Desolation Angels (album)

Desolation Angels is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Bad Company. The album was released on March 17, 1979.[3] Paul Rodgers revealed on In the Studio with Redbeard (which devoted an episode to Desolation Angels) that the album's title came from the novel of the same name by Jack Kerouac. The title was almost used 10 years previous to name the second album from Rodgers' previous band, Free, which in the end was called simply Free.

For other uses, see Desolation Angels.

Desolation Angels
Studio album by
Bad Company
Released17 March 1979
RecordedAugust – September 1978
StudioRidge Farm Studio, Surrey, England
Genre
Length41:03
LabelSwan Song
ProducerBad Company
Bad Company chronology
Burnin' Sky
(1977)		 Desolation Angels
(1979)		 Rough Diamonds
(1982)
Singles from Desolation Angels
  1. "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy"
    Released: 1979
  2. "Gone, Gone, Gone"
    Released: 1979
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic [1]
Christgau's Record GuideC [2]

Desolation Angels was recorded at Ridge Farm Studios in Surrey, England in late 1978. It is considered the last strong album by Bad Company with the original lineup, mostly because it contains their last major hit, "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy", written by Paul Rodgers and inspired by a guitar synthesizer riff that Rodgers had come up with.

"Gone, Gone, Gone", written by bassist Boz Burrell, also received substantial airplay on rock stations. The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard album charts in 1979 and went Platinum in 1979 and Double Platinum subsequently.

A cover version of "Oh, Atlanta", written by Mick Ralphs, was recorded by Alison Krauss and appears on her 1995 album Now That I've Found You: A Collection. The original version was used in the open to The Nashville Network's 1993 broadcast of the Motorcraft 500 when ABC (which originally had the broadcast) could not find time to air the race, which had been postponed six days by a snowstorm in the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The album was remastered and re-released in 1994. In 2020, Rhino put out a deluxe edition to honor the 40th Anniversary with many alternate versions and bonus tracks.

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy"Paul Rodgers3:15
2."Crazy Circles"Paul Rodgers3:32
3."Gone, Gone, Gone"Boz Burrell3:50
4."Evil Wind"Paul Rodgers4:22
5."Early in the Morning"Paul Rodgers5:45
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Lonely for Your Love"Mick Ralphs3:26
7."Oh, Atlanta"Mick Ralphs4:08
8."Take the Time"Mick Ralphs4:14
9."Rhythm Machine"Simon Kirke, Boz Burrell3:44
10."She Brings Me Love"Paul Rodgers4:42
2020 "40th Anniversary Edition" CD1 bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Smokin’ 45" (Alternative Version 1)3:36
12."Smokin’ 45" (Alternative Version 2)3:13
13."Rock Fever" (Outtake)3:03
14."Oh, Atlanta" (Slow Version with Fender Rhodes)5:07
15."Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy" (Alternative Version 1)3:18
16."Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy" (Alternative Version 2)3:19
17."Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy" (Alternative Version 3)3:20
18."Crazy Circles" (Alternative Version)3:33
2020 "40th Anniversary Edition" CD2
No.TitleLength
1."Gone, Gone, Gone" (Alternative Version)4:08
2."Early In The Morning" (Alternative Version)6:31
3."Lonely For Your Love" (Alternative Version 1)4:07
4."Take The Time" (Alternative Version 1)4:14
5."Evil Wind" (Alternative Version)5:11
6."Take The Time" (Alternative Version 2)4:15
7."Lonely For Your Love" (Alternative Version 2)3:34
8."She Brings Me Love" (Alternate Version)5:23
9."What Does It Matter" (Blues Jam)2:07
10."Rhythm Machine" (Alternate Version)3:45
11."Amen" (A cappella)2:02

Personnel

Charts

Album – Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1979 Pop Albums 3

Singles – Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1979 "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy" Pop Singles 13
1979 "Gone, Gone, Gone" Pop Singles 56

References
  1. Mike DeGagne. "Desolation Angels - Bad Company | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  3. Tucker, Ken (3 May 1979). "Bad Company Desolation Angels Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
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