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
Biography
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
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 – Brian Hagiwara
Mastered At The Mastering Lab
Recorded At Sound Mixers
Recorded At Wally Heider Recording Studio, LA
Phonographic Copyright A&M Records Inc
Copyright A&M Records Inc