''Bébé le Strange'' is the fifth studio album by American
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
band
Heart
The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ found in humans and other animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels. The heart and blood vessels together make the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrie ...
, released on February 14, 1980, by
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), cong ...
. It was the first album without founding member Roger Fisher on lead guitar, who had left the band months prior along with his brother Michael.
The album was a commercial success, peaking at number five on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and spending 22 weeks on the chart. On May 5, 1980, it was certified Gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). ''Bébé le Strange'' spawned the singles " Even It Up" (backed by the
Tower of Power
Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. The band has had a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted ...
horn section) and the
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-t ...
. Some of the backing vocals were provided by Don Wilhelm, who had been in a group called The Army with Steve Fossen and Roger Fisher in the 1960s.
On June 29, 2004, the album was re-released by Epic and
Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings is an American record label that is a division of Sony Music. Formed in 1990 after Sony's acquisition of CBS Records, Legacy originally handled the archives of Sony Music-owned labels Columbia Records and Epic Records. In 2 ...
in a remastered expanded edition, containing two bonus tracks: the studio outtake "Jackleg Man" and a live version of "Break".
Critical reception
''
Record World
''Record World'' magazine was one of three major weekly music industry trade magazines in the United States, with ''Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 as ''Music Vendor''. In 1964, it was changed to ''Record World'' under the ...
'' wrote of the single "Raised on You" that " lavish lead is enhanced by bold keyboard runs and Nancy's confident guitar."
Track listing
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Bébé le Strange''.
Heart
*
Ann Wilson
Ann Dustin Wilson (born June 19, 1950) is an American singer best known as the lead singer of the rock band Heart.
Wilson has been a member of Heart since the early 1970s; her younger sister, Nancy Wilson, is also a member of the band. One o ...
alto flute
The alto flute is an instrument in the Western concert flute family, pitched below the standard C flute and the uncommon flûte d'amour. It is the third most common member of its family after the standard C flute and the piccolo. It is chara ...
, piano
* Nancy Wilson – guitars ; backup vocals ;
rhythm guitar
In music performances, rhythm guitar is a guitar technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse (music), pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., d ...
s ;
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which causes a length of magnetic tape to contact a Capstan (tape recorder), capstan, which pulls i ...
; acoustic guitars ; electric guitar ; lead guitar ; lead vocals, all instruments except drums
*
Howard Leese
Howard M. Leese (June 13, 1951) is an American guitarist, record producer, and musical director who played with Heart as guitarist and keyboardist for 23 years (1975 through 1998). He continues to record and tour as a solo artist, and as guitar ...
– guitars ; lead guitar ; synthesizer ; backward solo ; electric guitar ; acoustic guitars ; backup vocals ; rhythm guitars ; keyboards
* Michael Derosier – drums ; rhythm instruments
* Steve Fossen – bass
Additional musicians
* Sue Ennis – guitar ; piano
* Chrissy Shefts – guitar
* Connie – acoustic guitars
* Don Wilhelm – backup vocals
* Gary Humphreys – backup vocals
*
Tower of Power
Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. The band has had a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted ...
(
Lenny Pickett
Lenny Pickett (born April 10, 1954) is an American saxophonist and musical director of the ''Saturday Night Live'' band.
Emilio Castillo
Emilio Castillo (born September 24, 1950) is an American saxophone player and composer, best known as the founder of the band Tower of Power.
Background
In 1965, Emilio Castillo took to music after he and his brother Jack were caught stealing b ...
Mic Gillette
Mic Gillette (May 7, 1951 – January 17, 2016) was an American brass player, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area's East Bay. He is best known for being a member of the bands; Tower of Power, Cold Blood, and The Sons of Champlin. He p ...
) – horn section
Technical
*
Mike Flicker
Mike Flicker (born 1950) is an American Record producer, music producer in Los Angeles who has numerous credits on music and film projects. He is critically acclaimed for his work with Heart (band), Heart.Howie – production
* Rob Perkins – engineering
* Armin Steiner – horn engineering
* Stewart Whitmore – horn engineering assistance
* John Golden – mastering at Kendun Recorders (
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank had a Census-estimated population of 102,755 as of 2023. The city was ...
)
Artwork
* Tony Lane – art direction
* Tom Girvin – logo graphics
* Jeff Burger – photography