''White Faced Lady'' is an album by UK band
Kaleidoscope (who by this time were calling themselves
Fairfield Parlour
Kaleidoscope are an English psychedelic rock band from London that originally were active between 1967 and 1970. It is not to be confused with the American psychedelic folk band of the same name. The band's songs combined the elements of psyche ...
). It is a
concept album
A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
that tells the story of a pale-skinned girl named Angel, from her troubled youth to her sudden rise to fame as a movie star to her tragic decline and untimely death. Reportedly, it was inspired by the life of
Marilyn Monroe, and indeed the final track name-checks Marilyn and
Arthur Miller. As a
rock opera, it follows the example of
The Pretty Things' ''
S. F. Sorrow
''S. F. Sorrow'' is the fourth album by the English rock band Pretty Things. Released in 1968, it is known as one of the first rock operas ever released. Based on a short story by singer Phil May, the album is structured as a song cycle telli ...
'' rather than
The Who's ''
Tommy
Tommy may refer to:
People
* Tommy (given name)
* Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Tommy'' (1931 film), a Soviet drama film
* ''Tommy'' (1975 fil ...
'', with the liner notes telling the complete story and the songs expounding on key events. Many of the songs are tied together by brief musical segues.
The band worked on the album privately from 1970 to 1971. They had a deal in place to deliver the finished album to a record label for distribution, but the deal suddenly dissolved. The album went unreleased until 1991, when it was released by the band's own ''The Kaleidoscope Record Company'' (KRC 001 CD).
Many subsequent CD releases package the album with the previous Fairfield Parlour album
From Home to Home
''From Home to Home'' is a 1970 album by the English prog-rock group Fairfield Parlour. In 2000 was re-released as double longplay album by "Burning Airlines" and marketed in 2001 by "Get Back" only in Italy.
Track listing
Bonus tracks b ...
.
Track listing
#"Overture" - 2:48
#"Broken Mirrors" - 2:49
#"Angel's Song: Dear Elvis Presley..." - 2:39
#"Nursey, Nursey" - 3:47
#"Small Song: Heaven in the Back Row" - 3:21
#"Burning Bright" - 2:03
#"The Matchseller" - 3:50
#"The Coronation of the Fledgling" - 0:20
#"All Hail to the Hero" - 5:03
#"White Faced Lady" - 4:41
#"Freefall" - 5:13
#"Standing" - 6:12
#"Diary Song: the Indian Head" - 0:54
#"Song from Jon" - 6:56
#"Long Way Down" - 4:05
#"The Locket" - 2:58
#"Picture with Conversation" - 3:38
#"Epitaph: Angel" - 7:48
Personnel
*
Peter Daltrey: vocals and organ
* Eddy Pumer: guitar
* Steve Clark: bass
* Dan Bridgman: drums
References
{{Authority control
1991 albums
1990s concept albums
Rock operas
Kaleidoscope (British band) albums