'' is an album by
Power Pop band
Badfinger , released on
December 13 ,
1971 . It is widely regarded as one of Badfinger's best albums, spawning two Top 40 singles and being commercially successful in its own right.
''Straight Up'' recordings began in early 1971 under the direction of producer
Geoff Emerick , who produced the bulk of Badfinger's preceding album
No Dice . Although these early recordings were completed and ready to be pressed,
Apple Records co-president
George Harrison decided the unreleased album could be improved under his personal direction. Harrison produced new versions of a couple of the earlier songs, as well as recording a couple new tracks with the band in the summer of 1971. Harrison can be heard playing a lead-guitar duet with Pete Ham on the song ''Day After Day,'' with
Leon Russell featured on piano.
Due to a hurriedly-assembled benefit concert that summer,
The Concert For Bangladesh (which Badfinger performed in), Harrison did not complete the ''Straight Up'' project.
Todd Rundgren was retained to finish the album; utilising recordings begun by both Emerick and Harrison, and recording several new tracks with the band. Although production credit on the album is given equally to Rundgren and Harrison, Rundgren's work is the most apparent. Despite the album's popularity with fans and music critics, Badfinger expressed reservations with the final production; Ham complaining about losing production input, and
Joey Molland adding the album lost energy compared to
No Dice .
''Straight Up'' peaked at number 31 on
Billboard 's Pop Albums chart. The singles "Baby Blue" and "Day After Day" peaked at number 14 and number 4, respectively, on the Pop Singles chart.
#"Take It All" (Ham) - 4:25
#"Baby Blue" (Ham) - 3:37
#"Money" (Evans) - 3:29
#"Flying" (Evans/Molland) - 2:38
#"I'd Die Babe" (Molland) - 2:33
#"Name of the Game" (Ham) - 5:19
#"Suitcase" (Molland) - 2:53
#"Sweet Tuesday Morning" (Molland) - 2:31
#"Day After Day" (Ham) - 3:09
#"Sometimes" (Molland) - 2:56
#"Perfection" (Ham) - 5:07
#"It's Over" (Evans) - 3:34
- Andy Davis - Liner Notes (for CD release only)
- Badfinger - Composer
- George Harrison - Guitar (Steel), Producer
- Todd Rundgren - Producer
- Joey Molland - Guitar, Vocals
- Geoff Emerick - Producer
- Tom Evans - Bass, Vocals
- Ron Furmanek - Research, Digital Remastering
- Mike Gibbins - Drums
- Pete Ham - Guitar, Vocals
- Peter Mew - Engineer (for CD release only)
- Mike Jarratt - Engineer (for CD release only)
- Marcia McGovern - Pre-Production Director (for CD release only)
- Roberta Ballard - Production Manager (for CD release only)
- Gene Mahon - Design (for CD release only)
- Richard DiLello - Design, Photography
