"Sylvia" is a 1972 song by Dutch

progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...

band

Focus Focus, or its plural form foci may refer to: Arts * Focus or Focus Festival, former name of the Adelaide Fringe arts festival in South Australia Film *''Focus'', a 1962 TV film starring James Whitmore * ''Focus'' (2001 film), a 2001 film based ...

. It was released on their 1972 album ''

Focus 3 ''Focus 3'' or ''Focus III'' is the third studio album by Dutch rock band Focus, released as a double album in November 1972 on Imperial Records. Recorded after touring in support of their previous album, '' Moving Waves'' (1971), the album saw t ...

'' and as a UK single on 27 January 1973. The single became the band's biggest international hit, reaching number 4 in the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

and number 89 in the US Billboard chart.

Background

First released as a single in The Netherlands in April 1972, the song was subsequently included on the album ''

'' in November. On 12 December, the band recorded a session for the

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...

Reception

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has been credited with exposing the band and helping the single reach number 4 in the

. The programme's presenter, Bob Harris, is quoted as saying that the band's appearance was so well received by the audience that the pressing plant for the single was overwhelmed and only produced copies of "Sylvia" for the following week to cater for the demand. Dave Thompson, writing for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, said that aside from the studio recording, the band's best version of the song was the one included on the 1973 ''

At the Rainbow ''At the Rainbow'' (re-released as ''Live at the Rainbow'') is the first live album from the Netherlands, Dutch rock band Focus (band), Focus, released in October 1973 on Imperial Records. The album was recorded at the Rainbow Theatre in London o ...

'' live album. He compared the relatively short song to the band's longer compositions, describing Akkerman's playing as an "exercise in economics". In the US, the song peaked at number 89.

Personnel

Thijs van Leer Thijs van Leer (pronounced: ; born 31 March 1948) is a Dutch singer and keyboardist, best known as the founding member of the rock band Focus as its primary vocalist, keyboardist, and flautist. Born and raised in Amsterdam among a musical famil ...

–

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...

, vocals *

Jan Akkerman Jan Akkerman (born 24 December 1946) is a Dutch guitarist. He first found international commercial success with the band Focus (band), Focus, which he co-founded with Thijs van Leer. After leaving Focus, he continued as a solo musician, adding ja ...

– electric guitar *

Bert Ruiter Focus is a Dutch progressive rock band formed in Amsterdam in 1969 by keyboardist, vocalist, and flutist Thijs van Leer, drummer Hans Cleuver, bassist Martijn Dresden, and guitarist Jan Akkerman. The band has undergone numerous formations in its ...

– bass guitar *

Pierre van der Linden Pierre van der Linden (born 19 February 1946) is a Dutch drummer, songwriter and member of the band, Focus. Biography Van der Linden was influenced by his childhood hero Buddy Rich. He finds inspiration in French philosophers and classical comp ...

– drums

References

{{Focus , state=expanded 1973 singles Focus (band) songs 1972 songs Song recordings produced by Mike Vernon (record producer)