I Wrote a Simple Song

I Wrote A Simple Song
Studio album by Billy Preston
Released	8 November 1971 (US) 14 January 1972 (UK)
Recorded	February, August−September 1971
Genre	Soul, rock
Length	40:03
Label	A&M
Producer	Billy Preston
Billy Preston chronology
Encouraging Words (1970) I Wrote a Simple Song (1971) Music Is My life (1972)

I Wrote a Simple Song is the sixth studio album by Billy Preston. Released in 1971, this was his first for A&M Records.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

This album continued Preston's inclusion of gospel-themed songs which had started with the 1967 album Club Meeting. Preston's friend George Harrison supplied dobro accompaniment on the title track.

The instrumental "Outa-Space" won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1973.^[2] It was also one of the clarion calls for the coming importance of the Hohner Clavinet in popular music.

Track listing

All songs by Billy Preston and Joe Greene, except where noted.

Side One

1. "Should Have Known Better" – 2:28
2. "I Wrote a Simple Song" – 3:28
3. "John Henry" (Preston, Robert Sam) – 3:15
4. "Without a Song" (William Rose, Edward Eliscu, Vincent Youmans) – 4:57
5. "The Bus" – 3:32

Side Two

1. "Outa-Space" – 4:08
2. "The Looner Tune" (Preston, Joe Greene, Jesse Kirkland) – 2:47
3. "You Done Got Older" (Preston, Bruce Fisher) – 3:08
4. "Swing Down Chariot" (Traditional; arranged by Billy Preston and Joe Greene) – 4:13
5. "God Is Great" – 3:32
6. "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" (Traditional) – 4:27

Personnel

• Billy Preston - vocals, piano, organ, keyboards
• David T. Walker - electric guitars
• George Harrison - dobro
• Manuel Kellough - drums
• King Errisson - congas, percussion
• Rocky Peoples - tenor saxophone
• Carlos Garnette - trumpet
• Quincy Jones - string and horn arrangements
• Clydie King, Douglas Gibbs, Duane Rogers, Eugene Bryant, Jesse Kirkland, Merry Clayton, Myrna Matthews, Patrice Holloway, Sherrell Atwood, Venetta Fields - backing vocals

Technical

• Roland Young - art direction
• Jim McCrary - photography

Charts

Singles

External links

• Billy Preston-I Wrote A Simple Song at Discogs

References