Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
| Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 27, 1970 | |||
| Recorded | April–October 1970 | |||
| Genre | Psychedelic rock, progressive rock[1] | |||
| Length | 38:58 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | David Briggs | |||
| Spirit chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [4] |
Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus is the fourth album by the American
RIAA gold certification in the U.S., achieving that status in 1976.[5]
On the Canadian RPM Magazine Top 100 charts, the album reached #49 and was in the top 100 for 10 weeks.[6]
"Nature's Way" became one of Spirit's signature songs, but was not a big hit at the time, peaking at #111 on the Billboard pop charts in 1971. To capitalize on the album's enduring appeal, "Mr. Skin" (the B-side of "Nature's Way") was released as an A-side in 1973 and also charted, peaking at #92. It was voted number 332 in
Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums
3rd Edition (2000).
[7]
Despite these commercial limitations, Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus enjoyed significant airing on college FM radio. The album was re-issued on CD in 1988 by
MFSL, without bonus tracks, and in 1996 by Sony in remastered form, with bonus tracks. A 2022 two-CD release by Cherry Red Records also included several bonus tracks and a 1970 performance at the Fillmore West
.
Reception
Writing in Rolling Stone, Nick Tosches opined that the album was a "blockbuster" despite some shortcomings.[8]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Randy California, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Prelude – Nothin' to Hide" | 3:41 | |
| 2. | "Nature's Way" | 2:30 | |
| 3. | "Animal Zoo" | Jay Ferguson | 3:20 |
| 4. | "Love Has Found a Way" |
| 2:42 |
| 5. | "Why Can't I Be Free" | 1:03 | |
| 6. | "Mr. Skin" | Ferguson | 3:50 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. | "Space Child" (instrumental) | Locke | 3:26 |
| 8. | "When I Touch You" | Ferguson | 5:35 |
| 9. | "Street Worm" | Ferguson | 3:40 |
| 10. | "Life Has Just Begun" | 3:22 | |
| 11. | "Morning Will Come" | 2:58 | |
| 12. | "Soldier" | 2:43 | |
| Total length: | 38:58 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Rougher Road" | 3:16 | |
| 14. | "Animal Zoo" (mono single version) | Ferguson | 3:10 |
| 15. | "Morning Will Come" (alternate mono mix) | 2:58 | |
| 16. | "Red Light Roll On" | 5:40 | |
| Total length: | 52:22 | ||
Personnel
Spirit
- Jay Ferguson – vocals, percussion, keyboards
- Randy California – guitars, vocals, bass
- John Locke – keyboards, art direction
- Mark Andes – bass, vocals
- Ed Cassidy – drums, percussion
Additional personnel
- Matt Andes – Dobro (on "Nothin' to Hide")
Production
- David Briggs – Producer
- Vic Anesini – Mastering
- Adam Block – Project Director
- David Blumberg – Horn Arrangements ("Mr. Skin", "Morning Will Come")
- Ira Cohen – Photography
- Jeff Smith – Package Design
- Bob Irwin – Compilation Producer
Charts
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Top LPs | 63 |
| Canada RPM Top 100 | 49 |
See also
- Mr. Sardonicus, a 1961 horror film
References
- ^ "Sir Robbo's Double Dipped Dozen: a psychedelic summer selection" (PDF). Cyclic Defrost. November 1998. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
- ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Spirit – Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
- ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 13, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ISBN 978-0857125958.
- ^ RIAA Database
- ^ title RPM Magazine
- ISBN 0-7535-0493-6.
- ^ Tosches, Nick (4 March 1971). "Spirit: Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
External links
- Album online on Radio3Net a radio channel of Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company
