Dance Band on the Titanic

1977 studio album by Harry Chapin

Studio album by

Harry Chapin

Released

September 1977

Recorded

1976–1977

Genre

Pop rock

Length

74:31

Label

Elektra

Producer

Stephen Chapin

Harry Chapin chronology

On the Road to Kingdom Come
(1976)

Dance Band on the Titanic
(1977)

Living Room Suite
(1978)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[2]

Dance Band on the Titanic is the seventh studio album by the American singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, released in 1977. Its vinyl release is a double album.^[3] It was later released as a single CD.

Reception

Reviewed at the time of release, Sounds wrote: "Mr Chapin is such a master at his particular craft that his music itself is totally middle class, boring and as bland as the outward appearances and the public lifestyles of the men and women in his songs. So what is Chapin trying to do? Express suburban, boredom and frustration in realistic photographic detail? He does that alright."^[4] The album sold poorly, but was voted Album of the Year by The Times of London^[5]

Track listing

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Dance Band on the Titanic"	5:15
2.	"Why Should People Stay the Same"	4:47
3.	"My Old Lady"	3:52
4.	"We Grew up a Little Bit"	5:10

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Bluesman"		5:18
2.	"Country Dreams"		4:47
3.	"I Do It for You, Jane"	Chapin, Sandy Chapin	5:08
4.	"I Wonder What Happened to Him"		4:11

Side three
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Paint a Picture of Yourself (Michael)"	3:52
2.	"Mismatch"	5:00
3.	"Mercenaries"	5:46
4.	"Manhood"	3:48

Side four
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"One Light in a Dark Valley (An Imitation Spiritual)"	Kenneth Burke	3:26
2.	"There Only Was One Choice"		14:01

Personnel

Harry Chapin – guitar, vocals
Buzz Brauner – tenor saxophone
Barbara Carr – vocals
Stephen Chapin – piano, vocals
Tom Chapin – guitar, banjo, vocals
Harry DiVito – trombone
Howie Fields – drums
Steve Gadd – drums
Marsh Lynn Goldberg – vocals
Jeff Gross – vocals
Neil Jason – bass
Arthur Jenkins – percussion
Bernie Keising – bass, vocals
Art Krahulek – vocals
Barbara Lindquist – vocals
Theodore Marnel – vocals
Craig Mitchell – vocals
Nancy Newman – vocals
Ronald Palmer – guitar, vocals
John Quayle – vocals
Elliott Randall – guitar
Steve Randall – vocals
Donna D. Reilly – vocals
Kim Scholes – cello
Tim Scott – cello
Gus Skinas – programming
Mike Solomon – vocals
Chris Waite – percussion
Doug Walker – guitar, mandolin, vocals
John Wallace – bass, vocals

Charts

Chart (1977)	Peak position
US Billboard Top LPs & Tape	58
Canadian Albums Chart	91

References

^ Eder, Bruce. Dance Band on the Titanic at AllMusic
^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 122.
^ Morse, Steve (18 July 1981). "A Man of Hope and Humor". Arts/Films. The Boston Globe. p. 1.
^ Chas de Whalley. "Harry Chapin: Dance Band On The Titanic". Rock's Backpages.(Subscription required.)
^ "- YouTube". YouTube.