Boulders (album)

Boulders is the first solo album by Roy Wood. Apart from harmonium on track 1 played by John Kurlander, all the instruments (including guitars, cello, saxophone recorders) and voices were by Wood, who also wrote, arranged, and produced the whole album, and did a self-portrait for the front cover.

Most of the album was recorded while Wood was still in The Move, although it was not released until he had left the Electric Light Orchestra and was fronting Wizzard. Two singles were taken from the album, ‘When Gran’ma Plays the Banjo’/’Wake Up’ (February 1972), and ‘Dear Elaine’/’Songs of Praise’ (August 1973). The latter reached No. 18 in the UK charts.

"Rock Down Low" and "The Locomotive" were sometimes featured by Wizzard in their live performances.

"Songs of Praise" was recorded by the New Seekers and reached the last six for the British entry to the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest.

Roy Wood had previously attempted recording "She's Too Good For Me" in 1968 with Move bandmate Trevor Burton before re-recording the song entirely himself for "Boulders". These early attempts were released on "The Move Anthology".

‘Boulders’ was reissued on CD by EMI/Harvest on August 27, 2007.

Track listing

1. "Songs of Praise" – 4:40
2. "Wake Up" – 3:19
3. "Rock Down Low" – 3:25
4. "Nancy Sing Me a Song" – 3:28
5. "Dear Elaine " – 4:09
6. "Medley: All the Way Over the Hill/Irish Loafer (And His Hen) ” – 4:49
7. "Miss Clarke and the Computer" – 4:20
8. "When Gran’ma Plays the Banjo" – 3:12
9. "Rock Medley: “Rockin’ Shoes”/”She’s Too Good for Me”/”The Locomotive" – 7:31
10. "Dear Elaine (Rough Mix)" – 4:12 [Bonus track on the 2007 reissue]