Mr. Fantasy

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Mr. Fantasy
Studio album by Traffic
Released	December, 1967
Recorded	April - November 1967 Olympic Studios, London
Genre	psychedelic rock
Length	33:54
Label	Island Records
Producer(s)	Jimmy Miller
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Traffic chronology
	Mr. Fantasy (1967)	Traffic (1968)

Mr. Fantasy (not to be confused with "Dear Mr. Fantasy", a song on this album and subsequent single) is the debut album by British rock band Traffic. It was released in 1967. For the recording, group members included Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood, Chris Wood, and Dave Mason, however Mason left the band before the release of this album.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Track listing 2.1 UK release 2.2 US release 3 Genres 4 Credits 5 Versions

[edit] Overview

Considered by far the strangest and most "art rock" style album that Traffic released, Mr. Fantasy didn't gain much more than a cult following for Traffic at the time. Critics seemed to like the album, though, and most said it was clear that Steve Winwood and Traffic were good at putting together semi-mainstream psychedelic rock, except this album was not quite mainstream enough. By their next release, the eponymous Traffic, the band was said to have worked through that.

This album features even more horns, flutes, and less rock-style instruments than most of Traffic's future releases. The sitar was used much more in this album than any other later Traffic albums, undoubtedly because of Dave Mason's influence.

"Heaven Is In Your Mind" was the first single released. "Dear Mr. Fantasy", a Capaldi/Winwood/Wood track, would be the next.

[edit] Track listing

[edit] UK release

1. "Heaven Is in Your Mind" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 4:16
2. "Berkshire Poppies" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 2:55
3. "House for Everyone" (Mason) – 2:05
4. "No Face, No Name, No Number" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 3:35
5. "Dear Mr. Fantasy" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 5:44
6. "Dealer" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 3:34
7. "Utterly Simple" (Mason) – 3:16
8. "Coloured Rain" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 2:43
9. "Hope I Never Find Me There" (Mason) – 2:12
10. "Giving to You" (Capaldi/Mason/Winwood/Wood) – 4:20

    Bonus tracks from 2000 CD release

11. "Paper Sun" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 4:15
12. "Giving to You" (Capaldi/Mason/Winwood/Wood) – 4:12
13. "Hole in My Shoe" (Mason) – 2:54
14. "Smiling Phases" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 2:43
15. "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush" (Capaldi/Mason/Winwood/Wood) – 2:18

[edit] US release

1. "Paper Sun" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 3:26
2. "Dealer" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 3:13
3. "Coloured Rain" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 2:46
4. "Hole in My Shoe" (Mason) – 3:04
5. "No Face, No Name, No Number" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 3:38
6. "Heaven Is in Your Mind" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 4:22
7. "House for Everyone" (Mason) – 2:05
8. "Berkshire Poppies" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 2:59
9. "Giving to You" (Capaldi/Mason/Winwood/Wood) – 4:18
10. "Smiling Phases" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 2:44
11. "Dear Mr. Fantasy" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 5:33
12. "We're a Fade, You Missed This" (Capaldi/Winwood) – :53

    Bonus tracks from 2000 CD release

13. "Utterly Simple" (Mason) – 3:17
14. "Hope I Never Find Me There" (Mason) – 2:09
15. "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush" (Capaldi/Mason/Winwood/Wood) – 2:35
16. "Am I What I Was or Am I What I Am" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 5:05

[edit] Genres

• progressive rock
• psychedelic rock
• rock
• jazz rock
• art rock
• British rock and psychedelia
• Folk rock
• jazz fusion

[edit] Credits

• Jim Capaldi -- Drums, Percussion and Vocals
• Dave Mason -- Guitar, Mellotron, Sitar, Tambura, Shakkai, Bass Guitar and Vocals
• Steve Winwood -- Organ, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Piano, Harpsichord, Percussion and Vocals, arrangements
• Chris Wood -- Flute, Saxophone, Organ, Percussion and Vocals, sleeve design
• Jimmy Miller -- Producer
• Eddie Kramer -- Engineer
• John Benton Harris -- Photography
• Margaret Goldfarb -- Re-release coordinator

[edit] Versions

A re-release/reissue of the album was released in 2000 again with Island Records. It included 5 additional tracks: three new, two different versions of the normal ten. Maybe one of the most important reissues of all time, the 2000 Mr. Fantasy features songs such as "Paper Sun" and "Hole In My Shoe". This was the main remastered edition, although more than a few are out there.