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These Foolish Things (album)

These Foolish Things is the debut solo studio album by Bryan Ferry, who continued additionally to be Roxy Music's lead vocalist. The album was released in October 1973 on Island Records in the United Kingdom and Atlantic Records in the United States. It is considered to be a departure from Roxy Music's sound, being made up of far more 'straight' versions of standards. Additionally, where Roxy Music's albums were of songs composed by the band, These Foolish Things was a covers album. It was a commercial and critical success, peaking at number five on the UK Albums Chart. It received a gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry in May 1974.

Composition
Speaking about the album in 1973, Ferry said: "It's a very catholic selection, I've given up trying to please all of the people all of the time. Some will like it for one reason, some for another. And some will presumably dislike it for the wrong reasons though I hope the general point of it will be understood. It's amusement value. I think." ==Critical reception==
Critical reception
Robert Christgau found that Ferry "both undercuts the inflated idealism of [Bob Dylan's 'A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall'] and reaffirms its essential power", establishes Lesley Gore's "It's My Party" as a protest song, and with his cover of "These Foolish Things", "reminds us that pop is only, well, foolish things, many of which predate not only Andy Warhol but rock and roll itself." ==Track listing==
Personnel
Musicians • Bryan Ferry – lead vocals, acoustic piano • Eddie Jobson – keyboards, synthesizers, violin • David Skinner – acoustic piano • John Porter – guitars, bass • Phil Manzanera – guitar solo (10) • Paul Thompson – drums • John Punter – additional drums (7, 8) • Roger Ball – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, horn arrangements • Ruan O'Lochlainn – alto saxophone solo (11) • Malcolm Duncan – tenor saxophone • Henry Lowther – trumpet • Robbie Montgomery – backing vocals (1, 8) • Jessie Davis – backing vocals (1, 8) • The Angelettes – backing vocals (2–7, 9–13) Production • Bryan Ferry – producer • John Porter – producer • John Punter – producer, engineer • Steve Nye – engineer • Andy Arthurs – assistant engineer • Nicholas De Ville – cover design • Karl Stoecker – photography ==Charts==
Charts
Weekly charts Year-end charts ==Certifications==
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