View source for Tattoo (Rory Gallagher album)

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{{Infobox album
| name       = Tattoo
| type       = [[Album]]
| artist     = [[Rory Gallagher]]
| cover      = Tattoo6xi.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = November 1973
| recorded   = August 1973
| venue      =
| studio     = Polydor Studios, London
| genre      = [[Blues rock]]
| length     = 58:52 (1999 reissue)
| label      = [[Polydor]] 2383 230 (UK)<br />[[Polydor]] 5539 (USA)
| producer   = Rory Gallagher
| prev_title = [[Blueprint (Rory Gallagher album)|Blueprint]]
| prev_year  = 1973
| next_title = [[Irish Tour]]
| next_year  = 1974
}}
{{Album ratings
| rev1      = [[Allmusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.0|5}}<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r7942}}</ref>
| rev2      = [[Rolling Stone]]
| rev2Score = (very favorable)<ref name=dupree>{{cite magazine |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090214050430/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/rorygallagher/albums/album/118163/review/5942606/tattoo |title=Rory Gallagher: Tattoo  |archive-date=14 February 2009 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/rorygallagher/albums/album/118163/review/5942606/tattoo |date=14 March 1974 |first=Tom |last=Dupree |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |url-status= dead |access-date=25 September 2020}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]''
| rev3Score = 8/10<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Cavanagh |first=David |date=September 2015 |title=Rory Gallagher Solo |magazine=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] |page=86}}</ref>
}}
'''''Tattoo''''' is the fourth studio album and fifth album overall released by [[Rory Gallagher]], in 1973.<ref name=dupree/>
==Background==
[[Classic Rock (magazine)|''Classic Rock'']] magazine opined that ''Tattoo'' was an album that "crossed many [[music genre|genres]] of [[rock and roll]] and showcased the writing talents of Rory Gallagher more than any of his previous records."<ref name=classic>{{cite news |last=Kay |first=Brian |date=2019 |title=Top 10 Rory Gallagher Songs|url=https://www.classicrockhistory.com/top-10-rory-gallagher-songs/ |work=[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]] |access-date=25 September 2020}}</ref> [[BBC]]'s reviewer noted that while Gallagher "toured constantly," he still "found time away from the stage to write so many great songs," adding that "''Tattoo'' is perhaps the pick of the bunch: a near-perfect document of the powerful, passionate performances that placed Rory in a league of his own."<ref name=bbc>{{cite news |last=Moffitt |first=Greg |date=2012|title=''Tattoo'': The perfect introduction to a guitar legend and a feast for hardened fans|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/5wrj/|work=[[BBC]] |access-date=25 September 2020}}</ref>  For the reviewer, the album was "a scintillating showcase for Rory’s mastery of his craft" from "the laid back [[Energy (esotericism)|vibe]] of opener "Tattoo'd Lady," the raunchy riffing of "Cradle Rock" and "Admit It" to quieter moments such as the [[Acoustic music|acoustic]]ally driven "20:20 Vision."<ref name=bbc/>
"Cradle Rock" was inspired by the "happy coincidence" that Gallagher "rocked literally all his life" having been born at the Rock Hospital in [[Ballyshannon]], [[Ireland]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Gallagher|first=Donal|title=Liner Notes for ''Tattoo''|url=http://www.rorygallagher.com/#/discography/tattoo}}</ref> The track was also covered by [[Joe Bonamassa]] on his debut album ''[[A New Day Yesterday (Joe Bonamassa album)|A New Day Yesterday]]''.
According to Rory's brother, Donal, [[Polydor]] did not  "properly [[music promotion|promote]]" the album.<ref name=lives>{{cite book |last=Muise|first=Dan|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JI4LHXgz7YEC&q=Tattoo+Rory+Gallagher+album&pg=PA30 |title= Gallagher, Marriott, Derringer, Trower: Their Lives and Music|publisher=Hal Leonard |date=1 April 2002 |page=30 |chapter=Chapter 1: Rory Gallagher|isbn=978-0634029561 }}</ref>
==Track listing==
All songs composed by Rory Gallagher except where noted.
'''Side one'''
#"Tattoo'd Lady" – 4:34
#"Cradle Rock" – 6:15
#"20:20 Vision" – 4:02
#"They Don't Make Them Like You Anymore" – 4:05
#"Livin' Like a Trucker" – 4:19
'''Side two'''
#"Sleep on a Clothes Line" – 5:13
#"Who's That Coming" – 7:09
#"A Million Miles Away" – 6:55
#"Admit It" – 4:19
'''CD bonus track'''
#"Tucson, Arizona" ([[Link Wray]]) – 3:47
#"[[Just a Little Bit (Rosco Gordon song)|Just a Little Bit]]"  – 7:43 ([[Rosco Gordon]])
'''Track listing on French LP'''
* Side 1 : "Tattoo'd Lady" - "They Don't Make..." - "A Million Miles Away" - "Who's That Coming" - "Livin' Like a Trucker"
* Side 2 : "Cradle Rock" - "Admit It" - "20:20 Vision" - "Sleep on a Clothes Line"
==Personnel==
*Rory Gallagher – [[guitar]]s, [[singing|vocals]], [[harmonica]], [[saxophone]], [[mandolin]], [[bouzouki]]
*[[Gerry McAvoy]] – [[bass guitar]]
*[[Lou Martin]] – [[keyboard instrument|keyboards]], [[accordion]]
*[[Rod de'Ath]] – [[drum kit|drums]], [[percussion instrument|percussion]]
;Technical
*Carlos Olms – engineer
*Robin Sylvester – remixing engineer
*Robin Lawrie – cover illustration
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Rory Gallagher}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1973 albums]]
[[Category:Rory Gallagher albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Rory Gallagher]]
[[Category:Polydor Records albums]]
[[it:Tattoo#Musica]]