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Chris Rea: Whatever Happened to Benny Santini?

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Magnet Records
Released: 1978
Time:
 38:07
Category: Pop/Rock
Producer(s): Gus Dudgeon
Rating:
Media type: CD
Web address: www.chrisrea.com
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2012
Price in €: 1,00





 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? (Ch.Rea) - 4:22
[2] The Closer You Get (Ch.Rea) - 3:31
[3] Because of You... (Ch.Rea) - 3:57
[4] Dancing with Charlie (Ch.Rea) - 3:52
[5] Bows and Bangles (Ch.Rea) - 3:58
[6] Fool [If You Think It's Over] (Ch.Rea) - 4:47
[7] Three Angels (Ch.Rea) - 3:26
[8] Just One of Those Days (Ch.Rea) - 2:40
[9] Standing in Your Doorway (Ch.Rea) - 3:53
[10] Fires of Spring (Ch.Rea) - 3:54

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Chris Rea - Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Synthesizer

Robert Ahwai - Guitar
Eddie Guy - Guitar
Paul Keogh - Guitar
Phil Curtis - Bass
Pat Donaldson - Bass
Dave Markee - Bass
Eoghan O'Neill - Bass
Rod Argent - Keyboards, Electric Piano
Kevin Leach - Keyboards
Max Middleton - Keyboards
Pete Wingfield - Keyboards, Piano
Steve Gregory - Saxophone
Dave Mattacks - Drums
Norman Nosebait - Drums
Adrian Rea - Drums
Martin Ditcham - Percussion
Gus Dudgeon - Percussion, Tambourine, Producer
Frank Ricotti - Percussion, Conga, Tabla
George Woodhead - Percussion

Doreen Chanter - Backing Vocals
Irene Chanter - Backing Vocals
Stuart Epps - Backing Vocals

Gus Dudgeon - Producer
Phil Dunne - Engineer
Stuart Epps - Assistant Engineer
Ian Cooper - Mastering
Jubilee Graphics - Design
Han-Chew Tham - Photography

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


Though he had already cut a single, "So Much Love," for Magnet Records in 1975, this was Chris Rea's first full-length album. While "So Much Love" had basically disappeared quickly upon its release, the song "Fool (If You Think It's Over)" from Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? became his largest hit, especially in the U.S., where it was nominated for a Grammy (though it didn't win). Often the hit song from an album is not the best. In this case, though, it is. The rest of the album is somewhat mediocre, with too-polished production. Though Rea reportedly wasn't overly happy with the sound of the album, he did end up using the same producer for his next album, Deltics. The songs on Benny Santini are a mix of well-crafted, if unexciting, guitar rock pop songs and wistful ballads similar to, but not as strong as, "Fool (If You Think It's Over)." What makes the album stand out from similar late-'70s middle-of-the-road rock pop is Rea's voice. A gravelly, warm baritone, it's got a sort of Joe Cocker sound to it. A track like "Because of You" is made all the more touching by the emotiveness inherent in his voice. The album title refers to a name that Magnet Records was considering christening Rea with as a way to make him more spiffy sounding -- sort of the "John Cougar syndrome" that record labels sometimes have.

Rob Caldwell - All Music Guide



Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? is the debut album by Chris Rea, released in 1978 (see 1978 in music).

The first single lifted from the album, "Fool (If You Think It's Over)", is arguably Rea's best known song, and remains his biggest hit in the United States, peaking at number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching number one on the Adult Contemporary Singles chart. Unlike many of Rea's other singles, "Fool..." was not a great success on the UK Singles Chart, failing to chart on its first release and only reaching number thirty when re-released later in 1978 to capitalise on its U.S. success. This success was also helped by being played extensively by Radio Caroline, as it was dedicated to the British Home Office, who were trying to put the station off the air.

The title of the album is a reference to a name Rea's UK record label (Magnet) had considered christening him with to make him sound more attractive commercially.

Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? was produced by Gus Dudgeon, who is perhaps most famous for producing most of Elton John's album output in the 1970s. Rea was reportedly dissatisfied with the final mix of the album; he later went some way to rectify this to his satisfaction starting with 1988's greatest hits compilation New Light Through Old Windows, where "Fool..." was presented in a newly recorded version. Dudgeon went on to produce Rea's next effort, Deltics.

Wikipedia.org
 

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