Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren

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Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren
Studio album by Todd Rundgren
Released	June, 1971
Genre	Pop rock
Length	42:05
Label	Ampex
Producer	Todd Rundgren
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Rolling Stone (Not Rated) link
Todd Rundgren chronology
Runt (1970) Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren (1971) Something/Anything? (1972)

Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren is the second album by American singer-songwriter/musician Todd Rundgren, released in 1971. The album is perhaps Todd's most concise and straightforward, featuring mostly piano-led pop songs and ballads.

Todd handles all guitars, keyboards, and various other instruments (including one of the first uses of the talk box effect, later popularized by Peter Frampton). While Tony Sales (son of comedian Soupy Sales) handles bass on Ballad, his brother Hunt Sales (who played drums on most of Runt, Rundgren's solo debut) plays drums only on the last cut and conga on track number 8; all other drum tracks are played by N.D. Smart, who later became a member of the Hello People and was Mountain's first drummer. The album cover was designed by Ron Mael from the band Sparks.

In mid 1971 Bearsville was purchased by Warner Bros. distribution and plans were made to re-release both Runt and "Runt, The Ballad of Todd Rundgren" as a "twin pack" entitled "Todd Rundgren's Rack Job" in 1973. The album got as far as test presses and Album art but was shelved as Todd wanted to release an album of new material instead of previously released material.

Contents 1 Track listing 1.1 Side one 1.2 Side two 2 Charts

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Todd Rundgren.

[edit] Side one

1. "Long Flowing Robe" – 3:30
2. "The Ballad (Denny & Jean)" – 3:30
3. "Bleeding" – 4:05
4. "The Wailing Wall" – 3:05
5. "The Range War" – 2:38
6. "Chain Letter" – 5:02

[edit] Side two

1. "A Long Time, A Long Way to Go" – 2:12
2. "Boat on the Charles" – 4:28
3. "Be Nice to Me" – 3:27
4. "Hope I'm Around" – 4:55
5. "Parole" – 4:22
6. "Remember Me" – 0:51

[edit] Charts

Singles - Billboard

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1971	"Be Nice to Me"	Pop Singles	71
1971	"A Long Time, A Long Way to Go"	Pop Singles	92