The Original Soundtrack Explained

The Original Soundtrack
Type:studio
Artist:10cc
Cover:10cc-The Original Soundtrack (album cover).jpg
Recorded:1974
Studio:Strawberry Studios, Stockport, Cheshire, England
Length:41:46
Label:Mercury
Producer:10cc
Chronology:10cc
Prev Title:Sheet Music
Prev Year:1974
Next Title:100cc
Next Year:1975

The Original Soundtrack is the third studio album by the English rock band 10cc. It was released in 1975 and peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. The Original Soundtrack includes the singles "Life Is a Minestrone", and "I'm Not in Love", the band's most popular song.

The album received good reviews when originally released on LP, 8-Track and cassette by Mercury Records in March 1975. It was ranked number 976 in All-Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).[1]

Background

The album was recorded and produced by the band at Strawberry Studios in 1974 with Eric Stewart engineering and mixing. The album was the first to be released by Mercury Records after signing the band for $1 million in February 1975. The catalyst for the deal was that the record executives had heard one song – "I'm Not in Love". Eric Stewart recalled:

The rest of the album, which was already complete, was released just weeks later.

The artwork was designed by Hipgnosis and illustrated by artist Humphrey Ocean.

Release

The album has been reissued on several occasions with bonus tracks including b-sides and single edits and has been remastered.

Reception

The Original Soundtrack was a critical and commercial success reaching No. 3 in the UK[2] and No. 15 in the US[3]

Ken Barnes gave the album a rave review in Rolling Stone, commenting, "Musically there's more going on than in ten Yes albums, yet it's generally as accessible as a straight pop band (though less so than the two preceding 10cc LPs)." He particularly praised the album for being ambitious without being excessive or pretentious, and for its lyrical content.[4]

Village Voice critic Robert Christgau panned the album, remarking of the song "I'm Not in Love": "stretching your only decent melody (a non-satirical love song) over six tedious minutes, is that a joke?"

The first single "Life Is a Minestrone" was another UK Top 10 for the band, peaking at No. 7.[2] Their biggest success came with the song that sold the album, "I'm Not in Love", which gave the band their second UK No. 1 in June 1975, staying there for two weeks.[2] The song also provided them with their first major US chart success when the song reached No. 2.[5]

Track listing

Additional bonus tracks on Japanese edition

Personnel

Adapted from the liner notes of the album.[6]

10cc
Technical

Charts

Year-end charts

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rocklist . 22 July 2018.
  2. Web site: 10 C.C. . The Official UK Charts Company . 15 January 2014.
  3. Web site: 10cc Awards . AllMusic . 15 January 2014.
  4. Album review . Barnes . Ken . 19 June 1975 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081201103123/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thetemptations/albums/album/251362/review/6210348/the_original_soundtrack . 1 December 2008 .
  5. http://www.billboard.com/artist/431837/10cc/chart 10CC Hot 100 chart history
  6. . 10cc . 1975 . liner notes . . 9102 500.
  7. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 307.
  8. 27 December 1975 . Top Selling Albums For 1975 . live . . 10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210309074922/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1975/Music-Week-1975-12-27.pdf . 9 March 2021 . worldradiohistory.com.