Eight Frames a Second

Eight Frames a Second is the debut album by British folk musician Ralph McTell. Released in the UK in 1968, it is notable for being the first record produced by Gus Dudgeon, and the first arranged by Tony Visconti. Unusually for a new artist, the front of the album sleeve contained no reference to either McTell or the album title. The entire album cost £350 in total.[1]

Eight Frames a Second
Studio album by
Ralph McTell
ReleasedFebruary 1968
RecordedOctober 1967
StudioPye Studios, London
GenreFolk, folk rock, country blues
Length38:54
LabelTransatlantic
ProducerGus Dudgeon
Ralph McTell chronology
Eight Frames a Second
(1968)		 Spiral Staircase
(1969)

Track listing

All songs composed by Ralph McTell, except where noted.

Side one
  1. "Nanna's Song" - 3:05
  2. "The Mermaid and the Seagull" - 4:05
  3. "Hesitation Blues" (Traditional; arranged by Ralph McTell) - 2:43
  4. "Are You Receiving Me?" - 3:37
  5. "Morning Dew" (Bonnie Dobson; arranged by Fred Neil) - 3:10
  6. "Sleepytime Blues" - 3:50
Side two
  1. "Eight Frames a Second" - 3:20
  2. "Willoughby's Farm" - 2:00
  3. "Louise" - 3:45
  4. "Blind Blake's Rag" (Traditional; arranged by Ralph McTell) 1:55
  5. "I'm Sorry - I Must Leave" - 2:15
  6. "Too Tight Drag" (Blind Blake) - 2:29
  7. "Granny Takes a Trip" (Geoff Bowyer, Christopher Joe Beard) - 2:40

Personnel
  • Ralph McTell - guitar, vocals
  • Mac McGann - double-neck guitar
  • Mick "Henry VIII" Bartlett - jug
  • "Whispering Mick" Bennett - washboard
  • Bob Strawbridge - mandolin
  • Tony Visconti - arrangements and musical direction
Technical

Awards and accolades

Ralph McTell was presented with a Gold Disc of Eight Frames a Second during his 60th birthday concert at the Royal Festival Hall in November 2004.[2]

Release history
Country Date Label Format Catalogue Notes
United Kingdom 1968 Transatlantic LP TRA165 Mono
United States 1969 Capitol LP ST240 Remixed to stereo
Canada 1969 Capitol LP ST240 Remixed to stereo
South Africa 1975 Logo LP LGD6001 Record 2 of 2-LP set "2 Originals of Ralph McTell"
France 1978 Transatlantic LP TRA89554/5 Record 1 of 2-LP set. Record 2 is "Spiral Staircase"
Australia 1980 Transatlantic/
7 Records		 LP MLM400
United Kingdom 2007 Transatlantic CD TRRCD400 'Expanded Edition' with four previously unreleased bonus tracks.

Many of the tracks on this album also feature on the Spiral Staircase - Classic Songs compilation.

Track variations

The LP released in South Africa in 1975 omits "Nanna's Song", "The Mermaid and the Seagull" and "Hesitation Blues", that are included on Record 1 of the 2-LP set.[3]

The UK 2007 CD release includes four bonus tracks:[4]

14. "Suzanne" (Leonard Cohen) (1)
15. "I Love My Baby" (Traditional; arranged by Ralph McTell) (2)
16. "Boodle Am Shake" (Traditional; arranged by Ralph McTell) (2)
17. "San Francisco Bay Blues" (Jesse Fuller) (3)

(1) From the original album recording sessions
(2) Live concert recording from 1967
(3) Demo recording with Rick Wakeman (piano).

References
  1. www.ralphmctell.co.uk https://www.ralphmctell.co.uk/features/eight-frames-a-second/. Retrieved 7 July 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. Leola Music Ltd. “The London Show”, TPGDVD25, 2005.
  3. "2 Originals of Ralph McTell" LP sleeve, 1975.
  4. "Eight Frames a Second" CD inlay, 2007.
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