermie (bass), and Floyd Sneed (drums, percussion). Engineer Richard Podolor also performed as an uncredited guitarist on the album.[3]
The original version of Suitable for Framing (Dunhill DS 50058) was released as a vinyl LP record with a gatefold sleeve. The art direction for the original LP sleeve was done by Wayne Kimbell with photography by Ed Caraeff.[4] The album's gatefold photo features Three Dog Night wearing greasepaint make-up, and posing with members of the Los Angeles groupie troupe The GTOs.
Writing for The New York Times in 1969, Robert Christgau believed Suitable for Framing suffered for the same reasons Three Dog Night succeeded:
The following people contributed to Suitable for Framing:
| Chart (1969) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums Chart[5] | 15 |
| US Billboard 200[6] | 16 |
| Title | Chart (1969) | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| "Easy to Be Hard" | Canadian Singles Chart | 2 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 4 | |
| US Record World Singles[8] | 1 | |
| "Eli's Coming" | Canadian Singles Chart | 4 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 10 | |
| Title | Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| "Celebrate" | Canadian Singles Chart | 8 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 15 | |