The Light of Smiles

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The Light of Smiles
Studio album by
Gary Wright
ReleasedJanuary 1977 (1977-01)
Recorded1976
Studio
Warner Bros.
ProducerGary Wright
Gary Wright chronology
The Dream Weaver
(1975) 		The Light of Smiles
(1977) 		Touch and Gone
(1977)

The Light of Smiles is the fourth album by

Warner Bros. Records as the follow-up to his commercial breakthrough, The Dream Weaver. The album was produced by Wright and recorded in Los Angeles in 1976. Aside from drums and orchestral strings, the music was created entirely on synthesizers and other keyboard instruments. The lyrics reflect Wright's preoccupation with spirituality, particularly the teachings of Indian yogi Paramahansa Yogananda
.

Although the album failed to match the commercial impact of its predecessor, The Light of Smiles was moderately successful and received a favorable response from some music critics. In the United States, it peaked at number 23 on Billboard's albums chart, while the single "Phantom Writer" reached number 43 on the Hot 100.

Background and recording

Gary Wright began writing songs for The Light of Smiles while on tour in 1976,[1] having become a popular concert draw with the success of The Dream Weaver.[2] Recording started in Los Angeles during the summer, with Wright using members of his tour band, including keyboardist Peter Reilich and drummer Art Wood, and session musicians David Foster and Jim Keltner,[3] both of whom had contributed to The Dream Weaver.[4] In early June, Chris Charlesworth of Melody Maker reported that the new album would be "a logical development" of its predecessor and focus solely on sounds generated through keyboard instruments, particularly synthesizers.[5] Played mainly by Wright, Foster and Reilich, the range of keyboard instruments includes clavinet, organ, and Moog, Oberheim and ARP synthesizers.[6] Reilich also provided arrangements for orchestral strings on "Phantom Writer" and "Child of Light".[7]

On "I Am the Sky", Wright gave a songwriting credit to the late Indian

Warner Bros. Records, Thirty Three & 1/3, with Wright playing synthesizer on "See Yourself",[11] one of the album's two Yogananda-inspired tracks.[12] Having been introduced to Yogananda's book Autobiography of a Yogi by Harrison in the early 1970s, Wright subsequently acknowledged the guru as a lifelong influence.[13] The front cover of The Light of Smiles includes a portrait of Wright painted by John Silletto.[14]

Release and reception

Warner Bros. issued The Light of Smiles in January 1977, with "Phantom Writer" as the album's lead single.[15] Wright toured extensively to promote the release.[16] In his 2014 autobiography, he regrets choosing "Phantom Writer" for the single, and cites this decision as an example of his "smug" belief that, after his hit singles "Dream Weaver" and "Love Is Alive" in 1976, "anything I released would be hugely successful". Wright says he should have edited down "Water Sign" instead for release as the lead single.[16]

Although it failed to match the commercial success of The Dream Weaver,[17] the album proved popular.[18] On the U.S. charts compiled by Billboard, it peaked at number 23,[18] while "Phantom Writer" reached number 43 on the Hot 100.[19]

Billboard's reviewer recognized The Light of Smiles as an advance on The Dream Weaver, in that "Wright proves himself even more highly developed as a virtuoso of blending ethereal sounds into a brilliantly commercial texture." The reviewer also said: "His arrangements are increasingly varied and dynamic, his voice is more flexible and feathery than ever. This is softly pulsating, spacey music that never gets boring or pretentious."[20]

In his review for

The Rolling Stone Record Guide, however, Dave Marsh dismissed the album with a one-star review. Marsh grouped it with Wright's next two releases as examples of the artist's overindulgence and propensity for "a spacy, mystical froth of synthesizers and remarkably poor vocalizing".[22]

Track listing

All songs written by Gary Wright, except where noted.[23]

Side one

  1. "Water Sign" – 4:33
  2. "Time Machine" – 3:36
  3. "I Am the Sky" (Paramahansa Yogananda) – 0:42
  4. "Who Am I" – 3:18
  5. "Silent Fury" – 4:20
  6. "Phantom Writer" – 3:38

Side two

  1. "The Light of Smiles" – 3:30
  2. "I'm Alright" – 3:35
  3. "Empty Inside" – 3:30
  4. "Are You Weepin'" – 4:00
  5. "Child of Light" – 5:55

Personnel

  • Moog bass
    , effects
  • David Foster – piano, clavinet, organ, synthesizer
  • Peter Reilich – piano, clavinet, organ, synthesizer, string arrangements
  • Jim Keltner – drums, percussion
  • Art Wood – drums, percussion
  • Steve Porcaro – Moog bass on "Silent Fury"
  • Bettye Sweet, David Pomeranz, Lorna Wright – backing vocals
  • Justin Wright – vocal on "I Am the Sky"
  • Gary Mielke, Jay Graydon – synthesizer programming

Charts

Chart (1977) Position
Australian Kent Music Report[24] 75
United States Billboard Top LPs & Tape 23

References

  1. ISBN 978-0-399-16523-8
    .
  2. ^ Welch, Chris (June 26, 1976). "Yes, Peter Frampton, Gary Wright: JFK Stadium, Philadelphia". Melody Maker. Available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required).
  3. ^ Wright 2014, p. 163.
  4. ^ Hurwitz, Matt (December 1, 2009). "Classic Tracks: Gary Wright's 'Dream Weaver'". Mix. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  5. ^ Charlesworth, Chris (June 5, 1976). "Gary Wright: Wright at Last". Melody Maker. Available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required).
  6. ^ "Gary Wright The Light of Smiles: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  7. ^ a b Sleeve credits. Gary Wright, The Light of Smiles (1977). Warner Bros. Records BS 2951.
  8. ISBN 0-313-27825-3
    .
  9. ^ "Gary Wright The Light of Smiles". AllMusic. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  10. ^ "The Light of Smiles". lightworkers.org. Archived from the original on March 20, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  11. ISBN 978-1-4234-0609-9
    .
  12. ISBN 978-0-313-37532-3
    .
  13. ^ Wright 2014, pp. 6, 93–94.
  14. ^ Wright 2014, p. 165.
  15. ^ Freedland, Nat (reviews ed.) (January 15, 1977). "Top Album Picks". Billboard. p. 80. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  16. ^ a b Wright 2014, pp. 166–68.
  17. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Gary Wright". AllMusic. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  18. ^
    ISBN 0-684-81044-1. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help
    )
  19. ^ "Gary Wright: Chart History". billboard.com. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  20. ^ Freedland, Nat (record reviews ed.) (January 15, 1977). "Top Album Picks". Billboard. p. 80. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  21. ^ Holden, Stephen (March 10, 1977). "Records: Gary Wright The Light of Smiles". Rolling Stone. Available at superseventies.com.
  22. ISBN 0-394-72107-1. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help
    )
  23. ^ Composer credits and track lengths taken from US LP labels: Gary Wright, The Light of Smiles (1977). Warner Bros. BS 2951.
  24. ISBN 0-646-11917-6
    .

External links
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