![]() ![]() Those who wrote this album off the first time around should seriously give it another listen, while those just being introduced to Ride a Rock Horse will be suitably impressed. Had Roger Daltrey been an unknown entity and Ride a Rock Horse marked his maiden vinyl voyage, critics would have probably penned rapturous reviews. Daltrey’s amazing vocals, combined with sympathetic and inspired instrumentation anchor each number. No doubt expectations simply ran too high, as this is certainly a potent piece of work. It is quite baffling that Ride a Rock Horse drew mixed responses when initially released. Bleeding with a sense of urgency, the brawny “Heart’s Right” ripples to a tugging groove, and “I Was Born to Sing Your Song” is an emotionally charged piano-driven ballad. Navigated by big and sweeping piano movements, the intricately structured song sadly failed to catch on and quickly withered on the vine.Ī seething snarl, stabbing hooks and some cool saxophone action constitutes “Proud,” where the poppy “World Over” is breaded with bouncy rhythms and cheery melodies. The final single pulled from the album was “Oceans Away,” a ballad about a geographically challenged romance that will survive against all odds because the love is strong and true. Roger Daltrey’s version of the regularly rendered song basically sticks to the original blueprint, with the exception of a rather hauntingly repetitious tone slipped into the stew. The next single taken from Ride a Rock Horse was a cover of the Rufus Thomas R&B standard, “Walking the Dog,” which reached the No. Despite its immediate appeal, “Come and Get Your Love” stalled at No. Authored by Russ Ballard, this track favors a hard-rocking tenor, augmented by pounding piano chords, a chorus of funky female vocals and a stinging guitar solo. The album yielded three singles, beginning with “Come and Get Your Love,” which is not to be confused with the tune of the same name that Redbone scored a hit with in 1974. Daltrey’s intent as a solo artist was not to recreate Who-isms, but to pursue more of a commercial pop-rock direction. Daltrey’s distinct and powerful pipes are in peak form here still, it is unrealistic to expect any of these songs to match the innovation and intensity of the Who. ![]() Ride a Rock Horse managed a bit of a tougher edge, compared to Roger Daltrey’s self-titled debut effort from 1973. On Ride a Rock Horse, Ballard also contributed a trio of songs, as well as a good portion of guitar, keyboards and background vocals. The disc was produced by Russ Ballard, who previously held membership in a pair of noted British bands – Unit 4 + 2 and Argent. Squeezed in between these events – the month of July, to be exact – Daltrey’s second solo album, Ride a Rock Horse (MCA Records) was issued. ![]() He also tossed in some R&B with a cover of Rufus Thomas' "Walking The Dog," and sang in something closer to his actual British accent in the Cockney rave-up "Milk Train." Ride A Rock Horse lacked the overall quality and cohesion of Daltrey, but was still a respectable effort, especially since Daltrey's solo career remained a side issue at this time.Ninety-seventy five was an incredibly busy year for Who frontman Roger Daltrey.īesides boasting starring roles in the cinematic adaptation of the Who’s 1969 masterpiece Tommy,” and a film depicting the life of Hungarian musician and composer Franz Liszt called Lisztomania, the Who’s seventh studio album The Who By Numbers also arrived in the bins. Partridge was deliberately nudging Daltrey, trying to get him to admit to excessive drug use. On this material, Daltrey took a pop/rock approach, somewhat less aggressive than his work with The Who. Partridge then moved on to ask Daltrey about his thrill-seeking antics back in the ‘60s, citing the cover of Daltrey’s solo album Ride A Rock Horse, which features a picture of a white horse with Daltrey’s body sprouting from its neck. Daltrey, therefore, called on his producer, Russ Ballard, who wrote three songs, including the chart single "Come And Get Your Love," and one Paul Korda, who wrote another three. By the time Roger Daltrey was ready to make his second solo album, Leo Sayer, upon whom he had relied to provide songs for his first, had launched his own successful singing career and was keeping his material for himself. Personnel: Roger Daltrey Russ Ballard (guitar, piano, organ) Tony Meehan (strings, woodwinds) Phillip Goodhand-Tait (piano) Dave Wintour (bass guitar) Stewart Francis, Henry Spinetti (drums).
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