Playing the Fool

Playing the Fool - The Official Live

Live album by Gentle Giant

Released

January 18, 1977

Recorded

September 23 – October 7, 1976 in Düsseldorf, Paris, Brussels and Munich

Genre

Progressive rock

Length

78:09

Label

Chrysalis (UK)
Capitol (U.S.)

Producer

Gentle Giant

Gentle Giant chronology

Interview
(1976)

Playing the Fool - The Official Live
(1977)

The Missing Piece
(1977)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Babyblaue Seiten	14.33/15 link
Sea of Tranquility	link

Playing the Fool - The Official Live is a live album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant which was released in 1977. It demonstrates the band's complex musicianship and talent as well as showcasing versions of songs which are often greatly modified from the original album versions. Acquiring the Taste is the only studio album by the band not represented by any tracks on the album (although a section from the title track of said album is featured in "Excerpts from Octopus"). The original UK LP came with a 12-page booklet that has not been reproduced in any of the CD editions.

Track listing

All tracks written by Kerry Minnear, Derek Shulman, and Ray Shulman, except Sweet Georgia Brown by Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard.

LP 1, Side One
No.	Title	Notes	Length
1.	"Just the Same/Proclamation"	* Düsseldorf, 1976-09-23	11:13
2.	"On Reflection"	* Düsseldorf, 1976-09-23	6:20

LP 1, Side Two
No.	Title	Notes	Length
1.	"Excerpts from Octopus (The Boys In The Band/Raconteur Troubadour/Acquiring The Taste/Knots/Ocean Bridge/The Advent Of Panurge (incl. the famous recorder quartet))"	* Paris, 1976-10-05	15:35
2.	"Funny Ways"	* Munich, 1976-09-25	8:35

LP 2, Side One
No.	Title	Notes	Length
1.	"The Runaway/Experience"	* Paris, 1976-10-05	9:31
2.	"So Sincere"	* Paris, 1976-10-05	10:22

LP 2, Side Two
No.	Title	Notes	Length
1.	"Free Hand"	* Brussels, 1976-10-07	7:40
2.	"Sweet Georgia Brown" (instrumental)	* Brussels, 1976-10-07	1:15
3.	"Peel the Paint/I Lost My Head"	* Paris, 1976-10-05	7:35

35th anniversary re-release edition

Disc 1
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Just the Same"	5:57
2.	"Proclamation/Valedictory"	5:18
3.	"On Reflection"	6:20
4.	"Excerpts from Octopus"	15:39
5.	"Funny Ways"	8:30
Total length:		41:44

Disc 2
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Runaway"	3:56
2.	"Experience"	5:36
3.	"So Sincere"	10:20
4.	"Free Hand"	7:40
5.	"Sweet Georgia Brown (Breakdown in Brussels)" (instrumental)	1:21
6.	"Peel the Paint/I Lost My Head"	7:32
Total length:		36:25

Note: The track listing and times have changed throughout the years and the different releases that this album has seen.

Personnel

Derek Shulman – lead vocals, alto saxophone, soprano recorder, bass, percussion
Gary Green – electric and acoustic 6- and 12-string guitars, backing vocals, alto and soprano recorders, percussion
Kerry Minnear – electric piano, backing vocals, clavinet, Hammond organ, Moog synthesizer, cello, vibes, tenor recorder, percussion
Ray Shulman – bass, backing vocals, violin, acoustic guitar, soprano recorder, trumpet, percussion
John Weathers – drums, backing vocals, vibes, tambourine, percussion

There are no official instrument credits listed on the album.

Charts

Year	Chart	Position
1977	US Billboard 200	89

Release details

1977, UK, Chrysalis Records CTY 1133, Release Date 28 January 1977, LP
1977, US, Capitol Records SKBB-11592, Release date 18 January 1977, LP
1994, UK, Terrapin Trucking RGOF Cat# RGF CD 1009, Release Date ? ? 1994, CD (Re-Master)
2004, UK, BGO BGOCD435, Release Date 12 July 2004, CD (2 x CD with Civilian)
2005, UK, DRT Entertainment/Pinnacle RTE354, Release Date 10 October 2005, CD (35th Anniversary Enhanced Re-Master)

Gentle Giant

Gary Green Kerry Minnear Derek Shulman Phil Shulman Ray Shulman John Weathers Martin Smith Malcolm Mortimore

Studio albums	Gentle Giant Acquiring the Taste Three Friends Octopus In a Glass House The Power and the Glory Free Hand Interview The Missing Piece Giant for a Day! Civilian

Other releases	Playing the Fool In Concert-BBC Radio 1 Out of the Woods The Last Steps Under Construction King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Out of the Fire Totally Out of the Woods Live in Rome 1974 In'terview in Concert In a Palesport House Experience Artistically Cryme Endless Life The Missing Face Prologue Scraping the Barrel Playing the Cleveland Live in New York 1975 Live in Santa Monica 1975 Live in Stockholm '75 King Alfred's College Winchester Gentle Giant Live at the Bicentennial 1776-1976 Giant on the Box (DVD) GG at the GG (DVD)

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