Customer Reviews

Seven Separate Fools

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After nearly 30 years I've finally figured out what that line from Tulsa Turnaround says. This is the 1st rock album I ever listened to when I was 8, and I knew since then I wanted to be a rock star. Anyway this is one of the most underrated albums of all time from 1972 and has many of what I would call classics, from Black and White, a child's song to Chained, a sophisticated impressionistic electric pianoed rocker. Also contains the anthem In Bed, the cool riffed Writing on the Wall, and the greatest song ever written by a studio janitor: Midnight Runaway. My Old Kentucky Home is here, and the ballads, Pieces of April, the Greenspoon riff, Prelude to Morning, Freedom for the Stallion. This shows what an underrated band the Dogs were. And it's got nostalgia value....the time of late 60s/early 70s rock is past, and these records are all we have. Also I recommend another ignored great album: Hard Labor by 3 Dog Night. In case you don't know, a 3 dog night means it's real cold up north.

This record has a variety of songs, from a country sound "My Old Kentucky Home" to some awesome guitar licks on "Chained" as well as perfect harmony which we've all have come to love from Three Dog Night. Having been a long time follower of these guys, this is by FAR THE BEST collection of songs from this band. Many hit singles came from this record, including "Black and White," and "Pieces of April." Also included "Going in Circles" from a movie called "XYZ." It's very eerie and climactic. Highlighted on this album is keyboardest Jimmy Greenspoon in a sweet solo called "Prelude to Morning." If you are a new Three Dog Night fan, you do not want to miss this cd. This is probably the last best-selling album of their hey-day--sad to say. But is well worth the purchase, guaranteed!...

"Seven Separate Fools" rivals "Naturally" as one of Three Dog Night's best albums in many ways. Need proof? Well, like "Naturally", "SSF" features many different musical styles. For instance, if you're into rock 'n roll with some bite, there's "Chained" and "The Writing's On The Wall". In "Tulsa Turnaround", the band appears to have their geography a little mixed up, as a line in the song is mentioned as follows: "Omaha honey had a hold on a hell of a thing" (or something to that effect!). I think the band meant to say "Oklahoma", since that's where Tulsa is located. TDN probably felt that "Oklahoma" didn't fit into the rhythm of the music, so they used the shorter "Omaha", which fit rather nicely. The band more than made up for their geographic error in "Tulsa", with one of the coolest lines in rock 'n roll history: "When A Man's Gonna Eat Fried Chicken, He's Gonna Get Greasy!". Jimmy Greenspoon's beautiful, flowery keyboard playing on the lone instrumental, titled "Prelude To Morning", is a perfect segue for the sentimental ballad "Pieces Of April", and is sure to bring a tear to your eye. Chuck Negron proves he's two singers in one here, as his high-pitched vocals featured on songs from this CD such as "Chained" and "Freedom For The Stallion" are of sharp contrast to his powerful, rough-edged vocals, as featured on "Midnight Runaway", a song about a rock 'n roll star on the road who's trapped by his own fame. A Hatfield & McCoys theme is present in "My Old Kentucky Home (Turpentine And Dandelion Wine)", and "In Bed" features a catchy, laid back beat. If you're into movie music, there's "Going In Circles". This track was featured in the motion picture "X,Y&Z", which starred Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. TDN's third and final number one hit, titled "Black And White", is also featured in this fine body of musical work(s). "Black And White" was also a hit for the British reggae group Greyhound, whose version charted a year before TDN's smash single was released. For gospel music lovers, there's an absolutely beautiful balled titled "Freedom For The Stallion", which was also covered by the soul/r&b group The Hues Corporation. As noted here, "SSF" doesn't contain as many hit singles as "Naturally", but that's beside the point when you weigh both albums' musical merits, which are equal. Released in 1972, "Seven Separate Fools" was/is one of TDN's greatest achievements musically, and was/is way ahead of its time. It is highly advisable for fans of Three Dog Night to include this title in their CD collection(s) before it goes out of print. At this reduced price, it's a sure sign it won't be around forever. Don't be a "fool". Buy "Seven Separate Fools" today. You'll be glad you made this purchase!

Seven Separate Fools features two of of Three Dog Night's GREATEST HITS "Black and White" plus "Pieces of April". This album's unique combination of important messeges (Freedom For The Stallion, Chained, and Black and White) plus the group and listeners alike have fun with My Old Kentucky Home, Tulsa Turnaround, and In Bed. This album provides a zesty Three Dog Night flavor that cannot be found on the HITS albums.

By the time Three Dog Night released this album you didn't know what to expect from a band that has kept it alive for so long. They made a huge comeback on this album to prove that they weren't going anywhere. Lots of great songs here. "Black and White" and "Pieces Of April" were the hits but you gotta check out the Marvin Gaye remake "Chained" and the Rare Earth remake of "In Bed". The track "Going In Circles" is from the film X Y and Z which was not memorable but a good song and "Midnight Runaway" finishes the album off.

It was the summer before my wife and I married and Seven Separate Fools became our soundtrack for many days and nights ever after. This album touches all of the familiar notes of our emotions. It is thoughtful (Black and White), plaintive (Going in Circles), and sometimes just plain fun (Tulsa Turnaround). We're from Kentucky, so Three Dog's revved-up version of My Old Kentucky Home (ended with a semi-serious humming of Will the Circle Be Unbroken?) is one of our favorites. If we ever had a criticism for this album, it was that the guys didn't tap their fountain of creative genius a little longer during its creation to give us a few more cuts to satisfy our craving for more.

BEST THREE DOG NIGHT ALBUM, SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF HARMONY. SONGS RANGE FROM EASY (PIECES OF APRIL) TO MUCH HARDER (CHAINED). ALTOGETHER A GREAT MIX OF STYLES. MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME IS ULTIMATELY TRUE AND FUNNY. COULD THERE BE TRUER TO LIFE SONGS THAN IN BED OR WRITINGS ON THE WALL? THIS ALBUM ALSO CONTAINS ONE OF THE CLASSIC LINES OF ALL TIME " IF A MAN'S GONNA EAT FRIED CHICKEN, HE'S GONNA GET GREASY."!

This CD contains some untimely classics (Black And White, Pieces Of April) satire (My Old Kentucky Home) and rockers (Chained, Tulsa Turnaround). Love that line "when a man's gonna eat fried chicken he's gonna get greasy!" There's a nice ballad titled "Freedom For The Stallion", as well. I recommend you buy this CD. You will not be disappointed!

I recieved the vinyl version as a Christmas present when it came out. The only songs I'd heard was "Pieces of April" along with "Black and White" but the rest of the album was a real surprise. I really loved "Tulsa Turnaround", and "The Writings on the Wall" is great tune that was written by The Guess Who's Dominic Troiano. It is a great "sleeper" album worthy of being included in anyone's collection.

Warning! While this is an excellent album by Three Dog Night, I can't find any indication that it has been remastered. It is listed on this Amazon site as having come out in the mid-90's when the back is copyrighted 1988 - identical to the non-remastered disc I bought around that time (including the same generic back-cover that MCA put on all their cheap cds in the 80s). I have suggested this same warning for "Harmony."