Smiler (album)

Smiler
Smiler
Studio album by Rod Stewart
Released	27 September 1974
Recorded	November 1973-May 1974
Studio	Morgan Studios, London and The Wick, Richmond
Genre	Rock; British folk rock;
Length	42:24
Label	Mercury
Producer	Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart chronology
Singles from Smiler
	"Farewell"; Released: 27 September 1974 (UK); "Mine for Me"; Released: November 1974 (US);

Smiler is the fifth solo album by English rock singer-songwriter Rod Stewart. It was released on 27 September 1974^[2] by Mercury Records. It reached number 1 in the UK album chart, and number 13 in the US. The album included covers of Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke and Bob Dylan songs, as well as a duet with Elton John of John's song "Let Me Be Your Car". Stewart also covered Carole King's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" where 'Woman' is switched to 'Man'. The release of the album was held up for five months due to legal problems between Mercury Records and Warner Bros. Records.[1]

Musicians appearing on the album included members of Stewart's band Faces, as well as frequent collaborators Martin Quittenton (guitars), Pete Sears (bass & keyboards), and Mickey Waller (drums).

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
Christgau's Record Guide	B−^[4]
Rolling Stone	(mixed)^[5]
Džuboks	(mixed)^[6]

Track listing

"Sweet Little Rock 'n' Roller" (Chuck Berry) – 3:43
"Lochinvar" (Pete Sears) – 0:25
"Farewell" (Rod Stewart, Martin Quittenton) – 4:34
"Sailor" – (Stewart, Ronnie Wood) 3:35
"Bring It On Home to Me/You Send Me" (Sam Cooke) – 3:57
"Let Me Be Your Car" (Elton John, Bernie Taupin) – 4:56
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Man" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Jerry Wexler) – 3:54
"Dixie Toot" – (Stewart, Ronnie Wood) 3:27
"Hard Road" (Harry Vanda, George Young) – 4:27
"I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" Instrumental (Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe) – 1:32
"Girl from the North Country" (Bob Dylan) – 3:52
"Mine for Me" (Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney) – 4:02

A 1991 CD compilation called 'back 2 back – 2 for 1' combined Smiler with Gasoline Alley. However, tracks 2, 9 and 10, were left out on this release.

Personnel

Rod Stewart – vocals^[7]
Ronnie Wood – acoustic & electric guitar, bass guitar
Martin Quittenton – acoustic guitar
Spike Heatley, Willie Weeks – bass guitar
Elton John – piano and vocals on "Let Me Be Your Car"
Pete Sears – piano, harpsichord, celeste
Ian McLagan – Hammond organ
Ray Jackson – mandolin
Ric Grech, Dick Powell – violin
The Memphis Horns – horns
Paul McCartney – backing vocals on "Mine for Me"
Irene Chanter – backing vocals
Doreen Chanter – backing vocals
Ray Cooper – percussion
Tropic Isles Steel Band – drums
Micky Waller, Andy Newmark, Kenney Jones – drums
Chris Barber's Jazz Band
Mike Bobak – engineering
Bob Ludwig – mastering

Charts

Chart (1974-75)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[8]	8
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[9]	11
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)^[10]	28
Japanese Albums (Oricon)^[11]	65
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[12]	29
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)^[13]	19
UK Albums (OCC)^[14]	1
US Billboard 200^[15]	13

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[16]	Gold	100,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ Mulligan, Brian, ed. (21 September 1974). "Stewart LP Gets Push" (PDF). Music Week. London, England, U.K.: Billboard Publications, Inc.: 1. ISSN 0265-1548. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2023. Phonogram has lined up a major promotion campaign for the release of Rod Stewart's long-delayed album, Smiler, and new single on September 27
^ Mulligan, Brian, ed. (21 September 1974). "Stewart LP Gets Push" (PDF). Music Week. London, England, U.K.: Billboard Publications, Inc.: 1. ISSN 0265-1548. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2023. Phonogram has lined up a major promotion campaign for the release of Rod Stewart's long-delayed album, Smiler, and new single on September 27
^ AllMusic review
^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 13 March 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
^ Rolling Stone review
^ Konjović, S. "Rod Stewart – Smiler". Džuboks (in Serbian) (6 (second series)). Gornji Milanovac: Dečje novine: 24.
^ "Smiler - Rod Stewart | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 295. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3896a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
^ "Charts.nz – Rod Stewart – Smiler". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Rod Stewart – Smiler". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
^ "Rod Stewart Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
^ "British album certifications – Rod Stewart – Smiler". British Phonographic Industry.

[1] Mulligan, Brian, ed. (21 September 1974). "Stewart LP Gets Push" (PDF). Music Week. London, England, U.K.: Billboard Publications, Inc.: 1. ISSN 0265-1548. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2023. Phonogram has lined up a major promotion campaign for the release of Rod Stewart's long-delayed album, Smiler, and new single on September 27

[2] Mulligan, Brian, ed. (21 September 1974). "Stewart LP Gets Push" (PDF). Music Week. London, England, U.K.: Billboard Publications, Inc.: 1. ISSN 0265-1548. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2023. Phonogram has lined up a major promotion campaign for the release of Rod Stewart's long-delayed album, Smiler, and new single on September 27

[3] AllMusic review

[CG-4] Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 13 March 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.

[5] Rolling Stone review

[dzuboks-6] Konjović, S. "Rod Stewart – Smiler". Džuboks (in Serbian) (6 (second series)). Gornji Milanovac: Dečje novine: 24.

[7] "Smiler - Rod Stewart | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.

[aus-8] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 295. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[group=-9] "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3896a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 15, 2025.

[FINI-10] Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.

[JPN-11] Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.

[ac_New_Zealand_Rod_Stewart-12] "Charts.nz – Rod Stewart – Smiler". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 15, 2025.

[ac_Norway_Rod_Stewart-13] "Norwegiancharts.com – Rod Stewart – Smiler". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 15, 2025.

[ac_UK2_-14] "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 15, 2025.

[ac_Billboard200_Rod_Stewart-15] "Rod Stewart Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2025.

[United_KingdomRod_StewartSmileralbumCertRef-16] "British album certifications – Rod Stewart – Smiler". British Phonographic Industry.

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v t e Rod Stewart
Discography
Studio albums	An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (1969) Gasoline Alley (1970) Every Picture Tells a Story (1971) Never a Dull Moment (1972) Smiler (1974) Atlantic Crossing (1975) A Night on the Town (1976) Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977) Blondes Have More Fun (1978) Foolish Behaviour (1980) Tonight I'm Yours (1981) Body Wishes (1983) Camouflage (1984) Every Beat of My Heart (1986) Out of Order (1988) Vagabond Heart (1991) A Spanner in the Works (1995) When We Were the New Boys (1998) Human (2001) It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook (2002) As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II (2003) Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III (2004) Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV (2005) Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (2006) Soulbook (2009) Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V (2010) Merry Christmas, Baby (2012) Time (2013) Another Country (2015) Blood Red Roses (2018) The Tears of Hercules (2021) Swing Fever (2024)
Live albums	Coast to Coast: Overture and Beginners (1974) Absolutely Live (1982) Unplugged...and Seated (1993)
Compilation albums	Sing It Again Rod (1973) The Best of Rod Stewart (1976) The Best of Rod Stewart Vol. 2 (1976) Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 (1979) Storyteller – The Complete Anthology: 1964–1990 (1989) The Best of Rod Stewart (1989) Downtown Train – Selections from the Storyteller Anthology (1990) Lead Vocalist (1993) If We Fall in Love Tonight (1996) The Story So Far: The Very Best of Rod Stewart (2001) You're in My Heart: Rod Stewart with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (2019)
Concert tours	Blondes 'Ave More Fun Tour (1978–1979) Every Beat of My Heart Tour (1986) Out of Order Tour (1988–1989) Rod Stewart: The Hits (2011–2018) Live the Life Tour (2013) The Voice, The Guitar, The Songs Tour (2014) Hits 2016 From Gasoline Alley to Another Country: Hits 2016 (2016–2017)
Family	Alana Stewart (first wife) Kimberly Stewart (daughter) Ruby Stewart (daughter) Rachel Hunter (second wife) Penny Lancaster (third wife)
Related articles	Riva Records Jimmy Powell Steampacket The Shotgun Express The Jeff Beck Group Faces Tonight's the Night
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