BB's Album Rankings - Badfinger
In honor of the much-delayed official release (50 years after recording) of the last original Badfinger album, Head First, in December 2024, rather than just reviewing that long lost album, I'm going to use this opportunity to take a look back at the entire wonderful Badfinger discography, to re-assess and evaluate their music, greatness, and importance in rock history. They've always been a favorite of mine, but their tragic story has always somewhat overshadowed and undermined their talent and musical accomplishments. Badfinger was one of the very first, and probably best ever, power pop band. They embodied all of the features that make power pop such a great form of rock music; powerful rockin riffs and rhythms coupled with great pop melodies and catchy hooks, as well as great vocals and harmonies. Casual listeners know Badfinger for exactly 4 songs: Come and Get It, No Matter What, Day After Day, and Baby Blue, their only 'hits', and many have never heard anything else by the band. But Badfinger is so much more than that, with a catalog of songs and albums just brimming with great and classic tracks. A truly talented and underrated band, that despite incredible hardship, mismanagement, terrible luck and twisted fate, produced some very remarkable music over a way-too-short period of time.
Originally formed as The Iveys in 1961 in Swansea, Wales, and after some personnel changes in the mid-sixties, they became the first band other than The Beatles signed to the Apple label in 1968. Following a limited release (only in Italy, Germany, and Japan) of an Iveys album (Maybe Tomorrow), and after changing their name to Badfinger (after the Beatles working song title 'Bad Finger Boogie'), the first Badfinger album, Magic Christian Music, was released in 1970. Their first single as Badfinger was the McCartney written and produced Come and Get It. After one more key personnel change around that time, the classic Badfinger line-up was set: Pete Ham (vocals, guitar, piano), Tom Evans (vocals, bass), Joey Molland (vocals, guitar), and Mike Gibbins (drums, backing vocals), with all three of Ham, Evans, and Molland being excellent and prolific songwriters as well, and even drummer Mike Gibbins also contributed some fine songs (usually one per album). Pete Ham was a premier songwriter, specializing in sweet pop-rock songs, with heavenly vocals, great melodies and arrangements, and was also a virtuoso lead guitarist. Joey Molland added a bit more of a harder rock element, but also wrote some beautiful ballads as well. Tom Evans also covered both the pop and rock aspects equally well, but each member had their own unique style, and the combined vocal harmonies of the band were sensational. That line-up would produce multiple remarkable albums before everything went horribly wrong due to extreme mismanagement and financial malfeasance from their business manager, Stan Polley, who worked them hard and robbed them blind, leading to the suicide of Pete Ham in 1975, and years later, the suicide of Tom Evans, in 1983. I've chronicled much of the history of the band in previous posts, so I won't go into much detail here, but there are a few elements that need to be covered. Following Pete's death and the demise of Badfinger in 1975, Joey, Tom, and Mike went to other bands, which were not very successful (Joey, Natural Gas; Tom, The Dodgers; Mike, Flying Aces). By 1977, the boys were completely out of music for awhile. Joey then got an offer to join a new band with a couple of Americans, Joe Tansin (guitar/vocals) and Kenny Harck (drums), in Los Angeles, CA. Since they also needed a bassist, Joey asked Tom to join as well. When they were shopping some demos of the new band around, they found that the record labels were only interested if they took on the Badfinger name (which did not sit well with the previous members), so they became the new version of Badfinger. But drummer Harck was fired during the recording sessions, and Tansin was not happy how Molland/Evans took over and quit shortly after completing their album, Airwaves, in 1979. For their tour to promote the new album, Joey recruited Tony Kaye (Yes) and Peter Clarke (Stealer's Wheel) on drums. Then, with the addition of guitarist Glenn Sherba and Richard Bryan on drums (replacing Peter Clarke), this new version of the band recorded and released another new album, Say No More, in 1981. These newer albums were generally not very well-received, but are actually quite good and honorably carry on the Badfinger name. Unfortunately, there was (and is) a large contingent that maintained No Pete Ham=Not Badfinger=Not Good. But if the albums are evaluated for the music they create, and not what is missing, they are really good, make a positive contribution to the Badfinger legacy, with some songs that rank right up among the best of the band. But after the failure of Say No More, they could not get another record deal, and Joey and Tom split for good to each form their own competing touring versions of Badfinger, and eventually led to Tom taking his own life in 1983. Subsequently, Joey continued to tour as Joey Molland's Badfinger periodically over the years. I was able to catch his band in 1986, which at that time also included Mike Gibbins. They put on a great show. Molland has also released multiple (5) solo albums, Mike Gibbins also released some solo albums, as well as posthumous collections of demos and home recordings from Pete Ham and Tom Evans. A couple of live Badfinger albums as well as several different compilation albums have also been released. Mike Gibbins passed away in 2005, leaving Joey as the last survivor from the classic lineup. Recently, Joey has undergone some major health issues related to complications from diabetes resulting in extended hospital care (Get well Joey!).
Thus, Badfinger produced 9 studio albums overall (4 for Apple, 1969-1973, 3 for Warner Brothers, 1974, and 2 as the Joey and Tom-led reformed version of the band, 1979-1981). I am not including the earlier The Iveys album (Maybe Tomorrow, 1969), as half of the songs from that album were re-recorded and released on the Magic Christian Music album (as well as additional songs were included as bonus tracks on later releases).
But before getting to the ranking, a little background on Head First, and its long-delayed final release. After finishing recording Wish You Were Here in late summer, 1974, and preparing for a UK tour in the fall, Pete Ham, fed up with the financial hardship and mismanagement, quit the band. So, keyboard player/vocalist Bob Jackson (The Fortunes) was brought in for the tour. But at the urging of the label (who wasn't interested in the band without Ham, or in Ham as a solo act), Pete re-joined the band 3 weeks later and joined the tour (with Jackson also staying on). Following the tour, Joey Molland left the band, and Polley forced the band right back into the studio to record another album quickly (in order to receive more advance money), even though by this time, lawsuits were being filed by Warners against Polley and the band for financial mismanagement. With little preparation, the band were given 14 days to record the new album. The album that resulted (without Joey, but with Bob Jackson) was dubbed Head First, but was rejected by the label due to the ongoing legal issues, and distribution of Wish You Were Here was also halted just 7 weeks after release, and all of the band's finances, as well as their ability to even perform gigs, were tied up in legal issues. And there the album sat for decades. Over the period from Fall of 1972 to December 1974, the band recorded 4 full studio albums and went on four separate tours (2 in the UK and 2 in the U.S.), for which they were paid peanuts via a meager 'salary' doled out by Polley, and after which all band money disappeared. Many years later, after resolution of the lawsuits, there was a move to finally release the album, but the master tapes were lost and could not be recovered. However, an engineer's copy of some rough mixes were eventually released, somewhat unofficially, in 2000. So, the songs were finally heard, although in a less than ideal form. But Bob Jackson continued to search for the missing Master tapes, which were eventually found in 2023. This led to Jackson overseeing the restoring and remixing of the tapes, and the full fidelity version of the album was finally released in December 1974, exactly 50 years after recording, thus closing the final chapter of the Badfinger musical legacy. More on the album itself later.
But now, on to my ranking of all the Badfinger albums, from my least favorite to most favorite (their is no worst, or even bad, as all the Badfinger albums range from at least very good to timeless masterpiece). As always, these rankings represent my own personal opinions, based on years of listening. Of course, your own opinion and rankings may differ.
Airwaves (1978)
It's tough having to place any Badfinger album as being last, because they all are so good, and although this does not have the classic Badfinger lineup, and wasn't even intended to be called a Badfinger album, it is still a really good album. This is the first album of the re-formed band, which is not generally held in high regard simply because it does not have Pete Ham, as well as the way it came about. But, as for the album itself, it is actually quite good, showing a really nice power pop sound and style (with a good blend of power and pop). It has two dynamite pop singles (Lost Inside Your Love, Love is Gonna Come At Last) that shoulda/coulda been big hits (but weren't), a couple good rockers, some nice ballads (and a beautiful closing ballad from Tom). Joe Tansin also has a couple of good songs (but sung by Joey and Tom, not Tansin). Some have complained that it just doesn't sound like Badfinger, and that may be, but then it was now 1979, and the music world, and particularly pop music, had changed. The songs are varied, with some more along the lines of Supertramp and ELO, but a quite nice pop/rock sound. Really the only negatives here are that it is an extremely short album (8 songs, <31 min.), and the production tends towards the slick West Coast sound popular at the time. And those are the only reasons that this album comes in just a bit behind the others. That, plus the fact that the best songs on this album are not quite as good as the best from the other albums. Still, a very good album overall. Best Tracks: Love is Gonna Come at Last, Lost Inside Your Love, Come Down Hard, The Winner, Sail Away, The Dreamer. Rating: 3.5ó
Magic Christian Music (1979)
.jpg)
The first album released by Apple under the Badfinger name (following the limited release of Maybe Tomorrow by the Iveys). It is a strong debut, headed by the McCartney written and produced single, Come and Get It, consisting of catchy pop tunes and wonderful vocal harmonies. The only problem with the album is that it contains too many sweet vocal pop songs and not enough more rockin' tracks. Thus, it misrepresents the variety and range of the band and presents them more as a vocal pop group, when they are so much more. The style of the songs also are more in line with mid-sixties (1965-67) pop than current for 1970, although the band does try to inject some more modern elements in several songs. The two songs that do show their rock side, Midnight Sun and Rock of All Ages, are among the best on the album. This does show them as adept at creating pretty pop songs, but the power that would form their power pop sound is mostly absent here. Still, a fine collection of clever pop songs, and like the early Beatles albums, great for what they are, but the band would get much better in subsequent albums. Best Tracks: Rock of All Ages, Midnight Sun, Carry On Till Tomorrow, Dear Angie, Come and Get It. Rating: 3.5ó
Badfinger (1974) tentatively titled For Love or Money, but label rejected title and released with no title
.jpg)
The band's 1st album for new label Warner Brothers, and rushed to completion in fall 1973. Although the album contained multiple great options to be successful singles, the label inexplicably released a couple of questionable choices for singles, Pete's I Miss You, a tender, pretty ballad, but not really single material, and Love is Easy, a lesser Molland rocker that unconvincingly re-vamped George Harrison's It's All Too Much, which both quickly sank, and didn't help album sales. Whereas, Shine On, Lonely You, or Song For a Lost Friend are wonderful pop songs that would've made fine singles. This album was also released just a month after Ass, which confused fans and hurt sales of both albums. The album is a bit of a mixed bag, still very good, but they try out a bunch of different styles, and some work better than others. Joey has some good songs in Islands, which sounds kinda like Bad Company, Give It Up, a soaring power ballad, and Andy Norris, an energetic rocker. Matted Spam is a fun James Brown/Motown funk style song (with horns and all) from Pete, and Mike contributes a lovely acoustic gem in My Heart Goes Out. Overall, another very good album, but that just doesn't have the standout songs to put it among the best Badfinger albums. Best Tracks: Shine On, Give It Up, Lonely You, Matted Spam, Song For a Lost Friend, Andy Norris. Rating: 3.5ó
Ass (1973)
Their last album for Apple (and the last non-Beatles release for Apple records), and the decline and poor promotion of Apple also factored into the lack of success for the album. Album opened with Apple of My Eye, which was Pete's bittersweet goodbye to Apple, and which was the only single released from the album. It is a beautiful, but quite somber track, and didn't succeed as a single. This album is dominated by Joey, contributing 5 of the 10 tracks (with Pete and Tom getting only 2 each, plus one from Mike), and because of that, this is perhaps the band's most rock-oriented album. Side 1 proceeds with 3 straight Joey tracks, the engaging rocker Get Away (which should have been a single), the power pop ballad Icicles, and the fun rocker The Winner. Side 1 closes with a great rocker from Tom, Blind Owl. Side 2 opens with probably the heaviest song they ever did, Joey's Constitution, which is more in the vein of Cream or Hendrix, and seems a bit out of place on this album, but it contains some great guitar work throughout. A beautiful love ballad from Pete follows, When I Say, then a country-tinged fun novelty from Mike, Cowboy. Joey then presents his lovely love ballad, I Can Love You. The album ends with its best track, their longest song (at nearly 8 min), the near-epic, Timeless, with its intense slow build and great guitar work. Overall, a lot going on this album, much variety between tracks, but some truly great moments throughout, and shows the great versatility of the band.
Best Tracks: Timeless, Get Away, When I Say, Blind Owl, The Winner, Constitution, I Can Love You. Rating: 4ó
Head First (1974) 50th Anniversary Edition, 2024
For many years after the demise of Badfinger, most of us had no idea that there was a whole recorded but unreleased album out there. Even after reports and rumors of this album circulated, it was years until it could be heard. The first glimpse of the album that I was aware of came in 1990, when a compilation The Best of Badfinger Vol. 2 featured four songs from the as yet unreleased album. Which was quite exciting. But it was still not until 2000 that we heard the full album. And now with the 2024 50th Anniversary edition, we finally get to hear the album as it was meant to be heard. But is it any good? Could this album made under such rushed conditions live up to the high standards of other Badfinger albums. Well, I am happy to say that this album is much better than we had any right to expect, and despite being a bit short on songs, it is quite wonderful, and fits in well in their catalog, and even boasts some of the band's best songs. It contains two absolutely stellar Pete Ham songs, which should have been hit singles if given the chance, including the stunning album opener Lay Me Down, a power pop classic and one of Pete's very best, and Keep Believin', a wonderful pop ballad. Tom Evans contributes a couple of biting rockers showing their growing contempt with their management issues, in Hey Mr. Manager, and the fierce rocker Rock n' Roll Contract. Mike also has some fine moments on the album, particularly with the sweet acoustic gem Back Again. Mike's second track is the rather undeveloped Rockin' Machine, which is fine, but sounds more like an in-progress rehearsal version that would have been better kept as a bonus track or B-side (but does have some fine acoustic slide guitar from Pete). Bob Jackson provides a strong presence and makes a great case for his inclusion in the band, as well as demonstrating his rock credentials with the outstanding harder rock tracks of Turn Around and Passed Fast, each having somewhat of a Clapton-esque feel. Another winner is the band-written melodious lovely pop ballad Moonshine. The album closes with a short instrumental track based around an electric piano chord progression played by Pete, with accompaniment added later by Jackson and the band. Pretty, but doesn't really add much. Thus, with 8 core dynamite songs, this is a great, but short album (~32 min). Even with the couple short filler tracks, it comes in ~35 min. All that is missing to make this among the very best Badfinger albums would be a couple of great Joey Molland songs instead of those couple filler tracks. Best Tracks: Lay Me Down, Passed Fast, Turn Around, Rock n Roll Contract, Keep Believin', Moonshine. Rating: 4ó
Say No More (1981)
It may be sacrilege to some to rank this album above some of those from the 'classic' lineup, but I'm not sorry, as this album is not just good, not just great, it is absolutely fantastic and I love it! It surely deserves to be re-evaluated and honored for the classic it is. Over the past month that I have been preparing this ranking, I have listened to this album dozens of times, more than any other, and it is just so tuneful, catchy, energetic, engaging, and non-stop fun and enjoyment. Classic 80's power pop, through and through. After Airwaves, Tom and Joey needed some additional musicians to replenish the band, so added Tony Kaye (Yes) on keyboards, Glenn Sheba on guitar, and Richard Bryan on drums. Thus, they now had a real band again to record their next album, Say No More, which unfortunately turned out to be their last. Side one of this album is absolutely pure power pop perfection, with every song an absolute banger, and each of the first four tracks should have been big hit singles. The album kicks off with the blazing opener, Joey's I Got You, a great old-fashioned Rock n Roll stunner with great energy, melody, harmonies, and guitar licks, which is followed by Tom's Come On, more power pop greatness, and the beautiful Hold On, which was a semi-hit single but deserved better, and then Joey's Because I Love You, another would-be dynamite hit single in a more just world. The side closes with Tom's powerful rocker, Rock n Roll Contract, which yes, was a remake from the still as yet unreleased Head First album. But here, they do it even better, with a faster, more energetic version, with extended guitar solos. Side two is not quite as brilliant, but doesn't let up much, with a couple of melodic Molland rockers, Passin' Time and Three Time Loser, followed by Tom's pleasant ballad Too Hung Up on You. Then to finish the album, there is Tom's compelling swamp rocker Crocadillo and Joey's powerful and haunting No More. Overall, a great blend of pop and rock throughout. So much rockin' fun. Sure, the sound and style is not quite the same as the 'classic' Badfinger, but it was now the 80's and a different time, and this is some of the very best 80's power pop, perhaps more along the lines of Supertramp, ELO, Cheap Trick, or even The Who on some songs. Pete Ham is not there, but the great songs, melodies, and vocal harmonies are still there. Tony Kaye makes a welcome addition to the band, providing rollicking honky-tonk style piano on many tracks and providing a solid keyboard presence throughout. But the guitar licks are not diminished in any way, with Glenn Sherba added as second guitarist added and great guitar work throughout. Utterly fantastic album, pure power pop bliss from beginning to end, and the biggest surprise of the catalog when re-examined with fresh ears as just how great and underrated this album is. It's such a shame that this version of the band was not able to continue on, as it would have been great to hear more from this band throughout the 80's, and a little success here could have prevented the tragic loss of Tom. Best Tracks: I Got You, Hold On, Come On, Because I Love You, Rock n Roll Contract, Too Hung Up On You, Passin' Time, No More, Crocadillo. Rating: 4.5ó
Wish You Were Here (1974)
Considered by many to be the band's masterpiece, and it is a great album, showing their growth and development as songwriters, arrangers, and performers of great pop and rock music, and no longer weighed down by comparisons with the Beatles, but there are still a couple albums that are even better. Another great opener with Just A Chance, featuring crunchy guitar riffs, a great melody, and exquisite harmony vocals. A gentle acoustic charmer with country-rock feel from Mike Gibbins, You're So Fine, follows (complete with slide guitar from Pete), and then Joey's beautifully mournful Gotta Get Out of Here (Joey's goodbye to the band?). But Pete's No One Knows is the weak spot on the album. Although it sounds great, the beautiful pop arrangement and production can't hide the weak, somewhat annoying nursery rhyme-type melody. Pete is a master of these types of buoyant pop songs, but this one just misses the mark. Much better is Ham's Dennis, another power pop gem, followed by In the meantime/Some Other Time a dynamite collaboration between Mike and Joey. These 2 songs highlight some new directions for the band, with a production style and sound similar to that being developed by Supertramp around that same time, incorporating some progressive rock elements and a more dynamic approach. Love Time is a beautiful melodic ballad from Joey, with tasty guitar fills and runs throughout. Tom has only one song on this album, the wonderful King of the Load, a melodious and sweet light rock gem. Concluding the album is another highlight, Meanwhile Back at the Ranch/Should I Smoke, a Ham/Molland collaboration that hits all the right notes with equal parts power and beauty, with great guitar playing, and although not that long, just feels epic in style/scope and the perfect close to the album. Unfortunately, the album never had the chance to succeed, with no singles released and the album pulled from release after only 7 weeks due to the lawsuits between the label and their manager. Subsequent re-releases have now established this album as the classic it is. Best Tracks: In the Meantime/Some Other Time, Dennis, Just a Chance, Meanwhile Back at the Ranch/Should I Smoke, King of the Load, You're So Fine. Rating: 4.5ó
No Dice (1970)
This was the album that should have established Badfinger as a powerhouse new rock band with commercial appeal, and not just the Beatles imitators that the critics and public had dubbed them, but the masses wouldn't have it. Opening with the snarling guitars of I Can't Take It, with its melodic verse and chorus, and sensational harmony vocals, they lay out their core sound, a compelling mix of rock and pop, soon to be dubbed power pop. I Don't Mind is a lovely ballad featuring those heavenly harmony vocals and Love Me Do, a basic rocker from Joey. But the album really kicks into high gear starting with the 4th track, Midnight Caller, and remains absolutely superb thoughout the rest of the album. Midnight Caller is a majestic, memorable ballad from Pete, which leads directly into the real showstopper and one of the greatest rock singles ever, No Matter What. With its opening guitar power chords, shimmering vocals, enticing melody and hooks, it is brilliant. If you're not quite sure just what is meant by power pop, this is it, the definitive power pop song, it has everything, and still comes in at exactly 3 min. Next up is Without You, the moving, beautiful Evans/Ham power ballad that would become a #1 hit the world over, but not for Badfinger, for Harry Nilsson in the following year, and much later Mariah Carey, but this is the original, and it is wonderful, soulful, and wistful, and with the Procol Harum style organ outro. Then comes Blodwyn, a simple, but compelling and rousing country-rock campfire sing-a-long (with pedal steel accompaniment). Better Days is a great Tom and Joey collab blues-rocker highlighted again by the harmony vocals and Pete's slide guitar. Next is the first composition from Mike, It Had to Be, a moving ballad. Then comes Watford John, a rollicking blues-rock band collab featuring some great guitar and vocals, followed by Believe Me, a lovely song from Tom with a strong build to a powerful finish. And closing out this great album is another of the band's very best, We're For the Dark, an acoustic stunner, a beautiful song, sung and played so elegantly, with some nice orchestration (should also have been a single). Just a remarkable album from start to finish. Although this was the second Badfinger album, it was the first with Joey, and the added dimension he provides, in songwriting, playing, and vocals and harmonies is immense, and the real beginning of this great band. Best Tracks: No Matter What, We're For The Dark, Better Days, Midnight Caller, I Can't Take It, Without You, Blodwyn, Watford John. Rating: 4.5ó
Straight Up (1971)
As great as the previous albums are, this is the one, their true masterpiece, and one of my favorite albums of all time. Ever since first hearing this back in the 70's, it has always been a favorite, an undeniable classic and every song just about perfect. Unlike most of their other albums though, they don't start this one off with a lively rocker, but with Take It All, a somber but majestic and powerful Pete Ham song that sets the mood for the album. Next is Baby Blue, their iconic and soaring hit power pop single. Money and Flying, from Tom and Joey, fit right together with their brooding melodies and excellent vocal harmonies. Joey's I'd Die Babe (produced by George Harrison and sounds like it) is fantastic rousing pop-rock, with great guitar lines and vocals, and the side closes with Name of the Game, another great Pete Ham track with a gorgeous melody, great piano and vocal backing, building to a majestic finish. And side 2 is even better, kicking off with a couple of classic Joey tracks, Suitcase, a catchy bluesy rocker with Pete's slide accompaniment, and Sweet Tuesday Morning , a sensational acoustic gem, beautiful melody amid Pete's acoustic guitar mastery. Then comes Day After Day, another iconic hit single (also produced by George Harrison) and stunningly beautiful song and vocals (and with Pete and George's synchronized dual guitar leads). But that's not all, as next is Joey's tremendously catchy (and underrated) rocker, Sometimes, one of my very favorite rock songs ever. Great guitar work and those harmony vocals in the bridge are exquisite. This is followed by another underrated classic, Pete's Perfection, a wonderful, beautiful, and moving masterpiece of songwriting and vocals. To close thongs out is Tom's It's Over, a strong and lovely closer to this magnificent album. What is most evident on this album is the development of Joey as a great songwriter (he has 4.5 great songs here), nearly matching the immense talent of Pete Ham, and with all three of them (Pete, Joey, and Tom) at their peak abilities, in songwriting, playing, arranging, and vocals, created this remarkable album. This was a difficult album for them, undergoing several recording attempts and multiple producers, but the final result is an all-time classic. Best tracks: Sometimes, Perfection, Day After Day, Baby Blue, Sweet Tuesday Morning, I'd Die Babe, Suitcase, Take It All. Rating: 5ó
BB’s Rating scale:
OK, that's how I see the Badfinger catalog, truly wonderful music from this band throughout its existence, and such a shame that such great musical voices and people as Pete Ham and Tom Evans had their lives cut short. What could they have produced had they lived for another 40-50 years?
Disagree with my rankings/ratings? Let's hear what you have to say about Badfinger.
For more on Badfinger, check out all my previous posts, with more info and concert posts.
