An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down

An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down is the debut solo studio album by Rod Stewart. First released in the United States in November 1969 as The Rod Stewart Album, the album peaked at No. 139 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. It was released in the United Kingdom with the modified title in February 1970.Franco Brizi, Vertigo 1969-1976 Discografia completa, Iacobelli, Roma, 2022, pag. 28 Stewart's Faces bandmates Ronnie Wood and Ian McLagan also appear on the album, along with Keith Emerson, Jeff Beck Group drummer Micky Waller and guitarists Martin Pugh (of Steamhammer, and later Armageddon and 7th Order) and Martin Quittenton (also from Steamhammer).

Reception

The album received positive reviews from Fusion, Rolling Stone, and Robert Christgau. Christgau felt the album was "superb", the same wording as used by Greil Marcus in his Rolling Stone review.

In a retrospective summary for Rolling Stone, a staff writer felt that Stewart's solo debut showed him as a "highly original interpreter" of other people's songs, and that his own compositions indicated he was "capable of startlingly bare emotion and compassion".

Track listing

Personnel Rod Stewart – vocals, guitars on "Man of Constant Sorrow" Ronnie Wood – guitars (including bottleneck slide), bass, harmonica on "Dirty Old Town" Martin Pugh – guitars Martin Quittenton – acoustic guitar Ian McLagan – piano, organ Micky Waller – drums Mike d'Abo – piano on "Handbags and Gladrags" Lou Reizner – vocals on "I Wouldn't Ever Change a Thing" Keith Emerson – organ on "I Wouldn't Ever Change a Thing"

Technical Keith "Marcus Keef" MacMillan – design, photography

Charts Chart (1969–70) Peak position Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) 31

References