Something/Anything? is the third album by Todd Rundgren, released in February 1972. It was his first double album, and was recorded in late 1971 in Los Angeles, New York City and Bearsville Studios, Woodstock. Three quarters of the album was recorded in the studio with Rundgren playing all instruments and singing all vocals, as well as being the producer. The final quarter contained a number of tracks recorded live in the studio without any overdubs, save for a short snippet of archive recordings from the 1960s.
Rundgren had become confident enough at other instruments beyond his standard guitar and keyboards that he had tackled in earlier releases, and this, coupled with a general dissatisfaction with other studio musicians, led him to temporarily relocate to Los Angeles in an attempt to record an entire album single-handedly. After he had created significantly more material than would fit on a standard LP, an earthquake struck LA. He decided to head back to New York for some live sessions, with the help of Moogy Klingman, to lighten the mood. The final sessions were in Bearsville, where the remainder of the recording and mixing took place, and this created enough material for a double album.
The album peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold three years after its release. A single taken from the album, "Hello It's Me", was a top-five hit in the US in late 1973, and it contained a further hit, "I Saw the Light". Something/Anything? later attracted critical acclaim as one of the most significant records of the 1970s. In 2003, the album was ranked number 173 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, maintaining the rating in a 2012 revised list.
Tracklist
A1 Todd Rundgren– I Saw The Light 2:59
A2 Todd Rundgren– It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference 3:51
A3 Todd Rundgren– Wolfman Jack 2:55
A4 Todd Rundgren– Cold Morning Light 3:35
A5 Todd Rundgren– It Takes Two To Tango (This Is For The Girls) 2:43
A6 Todd Rundgren– Sweeter Memories 3:32
B1 Todd Rundgren– Intro 1:10
B2 Todd Rundgren– Breathless 3:15
B3 Todd Rundgren– The Night The Carousel Burned Down 4:32
B4 Todd Rundgren– Saving Grace 4:11
B5 Todd Rundgren– Marlene 3:55
B6 Todd Rundgren– Song Of The Viking 2:37
B7 Todd Rundgren– I Went To The Mirror 4:06
C1 Todd Rundgren– Black Maria 5:18
C2 Todd Rundgren– One More Day (No Word) 3:44
C3 Todd Rundgren– Couldn't I Just Tell You 3:36
C4 Todd Rundgren– Torch Song 2:51
C5 Todd Rundgren– Little Red Lights 4:51
Baby Needs A New Pair Of Snakeskin Boots (A Pop Operetta)
D1.1 Money – Overture - My Roots: Money (That's What I Want) 2:30
D1.2 Woody's Truck Stop– Overture - My Roots: Messin' With The Kid
D2 Todd Rundgren– Dust In The Wind Written-By – Mark Klingman 3:46
D3 Todd Rundgren– Piss Aaron 3:28
D4 Todd Rundgren– Hello It's Me 4:41
D5 Todd Rundgren– Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me 3:57
D6 Todd Rundgren– You Left Me Sore 3:43
D7 Todd Rundgren– Slut 3:35
Personnel
Todd Rundgren performs all instruments and vocals, except for the following people on side four:
Todd Rundgren – lead vocals, piano
Mark Klingman – organ
Rick Derringer – guitar
John Siegler – bass
John Siomos – drums
Randy Brecker – trumpet
Mike Brecker – tenor sax
Barry Rogers – trombone
Hope Ruff, Richard Corey, Vicki Robinson, Dennis Cooley, Cecilia Norfleet – backing vocals
Todd Rundgren – lead vocals, piano
Mark Klingman – organ
Robbie Kogale – guitar
Stu Woods – bass
John Siomos – drums
Randy Brecker – trumpet
Mike Brecker – tenor sax
Barry Rogers – trombone
Rick Vito – guitar
Charlie Schoning – piano
Tony Sales – bass
Hunt Sales – drums
Jim Horn – tenor sax
John Kelson – tenor sax