These Foolish Things is the debut solo studio album by Bryan Ferry, who continued additionally to be Roxy Music's lead vocalist. The album was released in October 1973 on Island Records in the United Kingdom and Atlantic Records in the United States. It is considered to be a departure from Roxy Music's sound, being made up of far more 'straight' versions of standards. Additionally, where Roxy Music's albums were of songs composed by the band, These Foolish Things was a covers album. It was a commercial and critical success, peaking at number five on the UK Albums Chart. It received a gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry in May 1974.

Most of the tracks on the album were personal favorites of Ferry's, and spanned several decades from 1930s standards such as the title track through 1950s Elvis Presley to Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones.

"A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" was released as a single and reached number 10 in the UK Singles Chart in September 1973.

Composition Speaking about the album in 1973, Ferry said: "It's a very catholic selection, I've given up trying to please all of the people all of the time. Some will like it for one reason, some for another. And some will presumably dislike it for the wrong reasons, though I hope the general point of it will be understood. It's amusement value. I think."

Release The album's release coincided with David Bowie's covers album Pin Ups. As Ferry had recorded his album weeks before Bowie began work on Pin Ups, Ferry was annoyed at the perceived copying of his project, calling it a "rip-off". According to biographer Christopher Sandford, he allegedly went to his label Island Records to request they file an injunction to prevent Pin Ups from being released before These Foolish Things. Instead, the author Chris O'Leary writes that Bowie phoned Ferry to inform him of Pin Ups and requested permission to record a Roxy Music song. Ferry later told the biographer David Buckley, "At first I was a bit apprehensive, but Bowie's record turned out to be very different. I myself was always very anxious to be different from other people... and to forge my own furrow." In the event, both albums were released as planned and charted on the same day, 3November 1973.

Critical reception

Robert Christgau found that Ferry "both undercuts the inflated idealism of [Bob Dylan's 'A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall'] and reaffirms its essential power", establishes Lesley Gore's "It's My Party" as a protest song, and with his cover of "These Foolish Things", "reminds us that pop is only, well, foolish things, many of which predate not only Andy Warhol but rock and roll itself." In 1983's The New Rolling Stone Record Guide, Dave Marsh wrote:

In AllMusic, critic Ned Raggett said that throughout These Foolish Things, "Ferry's instantly recognizable croon carries everything to a tee, and the overall mood is playful and celebratory", calling the album "one of the best of its kind by any artist." Rob Sheffield, in 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, praised it as a "conceptual and musical tour de force". In 2010, Rhapsody listed These Foolish Things as one of the best covers albums.

Track listing

Personnel Musicians

Bryan Ferry – lead vocals, acoustic piano Eddie Jobson – keyboards, synthesizers, violin David Skinner – acoustic piano John Porter – guitars, bass Phil Manzanera – guitar solo (10) Paul Thompson – drums John Punter – additional drums (7, 8) Roger Ball – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, horn arrangements Ruan O'Lochlainn – alto saxophone solo (11) Malcolm Duncan – tenor saxophone Henry Lowther – trumpet Robbie Montgomery – backing vocals (1, 8) Jessie Davis – backing vocals (1, 8) The Angelettes – backing vocals (2–7, 9–13)

Production

Bryan Ferry – producer John Porter – producer John Punter – producer, engineer Steve Nye – engineer Andy Arthurs – assistant engineer Nicholas De Ville – cover design Karl Stoecker – photography

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1973)PeakpositionAustralian Albums (Kent Music Report)18

Year-end charts Chart (1973)PositionDutch Albums (Album Top 100)70

Certifications

References

Sources

External links