Runt (album)


Runt is the self-titled debut album of the band Runt, released June 1970 on Ampex Records. Runt was a trio consisting of Todd Rundgren, Hunt Sales, and Tony Fox Sales. The entire album was written and produced by Rundgren, formerly of Nazz, and he is the only member of Runt to perform on four of the nine cuts. Many regarded Runt as Rundgren's debut solo album, and later reissues credit the album to Rundgren rather than to the group.
Initially dividing critics upon its release, the record runs the gamut from blues-styled guitar workouts to power pop to Laura Nyro-styled piano pop to rock 'n' roll to piano ballads, as well as more experimental numbers.
The album features the single "We Gotta Get You a Woman", which reached number 20 on Billboards Hot 100 in 1971.

Alternative pressings

Upon its release in June 1970 the album was issued with 10 tracks. After "We Gotta Get You a Woman" became a hit single, Ampex decided to press more copies of the LP in November 1970 to keep up with demand. A 12-track master of the LP, which Rundgren had rejected in favor of a second mix, was accidentally sent to the pressing plant, resulting in approximately 5,000 mis-presses. Instead of throwing out the LPs, Ampex decided to sell them anyway, unmarked, as a sort of surprise to the purchaser. There was also an 11 track version which has the standard 6 tracks on Side One and 5 tracks on Side Two featuring The full length version of "Baby Let's Swing" and "Say No More". This version may have been pressed in even smaller numbers than the 12 track version. This album as well as were issued in 1971 on the Bearsville label, being distributed by Ampex at the time. In mid-1971 Bearsville was purchased by Warner Bros. distribution, and plans were made to re-release each album with Runt as catalog number BV 2046 and Ballad as BV 2047. These were never pressed. Later in 1973 Warner Bros wanted Bearsville to re-release both albums as a "twin pack" entitled Todd Rundgren's Rack Job. The album got as far as test presses and album art but was shelved, as Rundgren wanted to release an album of new material instead.

Track listing

All songs by Todd Rundgren.
;Side one
  1. "Broke Down and Busted" – 4:32
  2. "Believe in Me" – 2:04
  3. "We Got to Get You a Woman" – 2:52
  4. "Who's That Man" – 2:59
  5. "Once Burned" – 2:09
  6. "Devil's Bite" – 3:53
;Side two
  1. "I'm in the Clique" – 4:57
  2. "There Are No Words" – 2:12
  3. "Baby Let's Swing"/"The Last Thing You Said"/"Don't Tie My Hands" – 5:28
  4. "Birthday Carol" – 9:14

    12-track mispressed vinyl release, November 1970

;Side one
  1. "Broke Down and Busted" – 4:59 '
  2. "Believe in Me" – 2:01 '
  3. "We Gotta Get You a Woman" – 3:07 '
  4. "Once Burned" – 2:09 '
  5. "Who's That Man?" – 2:59 '
  6. "Hope I'm Around" – 4:28 '
  7. "Devil's Bite" – 3:58 '
;Side two
  1. "I'm in the Clique" – 4:57 '
  2. "There Are No Words" – 2:12 '
  3. "Baby Let's Swing" – 3:25 '
  4. "Say No More" – 3:08 '
  5. "Birthday Carol" – 9:11 '
There were also 2 early issues on cassette with alternate track listings. The first issue was the 1970 Ampex release which reverses Sides One and Two of the LP, in order to sequence the longer side first. The second issue was the 1971 Bearsville Ampex release which has a radically different track listing as well as edited versions of "Devil's Bite", "Broke Down and Busted", "I'm in the Clique", "There are No Words", "Birthday Carol" and has the medley split in two.

Expanded reissue

In 2011 reissue label Edsel released an expanded twofer of Runt and Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren that included the eight long-out-of-print alternate versions of songs from the 12-track misprint as bonus tracks. In 2014, Edsel issued Runt + The Alternative Runt, a double CD set that contained the original Runt on the first disc, the November 1970 misprint on the second disc, and "Broke Down and Busted " as a bonus track.

Personnel

Album
YearChartPosition
1970Billboard Pop Albums185
2012Japan Oricon Album Chart269

Singles
YearSingleChartPosition
1970"We Gotta Get You a Woman"Canada RPM Singles Chart20
1970"We Gotta Get You a Woman"Billboard Hot 10020