Something/Anything?
	Produced by Todd Rundgren
	Released on February 1972
	US CHART POSITION #29 . . . GOLD RECORD
	Find it at GEMM
2BX 2066 cover

A n eclectic American songbook and a landmark in the annals of DIY recordings, Something/Anything? was nothing if not an important statement of direction for Rundgren. Having dropped the pretense of Runt, Todd set about making a double album of music written, mostly played, and recorded by himself, showing off his range as a writer and a musician. Many feel this is his magnum opus, as it contains two of his most indelible songs -- “Hello, It’s Me” and “I Saw The Light” -- while the album’s short attention span is quintessentially Todd. If Rundgren and Frank Zappa were following similar goals, Something/Anything? proved to be the antidote to Uncle Meat. Zappa didn’t got no heart to give away, while Todd was dropping his at every occasion, evidenced on “Torch Song,” “It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference” and “Marlene.” Love songs are where Todd usually invests his savviest commercial sense, yet tracks like “Couldn’t I Just Tell You” and “Black Maria” provide the raging yang to pop’s peaceful ying. The trouble with Something/Anything? is that it feels less like a museum collection of great works and more like a yard sale from a talented songwriter. Tracks like “Slut” and “Song of the Viking” are those gaudy curios that don’t match anything, bought on impulse and kept out of stinginess rather than any intrinsic merit. Often charming, occasionally frustrating, Something/Anything? is an indispensable blueprint for the career that followed.

2BX 2066 inner gatefold	2BX 2066 back cover

TRACK LISTING

record one

1. I SAW THE LIGHT    2:59
2. IT WOULDN'T HAVE MADE ANY DIFFERENCE    3:51
3. WOLFMAN JACK    2:55
4. COLD MORNING LIGHT    3:35
5. IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO (THIS IS FOR THE GIRLS)    2:43
6. SWEETER MEMORIES    3:32
7. INTRO    1:10
8. BREATHLESS    3:15
9. THE NIGHT THE CAROUSEL BURNED DOWN    4:32
10. SAVING GRACE    4:11
11. MARLENE    3:55
12. SONG OF THE VIKING    2:37
13. I WENT TO THE MIRROR    4:06
    
    record two
    
14. BLACK MARIA    5:18
15. ONE MORE DAY (NO WORD)    3:44
16. COULDN'T I JUST TELL YOU    3:36
17. TORCH SONG    2:51
18. LITTLE RED LIGHTS    4:51
19. OVERTURE: MONEY (THAT'S WHAT I WANT)    (J. Bradford/Berry Gordy, Jr./B. Strong)    2:30
20. DUST IN THE WIND    (Mark Klingman)    3:46
21. PISS AARON    3:28
22. HELLO IT'S ME    4:41
23. SOME FOLKS IS EVEN WHITER THAN ME    3:57
24. YOU LEFT ME SORE    3:43
25. SLUT    3:35
    
    All songs written by Todd Rundgren unless noted
    

CREDITS

TODD RUNDGREN -- all instruments, vocals on sides 1-3
uncredited (on double elpee) musicians, et al -- side four

© 2003 Connolly & Company. All rights reserved.