Every Picture Tells A Story
Rod Stewart
1971
Album Summary
Every Picture Tells a Story is the third studio album by Rod Stewart. It was released on 28 May 1971. It incorporates hard rock, folk, and blues styles. It went to number one on both the UK and US charts and finished third in the Jazz & Pop critics' poll for best album of 1971. It has been an enduring critical success, including a number 172 ranking on Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
WikipediaMuch less grandma-pleasing than I had been led to believe (by literally no-one). There’s a real thump to Rod’s music, a driving energy, a sense that he has to get these tunes out. That he does so with one of the most satisfyingly impossible-to-mimic-because-you’ll-end-up-coughing voices in music is much to his credit.
another album where only half the songs are good but like... I think all of us had the simultaneous realization that Rod Stewart kind of slaps and we're unsure how to handle this information.
I listened to this album a couple times and I’d be happy to hear it again although I’m not going to seek it out. Rod Stewart has a unique voice with all his raspiness. I dig it. I found out that Rod Stewart had 15 albums in a 20 year period (1969-1988) with no gap greater than 2 years. Even though he’s not “my guy,” that’s impressively consistent production.
Man... apologies to the folks who love the guy but Rod Stewart is just so daggum mediocre. There's literally nothing special about 99% of his songs. Even "Maggie May" his big break-out song is just... meh. It starts with some weird chamber music piece which doesn't even segue into the main song. It just stops. Then starts a relatively bland song. Just not a fan.
“Every Picture Tells a Story” by Rod Stewart (1971) Oooo, this is a gem! This album excels from start to finish, with no bumps in the road. Sir Roderick’s voice is proof that one can be a great singer without the natural gifts of a Pavarotti or a Crosby (Bing, not David). Stewart’s (in)famous raspiness enhances the soulfulness of his melodies, à la Janis Joplin. Ronnie Wood (with The Rolling Stones for the past 30 years) shines on guitar, and who knew in 1971 that mandolin could rock? Now youngsters listening to this album for the first time will likely be struck by the initial thinness of the mix (and subdued bass), but please notice how this engineering choice enhances the individual instrumental performances. You’ve got to listen to this album with headphones. Lyrics are second only to Dylan. Flaws? Well, sure. Bass is seriously out of tune at the end of “Seems Like a Long Time” (but strangely not at the beginning). Recording on “Amazing Grace” is not clean—a lot of distracting background noises. Some tracks have wobbly tempo. There are even a few embarrassing vocal flourishes. “Maggie May” is a classic love ballad about a teenage boy who has regrets about falling for a significantly older bimbo. What 16-year-old boy (me) could resist this tune? “Mandolin Wind” is epic. Still brings tears. And Stewart’s cover of “(I Know) I’m Losing You” rocks and rocks and rocks. Better than The Temptations or Rare Earth. Complete your education. Listen to this one. 5/5
Every pictures tells a story and damn was this a story. Just a great folk aesthetic I really appreciated :)
Before listening to this album, Maggie May was the only Rod Stewart song I liked...it still is.
I'm gonna try to recreate my train of thought while listening to this yesterday, because it was all over the place... -This is kinda boring -This seems like a very, very long time. It says 4:02, but it's clearly been 20 minutes of repeating that line. -It's trending more towards blues and bluegrass? That's kind of unexpected. -I don't remember "Maggie May" starting like that? Have I never heard the whole song before? -This came out in 1971!? Never would have guessed that. Rod's been around a long time. The folk elements make more sense in that context. Would have guessed early 80s if you asked me about the two singles on this record. -A lot of bluegrass/folk vibes, but in a boring way... how is he making bluegrass that boring? -These last two songs do not fit on this album. Much more electric guitar and piano. Overall uninspiring. A lot of classic songs have a nostalgia factor that makes me like them more now than I would if I heard them today for the first time. But I actually liked "Maggie May" less than the version stuck in my deep memory circuits.
Ugh. Sounds like a mediocre bar band - you know the one... they have some raw talent but they're either too lazy or too drunk to bother learning the songs. My overwhelming impression while slogging through this sloppy set was "Geez - how much longer is this song?". Not without charm, but certainly lacking in execution.
I've had a lifelong dislike of Rod, so was dreading this. It was actually reasonably harmless and there has certainly been a lot worse included in this quest so far!
Brilliant. Proper rock from when Rod could sing and before it all went gooey (ie everything from Atlantic crossing onwards). Absolutely love The Faces. I haven't played Maggie May for decades because I thought I was bored of it, but the shit this list has put forward so far reminds me that I am so not. It is a world apart and brought a tear to my eye - and what a guitar solo! Mandolin wind, Reason to believe, Every picture... track after track top quality. Just wonderful, wonderful, music. Joy from start to finish. Get in, get up, get out!
As working-class rockers go, this is the British equivalent of prime Bruce, and I'm in two minds about which I prefer, pulled in one direction by the anthemic pomp and literary chops of Springsteen, and in another by the Britishness of Stewart's act. And act being the operative word here, because the spiritual birthplace of Stewart's persona and style is the British Legion or Working Man's Club. I can picture his less talented brethren standing up in front of my nan this weekend, giving it some welly while she makes short work of her Bacardi and black. He even sounds like half the audience, throat racked from smoking. These roots also bear out in the meanings he extracts from his lyrics (whether his own or others'): simple, everyday truths to live by, even if their provenance is grander (Dylan, say, or Amazing Grace). “I couldn't quote you no Dickens, Shelley or Keats / Cause it's all been said before” he sings on the opener, just as my mum’s Auntie Jo might, before also telling you “Make the best out of the bad, just laugh it off”, or “we all need a reason to believe”, or “every picture tells a story”, or “hard times are only the other side of good times”. As for the chief quality of working class music, the one that gets the local greasers down to the disco to dance themselves into puddles of sweat on the floor, he’s a master. I’m talking, of course, about rhythm. The Big Beat. Even the gentler songs provide a kick up the ass. This alchemy might sound simple when divided into its constituent parts but it’s magic when all bubbling together, especially as Stewart’s really an epicure in disguise – just check out the mandolin, celeste, violin and other embellishments.
That was amazing, a great artist. I have to listen sober this album now.
Great rock album. Classic Rod Stewart that launched him from the Jeff Beck years. Long before he became Rod 'The Bod' and the disco years, this album shows why he was great.
Maggie may is een prachtig nummer, mandolin wind is ook tof. voor de rest, gewoon een goed album, denk wel dat ik nog eens iets van hem wil beluisteren.
Gotta respect the Rod and his impact on music. He was my second concert ever. Mom was a little bummed because was supposed to be my first, which she was pretty excited about to bring me to my first one but then my sister picked up some Yes tickets which ended up being before Rod. I remember Rod had a hell of a lot of energy, running all around the stage and kicking soccer balls into the crowd. I also remember the group next to my dad smoking weed and my dad asking me if I wanted to switch seats. Kind of a lot of slower songs on this album. Every Picture Tells a Story is classic rock and roll, Maggie May used to be one of my favorites and always liked Reason to Believe.
Another man I've been senselessly prejudiced against for years, I'm glad to get a chance to listen to him. I Like his raspy voice, a bit like CCR's John Fogarty. Enjoyed Maggie May, probably the only one I was properly familiar with. Class mandolin section near the end. Similarly liked Mandolin Wind. Shit I didn't know Rod did I Know I'm losing you! Great Song and great cover.
Maybe I just take this kind of music for granted, but I couldn’t imagine a more unremarkable album.
4/10. Bit boring, and opening with a song with the lyric "I fell in love with a slit-eyed lady / By the light of an eastern moon" made it feel pretty dated if nothing else.
Great album! Love the slide guitars and of course, Rod Stewart's gritty voice.
Variadito, medio ecléctico. Qué bueno que escuché a Rod Stewart pa ver de qué va todo el fuss en torno a él. Me gustó ese inicio de laud isabelino en Maggie May (lo que le sigue también divertido) y lo movido de That's Allright, hasta me puso de buen humor. Mood: country alegre
Cuando llegué a este juego me gustaban dos rolas de este wey. Ahora salgo fan. Gran mezcla de Rhythm and Blues, folk inglés, country y Dylanesquerías.
Quite enyoable. I like it. 3/5 Oh fuck you Rod Stewart, "(I know) I'm Losing You" and "(Find A) Reason To Believe" fucking broke me. The lyrics are heart wrenching after losing someone you hold dear. 5 stars from my broken heart :))
If this excitement has taught me anything it’s that I guess I like Rod Stewart
Own this album because it's the #1 album on another "must have" list. And it really is great: melodic, lyrical, listenable. Highly recommend it. Found Rod's new 2021 album while loading up this one. Didn't need to add - already own.
This album honestly blows my mind. Growing up for some reason I was taught that listening to Rod Stewart had to be a somewhat ironic activity - taught that he was on one hand a relic of an older period of crooners and cheese and yet somehow also not a legitimate legend in the same vein as the other crooners before and after him. They were wrong. This album is pure genius start to finish, it holds up to anything attributable to any of those other artists that seem to be treated as more authentic in some way. 1971 - consider the productions going on at the same time and you'll find yourself comparing this album favourably to the most lasting classics (maybe not equal to some of those in some respects, but certainly in the playing field). Maybe it's just my experience and other people were shown from the start he is a legitimate classic artist, but this really is a revelation to me. It holds up to any other album of the late 60s early 70s without a doubt, but also unlike many of those contemporary records, fifty years on, it feels immediate and current throughout. This is why I joined the site! I would have never known.
Preconceptions are a terrible thing. I first heard this album last year, having had no interest in Rod Stewart for most of my life. He just seemed one of those performers from a distant era and of little relevance nowadays. Then I discovered that this album is quite rated, so I gave it a spin. And I was totally blown away. It turns out old Rod's a excellent interpretor of songs, capable of delivering real warmth and sentiment. Now, Rod was still in Faces at the time, and Every Picture Tells A Story is compabale to the excellent A Nod Is As Good..., but Every Picture Tells A Story just manages to pip its half-brother by the sheer weight of the songs. In particular, (I Know) I'm Losing You is surely one of the best covers of a Motown song out there. An unalloyed delight.
This is the album where it all came together folk with gospel with blues and it ROCKS! The title track, Mandolin Wind and Maggie May ensure its all time classic status, but the choice of covers are all spot on especially I Know I'm Losing You. 5 🌟
fantastic album. literally every song is amazing. Maggie May is a top 10 song all time for me.
I like Rod Stewart. This is really good songwriting and a very soulful performance.
This is Rod Stewart's third album where all members of his current band at the time, Faces, appeared. The music on the album is described as rock, folk, blues, country and soul. All those styles are easily heard throughout the album. The album is essentially classic Rod Stewart orginal songs and great cover versions of other songs. There is a looseness to the playing that almost gives it a jam band feel. Stewart's vocal delivery is pretty much phenomenal; is it his best career moment? All of these songs are about girlfriends, former lovers, current lovers or relationships. The title track, "Every Picture Tells a Story," has always had an urgency in the music and his vocals that I've really liked and never really heard again from him. It's loose but it rocks. "Maggie May" was a B-side to "Reason to Believe" and became the albums' biggest hit. Just great vocals and an iconic song. Another B-side song, " Mandolin Wind" is the highlight of the album for me with its mandolin, slide guitar and heartbreaking lyrics about sticking with his lover/wife/girlfriend through sickness. Just a masterpiece. I also really like the rockin" Temptations cover "I'm Losing You." So, this is what Rod Stewart can be and was...a pretty high achievement.
Vraiment trop bon vhaque chanson est bien produite. Ca a ca plave dans cette liste absolument et je reecouterai certainemebt. Une belle note merité
Yeah, this is pretty great. What a great band. Probably a lot of people think Rod Stewart is kind of cheesy from his 80s power-ballad output. This shows he is one of the great rock vocalists. Also from a time when records meant you had 8 great songs and no room for filler. (If I was able to type something for Siamese Dream, that was my only complaint). Classic!
Really enjoyed the album some great songs, and one that I listened to throughout my life with my parents and grandparent big fans.
Rod Stewart (and the Faces -- sort of) at their best. The mix of covers and originals work beautifully together with Stewart's rasp to pull it all together. Just so many great songs on this record. For me, this is the Apex of his work.
When I was young I read an article that asserted no musician squandered God-given gifts more than Rod Stewart. These early discs and the descent to Do Ya Think I'm Sexy are, obviously what gave rise to that comment. Rod blends folk, blues and hard rock in a mix of self-penned and covers at a level few have achieved. The material was so deep that Maggie May was a B-side (Reason to Believe was the A-side until DJs had their way). A tremendous achievement and for me, the highlight of a long career.
All time classic. Have love this one since I was a teenager in the late 70’s
WTF happened to Rod Stewart? With this album he makes the quintessential rock/folk album and then just a few short years later he's dressing in spandex and singing Do Ya' Think I'm Sexy. Oh well, at least we have these early years. Just a beautiful album full of beautiful songs beautifully produced. 5 stars.
You know how you remember some albums from the party you were at where that was the only album that got a spin all night. I remember the Abbey Road party in Sefton when I was 19 & a local thug named Harold Smith did a job on my mate Geoff & we ended up in Emergency at Fairfield Hospital. I remember the Hot August Night party at Ultimo when I was 23. And in-between those two, I remember the Every Picture Tells A Story party at Dulwich Hill when I was 21 & the party’s host, Glenn, was sniffing around my girlfriend. I think I was totally familiar with this album by night’s end. I have to say it still sounds great. And I have to agree with Robert Christgau that “ it's the mandolin and pedal steel that come through sharpest.\" So true. Ronnie Wood and “the mandolin player in Lindisfarne” are terrific. Stewart was always great at choosing material & it’s no different here, but I reckon the best 3 tracks are the 3 originals. This is Rod at his peak. A winner.
Definitely, this is the highlight of Rod Stewart's long and illustrious career, at least artistically. Recorded with his mates from, The Faces this could also be considered the best Faces record, as well. Quality songs and excellent musicianship, Every Picture Tells A Story is an essential listen, especially if you only know Stewart from his later work and god forbid, the disco era.
I'm guessing this list is too stupid to have a Jeff Beck album on it, so they are compensating with this. This is all great shit. Killer band (Faces). Great melodies. Too bad Rod moved to LA and stopped making good music.
i absolutely loved this album. so much passion in his voice and the blend of rock, folk, and blues just works so well.
Slow to start but worth it when it ramped up. Can see the influence in newer rock. Great instrumentals. 9/10
(I know) I'm losing you and (Find a) Reason to believe are great covers!
Side one is good, while side two is amazing. Reason To Believe is yet another stunning cover of a Tim Hardin song. Rod is one of the great interpreters of other people's songs. He also wrote a few classics. Mandolin Wind is one of the best songs of that era.
I always have the unfortunate tendency to think that good music is perhaps in the past. Besides being extremely unfair to the great musicians we have active today, it is also unfair to all the musicians who are still active, even though they have a wonderful musical past, as is the case of Rod Stewart. I had never heard this album before, and I was really surprised, what a quality, what a delight to listen to these songs. It saved my afternoon, and made my day much more cheerful!
I think this one might be Peak Rod Stewart. While the voice is clearly an iconic element, there is also tons of understated, subtle mastery in how the music is produced and engineered.
Un álbum agradable, nunca había escuchado un disco completo de Rod Stewart, pero la pasé bien, aunque no sea tanto mi género. La voz me gusta mucho y todo el álbum me da vibras gringas, aunque él sea británico, pero pues son los sonidos, ¿no? Medio folk y esas cosas. Creo que no hay canción que me aburriera, tienen buenas variaciones, suenan bien, pero "Every Picture Tells A Story", "That's All Right" y "Mandolin Wind" me gustaron más. En fin, 8.5/10
One of those albums that is probably on the list because of its most popular song. Maggie May is classic and some others are alright but it got kinda boring by the last 3 songs. 7
Classic Rock classic! Not a masterpiece, but an astounding strong record, with some of best rock tracks of the decade: Maggie May, Mandolin Wind... It would be 4.5 stars if possible
I’ve not heard this album before and I’m not a Rod Stewart fan. This combined with the lyrics of the first song were guaranteeing a low score, but then Maggie Bell’s vocals kicked in near the end and saved the day. I hear he’s also re-written the lyrics. I like the rambling, rootsie, guitar-jam, gospel-feel to the album, especially the slide & violin. Fortunately, only a few tracks are credited to Rod. The last two songs are great covers. I couldn’t bear to listen to Maggie May one more time but the acoustic intro on the album version is nice.
this was alright. it was a little boring but a nice listen and the songwriting was decent. 7/10
Really nice surprise. One of the best albums here so far. Some songs are maybe unnecessarily long though.
Sounds like an album good for a backyard get together with friends on a hot summer evening
I know I listened to this, and I thought I rated it, but I guess not. I like it, thought it was something that dad would listen to.
Not totally surprised this is as good as it is after the way Nick Hornby talked about old Rod Stewart in his novel 31 songs. (I know) I'm Losing You being my favourite.
Not really my thing - mastering was ok. Rhythms are great tho! I liked the tempo change on track 1
A mix of country and classic rock that I liked. Very pleasant to listen to. (7/10) Favorite Tracks: Maggie May, Mandolin Wind
Great reminisce...some top quality tunes mandolin wins, every picture, Maggie,
I've never been a fan of Rod Stewart's voice, but this album was surprisingly great as a whole.
Музыка, но мне было тяжело сконцентрироваться на альбоме в целом. Хотя конец приятнейший. Слушается легко.