Ra (Utopia album)

Ra
Studio album by Utopia
Released February 4, 1977
Recorded at Bearsville Sound Studio, Utopia Sound and Turtle Creek Barn
Genre Progressive rock, art rock
Length 53:04
Label Bearsville
Producer Todd Rundgren
Utopia chronology

Another Live
(1975)		 Ra
(1977)		 Oops! Wrong Planet
(1977)
Singles from Ra
  1. "Communion With The Sun"
    Released: February 1977
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

Ra is the second studio album and third release by Utopia on Bearsville Records in 1977. Replete with an elaborate $250,000 stage show featuring a 22-foot-tall (6.7 m) pyramid and golden sphinx which took 18 months of prep, Ra was Rundgren's most ambitious live undertaking.

The cornerstone of the album and show is Singring and the Glass Guitar, which comprises solos by each band member battling the elements: water (drums), wind (bass), fire (keyboards), and earth (guitar). At the pinnacle of the live show, Rundgren played the final guitar solo while repeatedly climbing and flipping off the pyramid.

The album was modestly successful, peaking the Billboard Top 200 at #79.[2]

Track listing

Side one

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Overture: Mountaintop and Sunrise" / "Communion with the Sun"  Herrmann / Rundgren 7:15
2. "Magic Dragon Theatre"  Rundgren, Sulton 3:28
3. "Jealousy"  Rundgren, Wilcox 4:43
4. "Eternal Love"  Powell, Sulton 4:51
5. "Sunburst Finish"  Powell, Rundgren 7:38

Side two

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Hiroshima"  Powell, Rundgren 7:16
2. "Singring and the Glass Guitar (An Electrified Fairytale)"  Powell, Rundgren, Sulton, Wilcox 18:24

Personnel

Charts

Album - Billboard

Year Chart Position
1977 Pop Albums 79[2]

Production

Additional Songwriting Credits

References

  1. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2011). "RA - Utopia | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ra in the Billboard Charts, Allmusic. Retrieved July 31, 2011.