Miniature
Tin Man
[Instrumental Intro]
Sometimes late when things are real
And people share the gift of gab between themselves
Some are quick to take the bait
And catch the perfect prize that waits among the shells
But Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man
That he didn’t, didn’t already have
And cause never was the reason for the evening
Or the tropic of Sir Galahad
So please believe in me
When I say I’m spinning round, round, round, round
Smoke glass stain bright color
Image going down, down, down, down
Soapsuds green like bubbles
Oh, Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man
That he didn’t, didn’t already have
And Cause never was the reason for the evening
Or the tropic of Sir Galahad
So please believe in me
When I say I’m spinning round, round, round, round
Smoke glass stain bright color
Image going down, down, down, down
Soapsuds green like bubbles
No, Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man
That he didn’t, didn’t already have
And Cause never was the reason for the evening
Or the tropic of Sir Galahad
So please believe in me
[Vocal/Instrumental Outro]
Another Try
Hey, Daddy just lost his pay
What did he do it for
It never made it through our door
He drank the week away
Now what can a family say?
There must be a better way
Now, Mama don’t start to cry
Let’s give him another try
Pick up the telephone
Tell him you want him home
To sit and watch the evenings pass
And breath in the leaves of grass
I’m caught in a closing door
It’s pinning me to the floor
Now Mama don’t start to cry
Let’s give him another try
I’m caught in a closing door
It’s pinning me to the floor
Now, Mama don’t start to cry
Let’s give him another try
When we’re old and gray
And the things we say
Are the things we rarely mean
So why cause a scene
When things ain’t what they seem
‘Cause the end result’s the same
Now what can a family say
There must be a better way
Now Mama don’t start to cry
Let’s give him another try
Lonely People
This is for all the lonely people
Thinking that life has passed them by
Don’t give up until you drink from the silver cup
And ride that highway in the sky
This is for all the single people
Thinking that love has left them dry
Don’t give up until you drink from the silver cup
You never know until you try
Well, I’m on my way
Yes, I’m back to stay
Well, I’m on my way back home (Hit it)
This is for all the lonely people
Thinking that life has passed them by
Don’t give up until you drink from the silver cup
And never take you down or never give you up
You never know until you try
Glad to See You
Bells ring in in my ear
Voices I hear
Whispering daily to me
Love in your fire
High on a wire
When I know you’re near me
God, I’m glad to see you
I thought you’d left me far away
I wouldn’t give much to be you
But I want you to know I feel this way
All over the world
Flags are being unfurled
Waving before the dawning
I’m watching the show
The last one to know
Which way that things are going
God, I’m glad to know you
I thought you’d left me far away
I wouldn’t give much to be you
But I want you to know I feel this way
Cars fighting their way
Out of L.A
On a Sunday morning
I’m watching the show
The last one to know
Which way that things are going
God, I’m glad to see you
I thought you’d left me far away
I wouldn’t give much to be you
But I want you to know I feel this way
God, I’m glad to know you
Mad Dog
Through the darkness I see you again
Watch my temperature rise
Can’t believe my eyes, don’t tell me
I’ve had way too much tonight
Drank the potion stronger than me
Got me all confused
Why you so amused, don’t tell me
You’ve had way too much tonight
Please don’t tell me no
God, I miss you so
One thing you should know
God, I love you so, oh
Had way too much tonight
I’m a mad dog at times like these
Don’t know where to turn
Ain’t the time to learn my lesson
I’ve had way too much tonight
Ain’t the time to learn my lesson
I’ve had way too much to-
Really too much to-
I’ve had way too much tonight
Alright
I’ve had way too much to-
Really too much to-
I’ve had way too much tonight
Fourth studio album by the band, released on the Warner Bros. Records label on June 26, 1974. The album was produced in London by noted record producer George Martin.
The album was a big hit in the US, reaching #3 on the Billboard album chart and being certified gold by the RIAA. It produced two hit singles: “Tin Man” and “Lonely People” (#4 and #5 respectively on the Billboard singles chart).
It was the recording debut of America’s longtime drummer Willie Leacox, who is in the car in the cover photo.
Review by Mike DeGagne – Allmusic.com
America fully recovered from Hat Trick‘s dismal results with 1974’s Holiday, with producer George Martin‘s influence rubbing off on both of the album’s Top Five singles. With “Tin Man”‘s wonderfully polished soft pop ease and the wispiness of “Lonely People,” the band was able to recapture the same formula that put early hits like “A Horse with No Name,” “I Need You,” and “Ventura Highway” in the Top Ten. The difference with “Holiday” is that their light and breezy melodies and attractive folk-rock sound filtered through more than just the two hit tracks on the album. “Another Try,” “Old Man Took,” “In the Country,” and even the cliché-sounding “Baby It’s Up to You” contain a sturdy enough mixture of guitar and harmony to rise them above inessential filler, at least as far as America’s material is concerned. Cuts like “Mad Dog” and “Hollywood” suffer somewhat from trite lyrics and a seemingly hurried compositional formula, but this album as a whole ascertained that the group was definitely showing their true potential once more. The album that followed Holiday, 1975’s Hearts, showed even stronger improvement, taking the overly catchy “Sister Golden Hair” to number one and scoring a Top 20 hit with the Sunday morning frailty of “Daisy Jane.”
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Warner Bros. Records Inc.
Copyright © – Warner Bros. Records Inc.
Published By – Wb Music Corp.
Recorded At – Air Studios
Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Terre Haute
Arranged By – George Martin
Art Direction – Gary Burden
Bass – Dan Peek, Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley
Design – Gary Burden
Drums – Willie Leacox
Engineer – Geoff Emerick
Guitar [s] – Dan Peek, Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley
Keyboards – Dan Peek, Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley
Percussion – Willie Leacox
Photography By – Gered Mankowitz
Producer – George Martin
Tape Op – Peter Henderson
America is:
Dewey Bunnell
Gerry Beckley
Dan Peek
Recorded at Air Studios, London, England, April 17-May 7.