Satur-debut – BAD COMPANY “BAD COMPANY”
Most artists are lucky if they release one top-to-bottom classic throughout their career, yet Bad Company managed that feat on their first album. With four tracks that have become rock radio staples and four others that are equally as strong, their self-titled 1974 debut is one for the ages. In addition to the songs mentioned (and samples included) below, I strongly suggest checking out album closer “Seagull,” a beautiful acoustic ballad showcasing Paul Rodgers’ soulful voice.
For more information on this series, please read the opening paragraph of the first post, which featured the debut album from Led Zeppelin.
From GREAT OUT OF THE GATE Part 5:
This was my introduction to the amazingly soulful & powerful voice of Paul Rodgers. He had already established himself as a great singer with Free, but he and his Bad Company bandmates (former Free drummer Simon Kirke, former Mott The Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and one-time King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell) struck gold (multi-platinum, actually) immediately with their debut, which was the first release on Led Zeppelin’s newly-formed Swan Song Records. Some of their best-known songs appear here, including rockers “Can’t Get Enough,” “Rock Steady,” “Movin’ On” and “Ready For Love” (the latter previously recorded by Mott The Hoople with Ralphs on vocals) as well as the moody ballad “Don’t Let Me Down” and their dynamic calling card, “Bad Company.” Had they never recorded again, Bad Company still would have been one of the greatest bands of their era thanks to this stellar self-titled debut.
They released several more great albums but general consensus suggests this is the gold standard in their catalog. I enjoy its follow-up, Straight Shooter, as much as this one, and a couple of others are nearly as good, but I want to hear what other Bad Company fans think of the debut and its place in their discography.
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KamerTunesBlog 
“What’s your favourite seventies song?”
Why, it’s Bad Company by Bad Company from Bad Company”.
Of course.
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Haha…a classic musical joke for Sunday morning. Thanks, Bruce.
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👍
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Other songs on albums of the same name by bands of the same name, apart from “Iron Maiden” from Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden?
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Black Sabbath is one that comes to mind. Big Country came close with “In A Big Country.” I’m sure there are others. “Hey Hey We’re The Monkees”?
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PS. Straight Shooter side one is one of the best sides of rock I know. Just fabulous. But there is, as you suggest Rich, a certain consistency and energy about the Satur-debut.
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I agree with your assessment of Straight Shooter Side 1. I love that whole album but the first side is pretty special. My college cover band named ourselves after that album, although we thought we were clever by calling ourselves Straight Shoot’r. Our logo…designed by yours truly…was a gun that shoots dice. I mock my younger self when I look back at that, even though the band itself kicked ass.
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I reckon that logo sounds rather cool. If all firearms projected dice, the world would doubtless be a better place.
And I bet you made a very pleasing racket, to boot!
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That’s true. That logo would be considered a political statement if we were around in this era, but we just thought it was a fun way to tie in two definitions of “shooter.”
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Well, when as you put it that when 4 songs become rock radio staples that just about sums it up!
I always that cover was very simple yet very effective.
Nice little writeup Rich.
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Thanks, Derek. I agree about the cover. It’s simple and perfectly captures the music within. There are some albums that have multiple radio staples and some filler, but this one…in my opinion…is filler-free.
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The historian in me wants to point out some of Bad Company’s great albums after, this debut album is certainly the best. So many great classic tracks on it.
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My favorites after the debut are Straight Shooter and Run With The Pack, with Desolation Angels not far behind. I also have a soft spot for the post-Rodgers album Dangerous Age. It sounds nothing like Bad Company with Brian Howe on vocals and the late-’80s hard rock production but it’s a fun album for its time.
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Those were the three albums I was thinking about.
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Glad we’re on the same page with Bad Co. What are your thoughts on Dangerous Age? That seems like one that metal fans would really enjoy.
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Actually, I never got around to listening to it. I will be doing so soon.
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If/when you do please let me know your thoughts. It’s date-stamped to the late-’80s but there’s nothing wrong with that.
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Will do, if I’m right, the album came out in 1986 so it won’t be terribly long before I listen to it and write a full post on the album.
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It was released in ’88. I believe it was the second album with Brian Howe, and the first one was released in ’86. I’ve heard a few tracks from the other albums but for some reason Dangerous Age was the only album that made an impact on me.
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Great album to highlight. Only the title track already makes it a strong debut, in my humble opinion. I also dig the other tracks you highlighted. Rodgers is a dynamite vocalist and the band’s just kick ass!
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Glad you agree about how great this album is. It’s hard to find any rock fans who don’t appreciate it. When you have a solid set of songs, excellent musicianship and THAT voice, how can you go wrong?
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Paul Rodgers still is a pretty good vocalist. I saw him last August during his perhaps somewhat awkwardly named “Stars Align” tour with Ann Wilson and Jeff Beck. Rodgers’ set included of Bad Company and Free tunes – fun to watch. Beck killed it as usual. I also thought Wilson was pretty decent.
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The last time I saw Rodgers live was when he toured with Queen back in 2006. His voice wasn’t a great match for their music but it was still enjoyable, and I couldn’t believe how good his voice still sounds. Glad you enjoyed that tour with Beck and Wilson. I heard good things about it.
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As you might have guessed Bad Company were not really my thing in the ’70s but I can now see how much they were appreciated back in the day by fans. I know of Paul Rodgers more from his time touring with Queen actually.
(Funnily enough when I first saw this title I confused them with that other British band called Badfinger – They wrote a lot of great songs but I always hated their name as it sounds both rude and unsavoury all at the same time! Bad Company sounds a bit unsavoury too but probably just right for the kind of band they were.)
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I figured Bad Company was another example of “masculine” music that wouldn’t have made much of an impact on you, but I know that women loved Paul Rodgers in the ’70s so I wondered if perhaps he was an Alyson crush. I love Badfinger too. Never thought much about their name but I suppose it could be construed as a bit rude & unsavoury. It still has more presence than their original name, The Iveys.
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I am suspecting this is going to be quite a long series as it’s been in progress for 6 months now and we’re still in the early ‘70s. If you’re still adding to your collection with new albums this series could last another 7 years at this rate – No bad thing.
As for the name Badfinger it came from the alt name for a Beatles song apparently. Bad Company definitely one for the boys when I was young so missed out on all that Paul Rodgers lovlieness!
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Believe it or not this series should wrap up early next year. The majority are from the ’70s & ’80s with only about a dozen from the ’90s & beyond. I have another series planned for next year if I can find the time so I’ll be happy to wrap this one up.
I didn’t know that about Badfinger. Interesting tidbit. Thanks.
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If anyone can sing the phone book, it has to be Paul Rodgers. The classic rock DJ at the radio station I worked at commented in ~2004-5 when he paired with Queen for the Cosmos album that PR must be the “go-to” guy you call when you want to form a super group of classic rock musicians. Free. Bad Company. The Firm (w post-Zep Jimmy Page), Queen, etc.
Bad Company is a classic track. I always loved it as a rock metaphor…
I was born, 6 gun (guitar) in my hand…
Now these towns, they all know our name (touring)
6-gun sound (the included little guitar chord lick)
Bad Company (rock n roller) til the day I die.
What an anthemic call to rock. Play this and Juke Box Hero non-stop to your children and you’ll have the next guitar god!
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Hey Bill. Very funny about Paul Rodgers being the ideal singer for supergroups, yet I wonder if that DJ considered The Law, his short-lived (for good reason) collaboration with drummer Kenney Jones. I was working at Atlantic Records when their album was released and it sank without a trace. Seemed more like a corporate idea than an actual band, which rarely produces anything worthwhile. Otherwise, PR has been great with all of those bands you mentioned. I was disappointed when I saw him fronting Queen, but I’ve heard that the show I attended was possibly the worst of that tour. I thought the album they released was actually pretty good.
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