| Imagination | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 9, 1973 | |||
| Recorded | June – September 1973 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Length | 36:55 | |||
| Label |
Buddah 5141 | |||
| Producer | Tony Camillo, Kenny Kerner, Richie Wise, Gladys Knight, Bubba Knight, William Guest, Edward Patten | |||
| Gladys Knight & the Pips chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Imagination | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  
[1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B [2] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | 
[3] |
Imagination is the eleventh studio album recorded by American R&B group Gladys Knight & the Pips, released in October 1973 on the Buddah label. The album, the group's first for Buddah after leaving Motown, includes their first and only Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit " Midnight Train to Georgia", which also reached number-one on the R&B singles chart. Larry Wilcox was credited for the string and horn arrangements.
The album also produced other successful singles, including " I've Got to Use My Imagination" and " Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me", with both songs peaking at number-one on the R&B singles chart and top five on the Billboard Hot 100, and the moderately successful single "Where Peaceful Waters Flow". The album was also their second studio album to make the top ten on the Billboard 200 and their second of five R&B albums chart-toppers.
Critical reception
Rolling Stone wrote that "Imagination is exactly what this album so desperately lacks," and noted the pattern of "nice touches, brilliant moments overcome by the anonymous production and banal lyrics." [4]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Jim Weatherly, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | " Midnight Train To Georgia" | 4:38 | |
| 2. | " I've Got to Use My Imagination" | Gerry Goffin, Barry Goldberg | 3:29 |
| 3. | "Storms of Troubled Times" | 3:44 | |
| 4. | " Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" | 3:45 | |
| 5. | "Once in a Lifetime Thing" | 3:41 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Where Peaceful Waters Flow" | 4:24 | |
| 7. | " I Can See Clearly Now" | Johnny Nash | 4:28 |
| 8. | "Perfect Love" | Paul Williams | 2:37 |
| 9. | "Window Raisin' Granny" | William Guest, Gladys Knight, Merald Knight, Edward Patten | 6:09 |
Personnel
- Gladys Knight - lead vocals
- Merald "Bubba" Knight - backing vocals (lead vocals on I Can See Clearly Now)
- William Guest - backing vocals (lead vocals on Window Raisin' Granny)
- Edward Patten - backing vocals
Charts
| Chart (1973) | Peak [5] |
|---|---|
| Australia ( Kent Music Report) [6] | 27 |
| U.S. Billboard Top LPs | 9 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Soul LPs | 1 |
- Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions [5] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
US A/C |
UK [7] | ||
| 1973 | "Where Peaceful Waters Flow" | 28 | 6 | 18 | — |
| "Midnight Train to Georgia" | 1 | 1 | 19 | 10 | |
| "I've Got to Use My Imagination" | 4 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1974 | "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" | 3 | 1 | 10 | 7 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada ( Music Canada) [8] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United States ( RIAA) [9] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
See also
References
- ^ Wynn, Ron. Imagination review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: K". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 28, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 405.
- ^ Gersten, Russell. "Imagination review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 9, 2009. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
- ^ a b "US Charts > Gladys Knight & the Pips". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-11-18.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 169. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "UK Charts > Gladys Knight & the Pips". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 2013-10-21. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Gladys Knight & the Pips – Imagination". Music Canada. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
- ^ "American album certifications – Gladys Knight & the Pips – Imagination". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
