Torch (Carly Simon album)
| Torch | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 1981 | |||
| Studio | Power Station, New York City | |||
| Genre | Traditional pop | |||
| Length | 35:02 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Producer | Mike Mainieri | |||
| Carly Simon chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Torch | ||||
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Torch is the 10th studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Warner Bros. Records, in August 1981.
It was Simon's first album devoted to standards, namely torch songs, relating unrequited love or rejection. The album also features one Simon original, "From the Heart".[1] The album was recorded during her marriage breakup to James Taylor, which was announced shortly after the release of the album.
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [2] |
| Rolling Stone | [3] |
Writing in Rolling Stone, Stephen Holden called the album "a gorgeous throwback", stating Simon's "magnificent alto, with its rough-and-tumble lows and wistful highs, has never sounded better." He singled out the track "Not a Day Goes By" as "Torch's moment of truth", a "big, direct ballad", and "Simon's vocal makes you feel each stab of pain." He concluded "though Torch may be too sophisticated to storm the charts, it's nevertheless a superb example of modern mood music, performed with grace, gusto, sensuality, and intelligence."[3]
In a retrospective review from AllMusic, William Ruhlmann similarly singled out the track "Not a Day Goes By", stating that Simon delivers it "with heartbreaking conviction."[2] Simon later included the track on her two-disc career spanning collection Anthology (2002).[4]
"Hurt" was released as the albums lead single; it just missed the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 106 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.
"From the Heart" was included on Simon's 2015 career retrospective Songs from the Trees (A Musical Memoir Collection).[5]
Cover artwork
The man whose arm Simon is tugging on the cover is American actor Al Corley, known for playing Steven Carrington on the 1980s soap opera Dynasty. The photographer was Lynn Goldsmith.[6]
Track listing
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[7]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Blue of Blue" |
| 3:38 |
| 2. | "I'll Be Around" | Alec Wilder | 2:30 |
| 3. | "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good" | 3:46 | |
| 4. | "I Get Along Without You Very Well" | Hoagy Carmichael | 3:23 |
| 5. | "Body and Soul" | 4:12 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hurt" | 3:21 | |
| 2. | "From the Heart" | Simon | 2:47 |
| 3. | "Spring Is Here" | 3:02 | |
| 4. | "Pretty Strange" | 2:59 | |
| 5. | "What Shall We Do with the Child" |
| 2:44 |
| 6. | "Not a Day Goes By (from the Broadway show Merrily We Roll Along)" | Stephen Sondheim | 2:40 |
| Total length: | 35:02 | ||
Notes
- ^a signifies a writer by additional lyrics
Personnel
Musicians
- Carly Simon – lead vocals
- Warren Bernhardt – acoustic piano (1, 3, 5–9, 11), synthesizers (4), arrangements (8)
- Mike Mainieri – arrangements (1–7, 9, 10, 11), acoustic piano (4), vibraphone (5), marimba (10)
- Hugh McCracken – guitar (1, 2, 6), acoustic guitar (7)
- Lee Ritenour – guitar (2, 3, 9)
- Jay Berliner – classical guitar (10)
- Anthony Jackson – bass guitar (1, 3, 6, 9)
- Eddie Gomez – acoustic bass (5)
- Rick Marotta – drums (1, 3, 9)
- Grady Tate – drums (5)
- Jerry Marotta – drums (6)
- David Sanborn – alto saxophone (1, 3)
- Phil Woods – alto saxophone (5)
- Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone (6)
- Randy Brecker – trumpet solo (9)
- David Nadien – violin solo (8)
- Don Sebesky – orchestration arrangements (1, 9, 11)
- Robert L. Freedman – orchestration arrangements (2)
- Marty Paich – orchestration arrangements (3, 4, 5, 8)
Production
- Producer – Mike Mainieri
- Production Coordination – Christine Martin
- Engineer – Scott Litt
- Second Engineer – Garry Rindfuss
- Mixing – Scott Litt (Tracks 1–7, 9, 10 & 11); Tony Bongiovi (Track 6).
- Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk (New York, NY).
- Art Direction – Bill Gerber and Simon Levy
- Design – Bill Gerber
- Photography – Lynn Goldsmith
Charts
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[8] | 77 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[9] | 50 |
| US Billboard 200[10] | 50 |
| Japanese Album Charts[11] | 56 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[12] | 40 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 Albums[13] | 45 |
References
- ^ "From The Heart lyrics". Carlysimon.com. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
- ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. "Torch". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2007.
- ^ a b Holden, Stephen (December 10, 1981). "Torch". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
- ^ "Anthology". Carlysimon.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
- ^ "Songs from the Trees". Carlysimon.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- ^ "Carly Simon, Torch by Lynn Goldsmith". San Francisco Art Exchange. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
- ^ Torch (booklet). Carly Simon. Warner Bros. 1981.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0418". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
- ^ "Carly Simon Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
- ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Carly Simon – Torch". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XLIII, no. 27. November 21, 1981. p. 36. ISSN 0008-7289 – via World Radio History.
