1979 Peter Allen – I Could Have Been A Sailor

I Could Have Been a Sailor is a 1979 album by singer-songwriter Peter Allen, released on A&M Records. It is notable as containing Allen’s versions of his songs “Don’t Cry Out Loud” and “I’d Rather Leave While I’m in Love”, which were major successes, as covered by others.

I Could Have Been a Sailor was Peter Allen’s fifth studio album, and his third for A&M Records. It followed the double-album live release, It Is Time for Peter Allen (1977), on the same label. The album is notable for its association with producer Marvin Hamlisch. Allen also performs his versions of two songs he co-wrote with Carol Bayer-Sager, “Don’t Cry Out Loud” and “I’d Rather Leave While I’m in Love”.

“Don’t Cry Out Loud” had been popularized by Melissa Manchester prior to Allen’s release. Manchester’s recording of the song was released in late 1978 and spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was also the title song of Manchester’s related album. The song had been co-written by Allen and Carol Bayer-Sager; Bayer-Sager was also a co-writer with Manchester. “I’d Rather Leave While I’m in Love” was popularized by Rita Coolidge in 1979, as well as being recorded by Dusty Springfield, among others.

The album was Allen’s first to make the US albums chart, peaking at No. 171 on the Billboard 200. The album has been subject to limited reissue on CD. It was reissued on CD in 2001 in Japan, on Universal/A&M. It has not been reissued on CD in North America or elsewhere.

Tracks

1  I Could Have Been A Sailor (Peter Allen) 3:55
2  Don\’t Wish Too Hard (Peter Allen, Carole Bayer Sager) 5:14
3  Two Boys (Peter Allen, Carole Bayer Sager) 3:29
4  Angels With Dirty Faces (Peter Allen, Adrienne Anderson) 3:51
5  Don\’t Cry Out Loud (Peter Allen, Carole Bayer Sager) 4:11
6  If You Were Wondering (Peter Allen) 4:47
7  Don\’t Leave Me Now (Peter Allen, Carole Bayer Sager) 3:24
8  I\’d Rather Leave While I\’m In Love (Peter Allen, Carole Bayer Sager) 3:40
9  We\’ve Come To An Understanding (Peter Allen) 3:54
10  Paris At 21 (Peter Allen) 6:58

Media

Musicians

1 I Could Have Been A Sailor

Bass Will Lee
Drums Rick Marotta
Guitar David Spinozza
Guitar John Tropea
Keyboards Richard Tee
Piano Peter Allen
Percussion Jim Maelen
Background Vocals Bruce Roberts
Vocals Peter Allen


2 Don\’t Wish Too Hard

Bass Abraham Laboriel Sr
Drums Ed Greene
Guitar Dan Ferguson
Guitar Ray Parker Jr
Piano Peter Allen
Percussion Victor Feldman
Background Vocals Clydie King
Background Vocals Marty McCall
Background Vocals Sherlie Matthews
Background Vocals Venetta Fields
Vocals Peter Allen


3 Two Boys

Bass Will Lee
Drums Rick Marotta
Guitar David Spinozza
Guitar John Tropea
Keyboards Richard Tee
Piano Peter Allen
Percussion Jim Maelen
Vocals Peter Allen


4 Angels With Dirty Faces

Bass Leland Sklar
Drums Steve Schaeffer
Guitar Jay Graydon
Keyboards Larry Knechtel
Piano Peter Allen
Background Vocals Herb Pedersen
Background Vocals Joey Scarbury
Background Vocals Linda Dillard
Vocals Peter Allen


5 Don\’t Cry Out Loud

Bass Leland Sklar
Bass Jim Pierce
Drums Steve Schaeffer
Guitar Jay Graydon
Keyboards Larry Knechtel
Piano Peter Allen
Background Vocals Herb Pedersen
Background Vocals Joey Scarbury
Background Vocals Linda Dillard
Vocals Peter Allen


6 If You Were Wondering

Bass David Parlato
Drums Ed Greene
Guitar Dan Sawyer
Guitar Fred Tackett
Piano Marvin Hamlish
Percussion Paulinho Da Costa
Vocals Peter Allen


7 Don\’t Leave Me Now

Bass Will Lee
Drums Rick Marotta
Guitar David Spinozza
Guitar John Tropea
Keyboards Richard Tee
Piano Peter Allen
Synthesizer Greg Phillinganes
Percussion Jim Maelen
Vocals Peter Allen


8 I\’d Rather Leave While I\’m In Love

Bass Will Lee
Drums Rick Marotta
Guitar David Spinozza
Keyboards Richard Tee
Piano Peter Allen
Synthesizer Greg Phillinganes
Programming Michael Boddicker
Background Vocals Clydie King
Background Vocals Marty McCall
Background Vocals Sherlie Matthews
Background Vocals Venetta Fields
Vocals Peter Allen


9 We\’ve Come To An Understanding

Bass Leland Sklar
Drums Steve Schaeffer
Guitar Jay Graydon
Keyboards Larry Knechtel
Piano Peter Allen
Vocals Peter Allen


10 Paris At 21

Bass Leland Sklar
Drums Steve Schaeffer
Guitar Jay Graydon
Keyboards Larry Knechtel
Piano Peter Allen
Percussion Geoff Howe
Percussion Mike Post
Percussion Victor Feldman
Vocals Peter Allen

Liner Notes

Producer – Marvin Hamlisch
Engineer – Geoff Howe, Les Cooper, Neal Ceppos
Mastered By – Mike Reese
Arranged By – Bob Alcivar (Track 1)
Arranged By – Velton Ray Bunch (Track 2)
Arranged By – Marvin Hamlisch (Tracks 3, 6, 7, 8)
Arranged By – Mike Post (Tracks 4, 5, 9, 10)

Art Direction – Roland Young
Design – Junie Osaki
Photography By – Brian Hagiwara

Phonographic Copyright (p) – A&M Records, Inc.
Copyright (c) – A&M Records, Inc.
Recorded At – Sound Mixers
Recorded At – Wally Heider Recording Studio, Los Angeles
Mastered At – The Mastering Lab