Fearless (Tim Curry album)
Encyclopedia
Fearless was the second of three solo albums by the English actor/singer Tim Curry
. It was his most commercially successful album, reaching the Top 75 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart. The single "I Do the Rock" itself briefly dented the U.S. Billboard Top 100
. The single references Friedrich Nietzsche
, Albert Einstein
, John Lennon
, Yoko Ono
, Babe Ruth
, Colin Cowdrey
, Leonid Brezhnev
, California Governor Jerry Brown
, US President Jimmy Carter
, Egypt's soon-to-be-assassinated Anwar Sadat
, Gertrude Stein
, Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, and the family of Edith
, Osbert
, and Sacheverell Sitwell
.
Unlike his first album which was released the previous year, Fearless was composed almost entirely of original songs, mostly written by Curry with producers Michael Kamen and former Lou Reed
collaborator Dick Wagner. Critics described the album as a "thump and bump" interrupted only by the cover of Joni Mitchell
's "Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire".
Billboard (North America)
Singles
Billboard (North America)
Tim Curry
Timothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
. It was his most commercially successful album, reaching the Top 75 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart. The single "I Do the Rock" itself briefly dented the U.S. Billboard Top 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The single references Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
, Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
, John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
, Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, Colin Cowdrey
Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
, Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
, California Governor Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
, US President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, Egypt's soon-to-be-assassinated Anwar Sadat
Anwar Sadat
Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat was the third President of Egypt, serving from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 October 1981...
, Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein was an American writer, poet and art collector who spent most of her life in France.-Early life:...
, Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, and the family of Edith
Edith Sitwell
Dame Edith Louisa Sitwell DBE was a British poet and critic.-Background:Edith Sitwell was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, the oldest child and only daughter of Sir George Sitwell, 4th Baronet, of Renishaw Hall; he was an expert on genealogy and landscaping...
, Osbert
Osbert Sitwell
Sir Francis Osbert Sacheverell Sitwell, 5th Baronet, was an English writer. His elder sister was Dame Edith Louisa Sitwell and his younger brother was Sir Sacheverell Sitwell; like them he devoted his life to art and literature....
, and Sacheverell Sitwell
Sacheverell Sitwell
Sir Sacheverell Sitwell, 6th Baronet CH was an English writer, best known as an art critic and writer on architecture, particularly the baroque. He was the younger brother of Dame Edith Sitwell and Sir Osbert Sitwell....
.
Unlike his first album which was released the previous year, Fearless was composed almost entirely of original songs, mostly written by Curry with producers Michael Kamen and former Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
collaborator Dick Wagner. Critics described the album as a "thump and bump" interrupted only by the cover of Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
's "Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire".
Track listing
- "Right on the Money" (Tim Curry, Dick WagnerDick WagnerDick Wagner Dick Wagner Dick Wagner (born December 14, 1943, in Oelwein, Iowa is an American rock music guitarist and songwriter best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Lou Reed and KISS.-Performing career:...
) - 3:15 - "Hide This Face" (Tim Curry, Dick Wagner) - 2:56
- "I Do the Rock" (Tim Curry, Michael KamenMichael KamenMichael Arnold Kamen was an American composer , orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, song writer, and session musician.-Background:...
) - 4:45 - "S.O.S." (Dick Wagner) - 4:15
- "Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire" - (Joni MitchellJoni MitchellJoni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
) - 3:37 - "Paradise Garage" (Tim Curry, Dick Wagner, Bob BabbittBob BabbittBob Babbitt is an American bassist, most famous for his work as a member of Motown Records' studio band, the Funk Brothers, from 1966–1972, as well as his tenure as part of MFSB for Philadelphia International Records afterwards. Also in 1968-1970, with Mike Campbell, Ray Monette and Andrew Smith...
, Charlie Collins) - 6:13 - "No Love on the Street" (Tim Curry, Michael Kamen) - 4:53
- "Something Short of Paradise" (Dick Wagner) - 3:20
- "Charge It" (Tim Curry, Dick Wagner) - 5:17
Personnel
- Tim Curry - vocals
- Dick WagnerDick WagnerDick Wagner Dick Wagner Dick Wagner (born December 14, 1943, in Oelwein, Iowa is an American rock music guitarist and songwriter best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Lou Reed and KISS.-Performing career:...
- guitar - Bob BabbittBob BabbittBob Babbitt is an American bassist, most famous for his work as a member of Motown Records' studio band, the Funk Brothers, from 1966–1972, as well as his tenure as part of MFSB for Philadelphia International Records afterwards. Also in 1968-1970, with Mike Campbell, Ray Monette and Andrew Smith...
- bass - Charles Collins - drums, percussion
- Michael KamenMichael KamenMichael Arnold Kamen was an American composer , orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, song writer, and session musician.-Background:...
- keyboards, oboe - Bette SussmanBette SussmanBette Sussman is an American television composer, singer, songwriter, pianist, and musical director.-Early life:Sussman was musically inspired by her mother and older sister, Sue. After her mother signed her up for piano lessons at age four, she studied classical music till she graduated from high...
- keyboards - Michael Tschudin - synthesizer
- Jimmy MaelenJimmy MaelenJimmy Maelen was a percussionist in the 1960s-1980s, who worked with many artists including Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, Peter Gabriel, James Taylor, Dire Straits, Barry Manilow, Alice Cooper and John Lennon...
, Allan SchwartzbergAllan SchwartzbergAllan Schwartzberg is a famous studio musician drummer, most of whose recordings were made in the 1970s. He has played on hits such as Gloria Gaynor's "Never Can Say Goodbye". He has played with KISS, James Brown and Peter Gabriel as well...
- percussion - David SanbornDavid SanbornDavid Sanborn is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album Taking Off in 1975, but has been playing the saxophone since before he was in high school...
- alto saxophone - Arnold McCuller, David LasleyDavid LasleyDavid Lasley is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his contributions as a background singer for such artists as Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor and Luther Vandross....
, Ula Hedwig - backing vocals
Chart positions
AlbumBillboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Pop Albums | 53 |
Singles
Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | "I Do the Rock" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 91 |