Recorded - January, April and May, 1971 (both songs)
Released - May 1971 (album), August 6, 1971 (single)
#1 for weeks of October 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, 1971.
Now that's more like it! Enough of little Donny Osmond's shrill voice, it's time to bring out Rod Stewart's distinctive smokey voice! Rod began his music career in the 1960's, releasing his first record in 1964. Much of his early work consisted of soul-flavored covers, with the occasional original thrown in. In 1969, the mod group, The Small Faces, "faced" the resignation of their lead singer Steve Marriott. Rather than split up, Rod joined the newly re-titled "Faces" as their new singer along with future Rolling Stone, Ronnie Wood, on guitar.
Now, it's nothing out of the ordinary for a band member to have a solo career while they still belong to the group. However it is a bit rarer for their solo career to launch them into superstars. Well, that's exactly what happened in 1971. While Rod was still deep within his tenure in the Faces, he recorded and released his third solo album, Every Picture Tells A Story. When two of the albums' tracks were released as a double A-side in the states, Rod found himself with an unexpected five week chart topping smash.
First up, we have the Rod Stewart/Martin Quittenton composition, "Maggie May". The uplifting sound of mandolins acts as a blanket, which adds a layer of warmth to the entire song. Most of the guitar parts as well as the rather melodic bass guitar are played by none other than Ronnie Wood. Small Faces/Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan adds a restrained yet shimmering organ part. We're just a Ronnie Lane and Kenney Jones short of this being an authentic Faces tune.
Besides the music, we have Rod's unmistakable voice telling us a tale of a taboo relationship that leaves the singer in shambles. If this song wasn't based on a true story, I'd almost say it was inspired by The Graduate, but again, this isn't the case. It is this sincerity and honest raw emotion that makes the song a strong one in my eyes.
"Reason To Believe", the reverse side of "Maggie May", was written by folk singer Tim Hardin in 1965. Several other artists had attempted this song including The Youngbloods of "Get Together" fame. Unlike much of these earlier covers, Rod's has a much less pronounced folk sound, and more of a bluesy rock ballad feel.
Both "Reason" and "Maggie" feature prominent organ lines and a similar straight 4/4 beat. "Reason" differs from its flipside by including a prominent stand up string bass, piano, and violins. This later element adds a bit of a Celtic feel to the arrangement. There are also several neat touches such as an acapella middle section, which adds extra tension to the piece. Overall, good stuff.
Rod would have an interesting solo career, to say the least. He released some great albums, some interesting genre experiments, and some rather awful 1980's albums. Out of this body of work, several songs managed to top the US charts, thus forever canceling any possibility of Rod being a one hit wonder.
Final Verdict - Both "Maggie May" and "Reason To Believe" feature a musically interesting backing track and convincing vocal performances. I'd rank "Maggie" as the better of the two, not just because it's a Rod original, but I feel it's the style that suits him best: Pure, honest first person storytelling. Either way, I'd certainly rank this double A-side as one of the highlights of the 1971 pop charts.
Coming Up Next - "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" by Cher.
Until Next Time, I'm Dr. Rock and now I have a reason...to believe there are still great songs left to review -
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