I Wrote a Simple Song is the sixth studio album by American soul musician Billy Preston. Released in November 1971, it was his first album for A&M Records and marked the start of a run of commercial success in the United States that lasted through to the late 1970s. The album includes the hit single "Outa-Space", which won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance of 1972. Preston included a live version of the instrumental "The Bus", as part of a medley with the Beatles' "Day Tripper", on his 1974 album Live European Tour.
Recording I Wrote a Simple Song was Preston's first self-produced album. Preston's friend George Harrison played lead guitar on most of the songs, and supplied dobro accompaniment on the title track. The album continued Preston's inclusion of gospel-themed songs which had started with the 1967 album Club Meeting.
Reception
The instrumental "Outa-Space" won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1973.* 15th Grammy Awards
Track listing All songs by Billy Preston and Joe Greene, except where noted.
Side one "Should Have Known Better" – 2:28 "I Wrote a Simple Song" – 3:28 "John Henry" (Preston, Robert Sam) – 3:15 "Without a Song" (William Rose, Edward Eliscu, Vincent Youmans) – 4:57 "The Bus" – 3:32
Side two "Outa-Space" – 4:08 "The Looner Tune" (Preston, Greene, Jesse Kirkland) – 2:47 "You Done Got Older" (Preston, Bruce Fisher) – 3:08 "Swing Down Chariot" (traditional; arranged by Preston and Greene) – 4:13 "God Is Great" – 3:32 "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" (traditional) – 4:27
Personnel Billy Preston - vocals, piano, Hammond organ, keyboards David T. Walker - electric guitar George Harrison - guitar, Dobro Louis Johnson - bass guitar Manuel Kellough - drums King Errisson - congas, percussion Rocky Peoples - tenor saxophone Carlos Garnette - trumpet Quincy Jones - string and horn arrangements Clydie King, Douglas Gibbs, Duane Rogers, Eugene Bryant, Jesse Kirkland, Merry Clayton, Myrna Matthews, Patrice Holloway, Sherrell Atwood, Venetta Fields - backing vocals Technical Roland Young - art direction Jim McCrary - photography Tommy Vicari - engineer
Charts Year Album Chart positions US USR&B 1972 I Wrote a Simple Song 32 9
Singles Year Single Chart positions US USR&B USDance1972 "I Wrote a Simple Song" 77 — — "Outa-Space" 2 1 — "The Bus" — 43 —
External links Billy Preston-I Wrote A Simple Song at Discogs
References