Giant for a Day!

Giant for a Day!
Studio album by Gentle Giant
Released	September 11, 1978
Recorded	April – May 1978, Ramport Studios, Battersea, England
Genre	Pop rock
Length	35:33
Label	Chrysalis (UK) Capitol (U.S.)
Producer	Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant chronology
The Missing Piece (1977) Giant for a Day! (1978) Civilian (1980)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	(unfavourable) [2]
Sea of Tranquility	[3]

Giant for a Day! is the tenth album by British progressive rock band Gentle Giant which was released in 1978. The band's previous use of counterpoint and medieval-themed arrangements was not present on this recording. This album features a pop rock sensibility, instead of their usual progressive rock sound. Unlike the previous albums, the band did not make any tour or concerts to support this album.^[4] From the album only the title track was ever played live by the band during its final tour supporting the Civilian album.^[5]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Kerry Minnear, Derek Shulman, and Ray Shulman, except where noted. 

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Words from the Wise"		4:14
2.	"Thank You"		4:50
3.	"Giant for a Day"		3:49
4.	"Spooky Boogie" (instrumental)	R. Shulman, K. Minnear	2:55
5.	"Take Me"	D. Shulman, J. Weathers	3:39

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Little Brown Bag"		3:26
2.	"Friends"	J. Weathers	2:00
3.	"No Stranger"		2:29
4.	"It's Only Goodbye"		4:19
5.	"Rock Climber"		3:52

Personnel

• Gary Green – electric guitar (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 9), electric guitars (tracks 3, 6, 8, 10), slide guitar (track 2), acoustic guitar (tracks 2, 7), backing vocals
• Kerry Minnear – piano (tracks 4-6, 9, 10), electric piano (tracks 1, 4, 5, 8, 10), Minimoog (tracks 3-5), Hammond organ (track 2), Clavinet (track 1), synthesizer (track 4), xylophone (track 4), bass (tracks 2, 7), backing vocals, co-lead vocals on track 1
• Derek Shulman – lead vocals all tracks except tracks 4 & 7
• Ray Shulman – Bass (tracks 1, 3-6, 8-10), 12-string guitar (tracks 2, 7), backing vocals
• John Weathers – drums (tracks 1-6, 8-10), tambourine (tracks 1, 5), shaker (track 4), cowbell (track 10), backing vocals, lead vocals on track 7^[6]

Release details

• 1978, UK, Chrysalis Records CHR-1186, Release Date 29 September 1978, LP
• 1978, UK, Chrysalis Records CHR-1186, Release Date ? ? 1978, Cassette
• 1978, USA, Capitol Records SW-11813, Release Date 11 September 1978, LP
• 1978, USA, Capitol Records SW-11813, Release Date ? ? 1978, Cassette
• 1978, Brazil, Chrysalis Records 6307 636, Release Date ? ? 1978, LP
• ?, USA, Capitol Records SN-16045, Release Date ? ? ?, LP (re-release)
• ?, USA, Capitol Records 17892, Release Date ? ? ?, CD
• 1993, UK, Road Goes On Forever RGFCD 1007, Release Date ? ? 1993, CD (with lyric sleeve)
• 1994, UK, Terrapin Trucking TRUCKCD007, Release Date 18 July 1994, CD (Re-Master)
• 1996, USA, One Way CD 18470, Release Date 16 March 1996, CD
• 1999, UK, Beat Goes On BGOCD431, Release Date 16 April 1999 , CD (2 x CD with The Missing Piece)
• 2005, UK, DRT Entertainment RTE355, Release Date 5 September 2005, CD (35th Anniversary Enhanced Re-Master)

References

1. Little, Patrick (2011). "Giant for a Day! - Gentle Giant | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
2. Bloom, Michael (2011). "Gentle Giant: Giant For A Day : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". web.archive.org. Archived from the original on March 16, 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
3. Pardo, Pete (2011). "Review: 'Gentle Giant: Giant For a Day-35th Anniversary Edition (remaster)' - Sea of Tranquility - The Web Destination for Progressive Music!". seaoftranquility.org. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
4. http://www.ggtourhistory.50webs.com/part7.htm
5. http://www.ggtourhistory.50webs.com/part8.htm
6. Gentle Giant's website (www.blazemonger.com/GG/)