Photograph Smile is the fifth studio album by English singer-songwriter Julian Lennon, released in 1998, after a seven-year hiatus following his previous album, Help Yourself. A promotional sampler was released in 1999 in the US containing the tracks: "I Don't Wanna Know", "Day After Day" and "And She Cries".[2]

Photograph Smile
Studio album by
Released18 May 1998
Recorded1996–1998
GenreBaroque pop[1]
Length64:29
73:10 (bonus tracks)
LabelVarèse Sarabande (US)
Fuel 2000 Records (US)
ProducerJulian Lennon, Bob Rose
Julian Lennon chronology
Help Yourself
(1991)
Photograph Smile
(1998)
Behind the Music – The Julian Lennon Collection
(2001)
Singles from Photograph Smile
  1. "Day After Day"
    Released: 11 May 1998
  2. "I Don't Wanna Know"
    Released: 24 August 1998 (UK); 11 May 1999 (US)
  3. "Photograph Smile"
    Released: 1998 (promo only)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Entertainment Weekly (A-)[4]
Los Angeles Times[5]
The New York Times(Positive)[6]
North County TimesA[7]
People(Positive)[8]
Rolling Stone[9]
Wall of Sound65/100[10]

The music video of "I Don't Wanna Know" features a parody band of The Beatles called The Butlers. The music video features The Butlers (Ken, a parody of John Lennon; Hector, based on Paul McCartney; Daisy, based on George Harrison; and Bingo, based on Ringo Starr) in a concert with many screaming fans. The concert takes place on a stage similar to the arrow stage from The Beatles' appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. There is also a box seat with the Queen and Prince, played by Julian Lennon. The first and third segments of the video are filmed in black and white.

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Day After Day"Julian Lennon, Mark Spiro4:19
2."Cold"Lennon, Spiro4:41
3."I Should Have Known"Lennon4:16
4."How Many Times"Lennon5:51
5."I Don't Wanna Know"Lennon, Spiro4:04
6."Crucified"Lennon, Gregory Darling5:11
7."Walls"Lennon, Darling4:47
8."Believe"Lennon4:52
9."Good to Be Lonely"Lennon, Spiro4:25
10."Kiss Beyond the Catcher"Lennon, Darling4:00
11."And She Cries"Lennon, Spiro3:49
12."Photograph Smile"Lennon, Darling4:35
13."Faithful"Lennon3:41
14."Way to Your Heart"Lennon, Lisa Dalbello5:40
Total length:64:29
Bonus tracks (Japanese edition)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
15."Don't Let Me Down"Lennon, Darling[11]4:41
16."I Need You"Gerry Beckley4:00

Personnel

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Musicians

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  • Julian Lennon – lead and backing vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar, sitar, tambourine, shaker, string arrangements, arrangements
  • Bob Rose – keyboards, string arrangements, scoring, conductor
  • Gregory Darling – acoustic piano
  • Steve Sidelnyk – programming
  • Matt Backer – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric guitar solo (1)
  • Robbie Blunt – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, sitar, electric guitar solo (5)
  • Justin Clayton – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar solo (2), electric guitar solo (5)
  • Donal Lunny – bouzouki solo (8)
  • Simon Edwards – bass
  • Manny Elias – drums
  • Paul Clarvis – ethnic percussion, tabla
  • The Irish National Symphony Orchestra – strings
  • Orchestra Di Santa Cecilia – strings
  • Mark Spiro – guest vocals (11)
  • Gemma Hayes – guest vocals (13)

Production

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  • Julian Lennon – producer, mixing, cover design, liner notes
  • Bob Rose – producer, engineer, mixing
  • Andrew Boland – additional engineer
  • Conal Markey – additional engineer
  • Bernie Grundman – mastering
  • Marco – technician
  • Angelica Letsch – graphic art, layout

Studios

Charts

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Chart performance for Photograph Smile
Chart (1998) Position
Australian ARIA Albums Chart[12] 28
Austrian Albums Chart[13] 40
German Media Control Albums Chart[14] 90
Japanese Oricon Albums Chart[15] 70

Release history

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Release history and formats for Photograph Smile
Country Date Label Format Catalog
Japan Avex Trax CD AVCZ-95109 / 4988064951093
United Kingdom 18 May 1998 Music From Another Room, Pinnacle CD MFAR44CD
United States 23 February 1999 Fuel 2000 CD FLD-1028 / 0 30206 10282 6

References

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  1. ^ Condran, Ed (24 August 1999). "Julian Lennon slows pace as he pursues his own sound". The Desert Sun: 25. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  2. ^ Burianek, CJ. "The Julian Lennon 1990's Singles Discography". Heyjules.com. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  3. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Photograph Smile – Julian Lennon : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards at AllMusic. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  4. ^ Mirkin, Steven (19 February 1999). "Music Review: Julian Lennon: Photograph Smile". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  5. ^ Gardner, Elysa (5 March 1999). "Record Rack: Julian Lennon: Photograph Smile". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  6. ^ Strauss, Neil (24 December 1998). "THE POP LIFE; Seeking Models Who Can Sing". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  7. ^ Colling, John (19 August 1999). "Music". North County Times. Archived from the original on 28 November 2001. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Photograph Smile". people.com. 22 February 1999. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  9. ^ Wild, David (18 March 1999). "Rolling Stone review: Julian Lennon: Photograph Smile". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 21 November 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  10. ^ Remstein, Bob. "Review: Photograph Smile". Wall of Sound. Archived from the original on 14 April 2001. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  11. ^ 作品データベース検索サービス [searchable copyright database]. Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (in Japanese). Retrieved 9 May 2013. Note: Co-writer's credits are omitted from the sleeve-notes for the album.
  12. ^ "australian-charts.com Julian Lennon – Photograph Smile" (ASP). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  13. ^ "Julian Lennon – Photograph Smile – austriancharts.at" (ASP). Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  14. ^ "Album Search: Julian Lennon – Photograph Smile" (ASP) (in German). Media Control. Retrieved 1 May 2013.[dead link]
  15. ^ "フォトグラフ・スマイル/ジュリアン・レノン-リリース-ORICON STYLE-ミュージック" [Highest position and charting weeks of Photograph Smile by Julian Lennon]. oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
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