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Family Entertainment

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Family Entertainment
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 1969[1]
Recorded1968–1969
StudioOlympic Studios, London
GenreProgressive rock, art rock, folk rock
Length39:38
LabelReprise
ProducerGlyn Johns, John Gilbert
Family chronology
Music in a Doll's House
(1968)
Family Entertainment
(1969)
A Song for Me
(1970)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]

Family Entertainment is the second album by the British progressive rock band Family, released in March 1969. The cover of the album was a takeoff from the sleeve of the Doors' second album, Strange Days, as Family admitted.

Background

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The album was released on Reprise Records (RSLP6340) in stereo pressings, no mono pressings are known, in the USA, England and Germany. Initial UK pressings came with a black and white poster/lyric sheet inside. The original inner bags were the gold-on-white 'Egyptian' poly-lined Reprise house bags. The band were on tour in America and their manager hastily mixed and released the album without their approval. This proved to be the end of their relationship with manager John Gilbert (who retained the rights to the album via his Dukeslodge production deal which, by now, was registered in the Bahamas, the address of which was proudly printed on the album sleeve).[citation needed]

String arrangements were by Tony Cox, played by the Heavenly Strings, and Nicky Hopkins played the piano on some tracks.[4] Alan Aldridge was the album designer with photos taken by Rodger Phillips.

Family Entertainment was the last album from the group's original lineup.

Family's momentum was almost derailed by the departure of bassist Ric Grech for Blind Faith two months after Family Entertainment's UK release, which caused their first US tour to founder, and Jim King only worsened the situation with his departure later in 1969.[citation needed]

Track listing

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All selections are by Roger Chapman and John "Charlie" Whitney except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Weaver's Answer" 5:00
2."Observations from a Hill" 3:11
3."Hung Up Down" 3:12
4."Summer '67" (instrumental)Whitney3:19
5."How-Hi-the-Li"Ric Grech5:00
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Second Generation Woman"Grech3:13
2."From Past Archives" 3:21
3."Dim" 2:31
4."Processions"Whitney2:48
5."Face in the Cloud"Grech2:53
6."Emotions"Whitney, Grech, Chapman5:10

Personnel

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Family

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Additional personnel

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Technical

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Charts

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Chart (1969) Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC)[5] 6

References

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  1. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Melody Maker. 22 March 1969. p. 19. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  2. ^ Planer, Lindsay (2011). "Family Entertainment - Family | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  3. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  4. ^ "Allmusic Family Entertainment credits".
  5. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
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