''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 Wales ...
band
Heart
The heart is a muscular organ found in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon diox ...
, released on February 14, 1980, by Epic Records. 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/ ...
(RIAA). ''Bébé le Strange'' spawned the singles "
Even It Up
"Even It Up" is a song recorded by the rock band Heart. It was released in 1980 as the first single from the band's fifth studio album ''Bebe le Strange''. The song is an uptempo rock and roll number which lyrically is sung by a woman who is deman ...
" (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. There have been a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the ...
horn section) and the
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may a ...
. Some of the backing vocals were provided by Don Wilhelm, who had been in a group called The Army with
Steve Fossen
Steve Fossen is an American bassist and a founding member of the band Heart.
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 ...
in a remastered expanded edition, containing two bonus track: the studio outtake "Jackleg Man" and a live version of "Break".
Track listing
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Bébé le Strange''.
Heart
*
Ann Wilson
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie.
Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...
alto flute
The alto flute is an instrument in the Western concert flute family, the second-highest member below the standard C flute after the uncommon flûte d'amour. It is the third most common member of its family after the standard C flute and the ...
, piano
* Nancy Wilson – guitars ; backup vocals ;
rhythm guitar
In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guita ...
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 pushes a length of magnetic tape against a capstan, which pulls it across a playback head. ...
; acoustic guitars ; electric guitar ; lead guitar ; lead vocals, all instruments except drums
*
Howard Leese
Howard M. Leese (born June 13, 1951, in Hollywood, California, United States) 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 rec ...
– 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
Sue Ennis is a songwriter from Seattle, Washington. She has co-written over 80 songs with Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of the band Heart.
Career
Ennis' songwriting with Heart includes "Straight On", "Even It Up" and " Dog & Butterfly", and she ha ...
– 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. There have been a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the ...
(
Lenny Pickett
Lenny Pickett (born April 10, 1954) is an American saxophonist and musical director of the ''Saturday Night Live'' band. From 1973 to 1981 he was a member of Tower of Power.
He is known for his skill in the altissimo register (executed by usin ...
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 by ...
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 ...
) – horn section
Technical
*
Mike Flicker
Mike Flicker (born 1950) is an American music producer in Los Angeles who has numerous credits on music and film projects. He is critically acclaimed for his work with 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 has a population of 107,337. The city was named after David Burbank, wh ...
)
Artwork
*
Tony Lane Anthony Samuel Lane (May 2, 1944 – January 1, 2016) began his career as an assistant to Alexey Brodovitch at Harper's Bazaar, and became an early art director for Rolling Stone magazine. He was the designer of iconic album covers for Simon & Garf ...
– art direction
* Tim Girvin – logo graphics
* Jeff Burger – photography