A Nod Is As Good As A WinkÉ To A Blind Horse
Studio album by Faces
Released 1971
Recorded March 1971
Genre Rock
Length 36:08
Label Warner Bros
Producers Faces and Glyn Johns
A Nod Is as Good as a Wink... to a Blind Horse was the third album by British rock group Faces, and their second album of 1971. It was their most successful album, peaking at #6 in the US, and reaching #2 in the UK. It contains their biggest hit, the rollicking "Stay with Me" (#6 in the UK, #17 in the US).
The original issue of the album came with a poster consisting of a picture collage, including images of pills and pharmaceutical capsules, as well as photos apparently taken on tour of band and crew members reveling with naked groupies in hotel rooms. Within weeks of release, the record company had second thoughts and re-issued the album without the poster, making original copies with the poster into collector's items.
Professional ratings:
Allmusic 5 of 5 stars
Robert Christgau A-
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of allmusic:
The Faces' third album, A Nod Is as Good as a Wink...to a Blind Horse, finally gave the group their long-awaited hit single in "Stay with Me," helping send the album into the Billboard Top Ten, which is certainly a testament to both the song and the album, but it's hard to separate its success from that of Rod Stewart's sudden solo stardom. In the mere months that separated Long Player and A Nod, Rod had a phenomenal hit with "Maggie May" and Every Picture Tells a Story, his third solo album, something that would soon irreparably damage the band, but at the time it was mere good fortune, helping bring them some collateral success that they deserved. Certainly, it didn't change the character of the album itself, which is the tightest record the band ever made. Granted that may be a relative term, since sloppiness is at the heart of the band, but this doesn't feel cobbled together (which the otherwise excellent Long Player did) and it serves up tremendous song after tremendous song, starting with the mean, propulsive "Miss Judy's Farm" and ending with the rampaging good times of "That's All You Need." In between, Ronnie Lane serves up dirty jokes (the exquisitely funny "You're So Rude") and heartbreaking ballads (the absolutely beautiful "Debris"), the band reworks a classic as their own (Chuck Berry's "Memphis") and generally serves up a nonstop party. There are few records that feel like a never-ending party like A Nod -- the slow moments are for slow dancing, and as soon as it's over, it's hard not to want to do it all over again. It's another classic -- and when you consider that the band also had Long Player to their credit and had their hands all over Every Picture in 1971, it's hard to imagine another band or singer having a year more extraordinary as this.
Review by Robert Christgau:
Rod Stewart sings lead only half of the time, which gives Ronnie Lane a chance to prove himself -- his "You're So Rude" is a better (funnier and warmer) song about getting laid than "Stay With Me." Other standouts include the story of how Rod's brother became a hippie and a version of "Memphis" that's a gift from a band that has tightened up just enough.
LP track listing
Side One
1. "Miss Judy's Farm" (Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood) Ð 3:42
2. "You're So Rude" (Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan) Ð 3:46
3. "Love Lives Here" (Ronnie Lane, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood) Ð 3:09
4. "Last Orders Please" (Ronnie Lane) Ð 2:38
5. "Stay with Me" (Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood) Ð 4:42
Side Two
6. "Debris" (Ronnie Lane) Ð 4:39
7. "Memphis" (Chuck Berry) Ð 5:31
8. "Too Bad" (Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood) Ð 3:16
9. "That's All You Need" (Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood) Ð 5:05
Personnel
* Rod Stewart Ð vocals
* Ronnie Lane Ð bass, guitar, vocals
* Ronnie Wood Ð guitar, harmonica
* Ian McLagan Ð piano, organ
* Kenney Jones Ð drums
* Harry Fowler Ð steel drums on "That's All You Need"