Frampton Comes Alive!
Live album by
Peter Frampton
Released6 January 1976 (1976-01-06)
Recorded14 June 1975
24 August 1975
22 November 1975
VenueWinterland Ballroom, San Francisco, California
Long Island Arena, Commack, New York
SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, New York
GenreRock
Length78:06 (original album)
98:03 (2001 expanded and remastered edition)
LabelA&M
ProducerPeter Frampton
Peter Frampton chronology
Frampton
(1975)		 Frampton Comes Alive!
(1976)		 I'm in You
(1977)
Singles from Frampton Comes Alive!
  1. "Show Me the Way"
    Released: February 1976
  2. "Baby, I Love Your Way"
    Released: June 1976
  3. "Do You Feel Like We Do"
    Released: September 1976
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusiclink
Christgau's Record GuideB−[1]

Frampton Comes Alive! is the first double live album by English musician and songwriter Peter Frampton, released in 1976 by A&M Records. Frampton Comes Alive! is one of the best-selling live albums of all time. "Show Me the Way", "Baby, I Love Your Way", and "Do You Feel Like We Do" were all released as singles; all three reached the top 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and frequently receive airplay on classic rock radio stations. Following four studio albums with no success and sales, Frampton Comes Alive! was a breakthrough for Frampton.

Released on 6 January 1976, Frampton Comes Alive! debuted on the charts at #191. It reached number one on the US Billboard 200 the week ending 10 April 1976, eventually spending a total of 10 non-consecutive weeks in the top spot through October. It was the best-selling album of 1976, selling over 8 million copies in the US[2] and becoming one of the best-selling live albums to date, with estimated sales of 20 million worldwide.[3]

Frampton Comes Alive! was voted "Album of the Year" in a 1976 Rolling Stone readers' poll. It stayed on the chart for 97 weeks and was still No. 14 on Billboard's 1977 year-end album chart. It was ranked No. 41 on Rolling Stone's "50 Greatest Live Albums of All Time" list.[4] Readers of Rolling Stone ranked it No. 3 in a 2012 poll of all-time favourite live albums.[5]

In 2020, the 1976 album of Frampton Comes Alive! on A&M Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[6]

Background and recording

The album was recorded in the first five months of 1975, primarily at Winterland in San Francisco as well as Marin Veterans' Memorial Auditorium in San Rafael, California, Long Island Arena in Commack, New York, and a concert on the SUNY Plattsburgh campus in Plattsburgh, New York. The Winterland songs were recorded on a 24-track master recorder. Other concerts were captured on a 16-track recorder. Recordings from four shows were used for the original album. Master tapes were recorded at 15 inches per second using professional Dolby "A" noise reduction.[7]

The live album had been intended to be a single LP disc, but at the suggestion of A&M Records additional shows were recorded and the album expanded to two LPs for release. On the special features for the "Live in Detroit" concert DVD, Frampton commented that some difficulty was encountered in the mixing after the microphone cable to the bass drum microphone was inadvertently pulled, accidentally causing the microphone to face at a 90-degree angle from the drumhead. During the concerts, Frampton principally used a distinctive modified black 1954 Gibson Les Paul Custom electric guitar (with three Humbucker pick-ups as opposed to the usual P90 and AlNiCo Staple pickups).[8] On In the Studio with Redbeard, Frampton said, "The album is mostly live except for the first verse of 'Something's Happening', the rhythm electric guitar on 'Show Me the Way' (the talk-box came out but the engineer forgot to move the mic) and the intro piano on 'I Wanna Go to the Sun' were fixed in the studio but the rest was all live (all the guitar solos, acoustic guitars, electric keyboards, drums, bass guitar and rest of vocals)".[9]

The introduction "If there was ever a musician who was an honorary member of San Francisco society, Mr. Peter Frampton" was by the general manager at Winterland, Jerry Pompili.

Release

The double album was released in the US with a reduced list price of $7.98, only $1.00 more than the standard $6.98 of most single-disc albums in 1976. The album was pressed in "automatic sequence", with sides one and four on one record, followed by sides two and three on the other. This arrangement was intended to make it easier to listen through the whole album in sequence on automatic record changers.

Three hit singles were released from the album: "Baby, I Love Your Way", "Do You Feel Like We Do" and "Show Me the Way". The talk box guitar effect became strongly associated with Frampton when it was heard on the latter two singles. The "Do You Feel Like We Do" single version was edited to 7:19 from the 14:15 album version. But even at just over seven minutes, it is about twice the length of the average hit single and one of the longest ever to make the top 40 (longer even than The Beatles' "Hey Jude" which ran 7:11). The B-side of "Do You Feel Like We Do", the acoustic instrumental "Penny for Your Thoughts", was the shortest song on Frampton Comes Alive at just 1:23.

In January 2001, a 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of the album was released, containing four additional tracks that were not included on the original version (although one of these was recorded in a radio studio as part of a broadcast, and does not form part of the main concert programme). The track sequence is also significantly different, to more accurately reflect the set list used in the original concerts. Frampton produced the completely remixed and extended album and played an impromptu live performance with the original band from the album at Tower Records in Los Angeles to help promote the release.

Track listing

All songs written by Peter Frampton except as noted. Durations are sourced from original LP release.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Introduction/Something's Happening" Somethin's Happening (1974)5:54
2."Doobie Wah"Frampton, John Headley-Down, Rick WillsSomethin's Happening (1974)5:28
3."Show Me the Way" Frampton (1975)4:32
4."It's a Plain Shame" Wind of Change (1972)4:21
Side two
No.TitleOriginal albumLength
1."All I Want to Be (Is by Your Side)"Wind of Change (1972)3:27
2."Wind of Change"Wind of Change (1972)2:47
3."Baby, I Love Your Way"Frampton (1975)4:43
4."I Wanna Go to the Sun"Somethin's Happening (1974)7:02
Side three
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Penny for Your Thoughts" Frampton (1975)1:23
2."(I'll Give You) Money" Frampton (1975)5:39
3."Shine On" Rock On (1971)3:35
4."Jumpin' Jack Flash"Mick Jagger, Keith RichardsWind of Change (1972)7:45
Side four
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Lines on My Face" Frampton's Camel (1973)7:06
2."Do You Feel Like We Do"Frampton, Mick Gallagher, John Siomos, Rick WillsFrampton's Camel (1973)14:15

25th anniversary deluxe edition

Disc one
  1. "Introduction/Something's Happening" – 5:56 (Originally titled "Baby (Somethin's Happening)" on Frampton's 1974 album Somethin's Happening)
  2. "Doobie Wah" (Frampton, Rick Wills, John Headley-Down) – 5:43
  3. "Lines on My Face" – 6:59
  4. "Show Me the Way" – 4:32
  5. "It's a Plain Shame" – 4:03
  6. "Wind of Change" – 2:57
  7. "Just the Time of Year" – 4:21 *
  8. "Penny for Your Thoughts" – 1:34
  9. "All I Want to Be (Is By Your Side)" – 3:08
  10. "Baby, I Love Your Way" – 4:41
  11. "I Want to Go to the Sun" – 7:15
Disc two
  1. "Nowhere's Too Far (For My Baby)" – 4:49 *
  2. "(I'll Give You) Money" – 5:46
  3. "Do You Feel Like We Do" (SUNY-Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY, 22 November 1975) (Frampton, Mick Gallagher, John Siomos, Wills) – 13:46
  4. "Shine On" – 3:29
  5. "White Sugar" – 4:43 *
  6. "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) – 7:40
  7. "Day's Dawning/Closing" – 3:34 *

(* Available only on the 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

35th anniversary deluxe edition

Same track listing as the 25th anniversary edition plus an extra track "Do You Feel Like We Do" featuring Warren Haynes.

Personnel

Production

  • Photography: Mike Zagaris
  • Mastering: Mike Reese at The Mastering Lab
  • Remastering: Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab, Los Angeles
  • Remastering: Roger Wake at Bourbery-Wake
  • Remastering (25th Anniversary Edition): Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering Studios, Portland, ME, October 2000
  • Remix (25th Anniversary Edition): Chuck Ainlay at Backstage Studios Nashville, TN, August/September 2000

Chart positions

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Frampton Comes Alive!
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[35] 3× Platinum 150,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[36] Gold 50,000^
Japan — 15,000[18]
United Kingdom (BPI)[37] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[38] 8× Platinum 8,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: F". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 24, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  2. ↑ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". RIAA. RIAA. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  3. ↑ Samuel, Lawrence R. (2009-07-01). Rich: The Rise and Fall of American Wealth Culture. American Management Association. p. 176. ISBN 9780814413630. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
  4. ↑ "50 Greatest Live Albums". rollingstone.com.
  5. ↑ "Readers' Poll: The 10 Best Live Albums of All Time". rollingstone.com. November 21, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  6. ↑ https://www.grammy.com/awards/hall-of-fame-award#f
  7. ↑ Frampton Comes Alive In 5.1 – Mixonline.com
  8. ↑ Peter Frampton Interview by Steven Rosen. Modern Guitars Magazine November 21, 2008
  9. ↑ Peter Frampton Comes Alive 40th Anniversary
  10. ↑ "Billboard Hits of the World". Billboard Magazine. 30 April 1977. p. 99.
  11. 1 2 3 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 117. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  12. ↑ "Billboard Hits of the World". Billboard Magazine. 19 February 1977. p. 58.
  13. ↑ "RPM Top Albums". RPM Magazine. bac-lac.gc.ca. 24 July 1976. p. 29. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  14. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Peter Frampton – Frampton Comes Alive!" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  15. ↑ "Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste – F" (in French). Institut français d'opinion publique. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  16. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Peter Frampton – Frampton Comes Alive!" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  17. ↑ "Billboard International". Billboard Magazine. 23 April 1977. p. 74.
  18. 1 2 Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  19. ↑ "Charts.nz – Peter Frampton – Frampton Comes Alive!". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  20. ↑ "Billboard Hits of the World". Billboard Magazine. 16 April 1977. p. 71.
  21. ↑ "Billboard Hits of the World". Billboard Magazine. 5 March 1977. p. 60.
  22. ↑ "Billboard Hits of the World". Billboard Magazine. 11 December 1976. p. 51.
  23. ↑ "Peter Frampton Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  24. ↑ "Rock LP Best Sellers". Billboard Magazine. 22 May 1976. p. 46.
  25. ↑ "Cashbox Top 100 Albums". Cashbox Magazine. 13 March 1976. p. 57.
  26. ↑ "Top 100 Albums of '76". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  27. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1976 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  28. ↑ "Top 50 Albums of 1976" (PDF). Music Week. 25 December 1976. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  29. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1976". Billboard. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  30. ↑ "Top 20 Albums of 1976". Cashbox Magazine. 25 December 1976.
  31. ↑ "Top 100 Albums of 1977". RPM Magazine. bac-lac.gc.ca. 31 December 1977. p. 15. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  32. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1977. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  33. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1977 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  34. ↑ "1977 Talent in Action" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 89, no. 51. 24 December 1977. p. 66. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  35. ↑ "CashBox Magazine" (PDF). Cash Box. December 16, 1978. p. 56. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via World Radio History.
  36. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Peter Frampton – Frampton Comes Alive". Music Canada. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  37. ↑ "British album certifications – Peter Frampton – Frampton Comes Alive". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  38. ↑ "American album certifications – Peter Frampton – Frampton Comes Alive!". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
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