Not Fragile

In a 1995 interview, Randy Bachman indicated that he thought that using the word "fragile" as a title for a rock album, as Yes had done with their 1971 album Fragile, was "strange."{{cite book |last=Whitaker |first=Sterling C. |title=Unsung Heroes of Rock Guitar |publisher=Booksurge |year=2003 |page=22 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SURZr4l5hbwC |isbn=1-59109-758-4}} He thought that BTO music could be "dropped and kicked" without breaking, so, without intending any commentary about Yes, the band "tongue-in-cheek" called their next album Not Fragile.

The album marks the debut of guitarist Blair Thornton, who, unlike his predecessor Tim Bachman, is billed on the album liner notes as "second lead guitar".Liner notes on Not Fragile, (c), (p) 1974. Thornton's dual-guitar work with Randy Bachman is a prominent feature on many Not Fragile tracks. "Roll On Down the Highway" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" were hit singles, with the latter hitting No. 1 on the Canadian and US singles charts in November 1974, receiving GOLD certification by the RIAA.RIAA Official Web Site, Gold & Platinum Database, RIAA, 1974 via [https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=bachman-turner+overdrive#search_section] from RIAA.com Other cuts had significant airplay on FM rock radio. The album produced the only BTO singles to chart in the United Kingdom. "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" hit No. 2 on the UK charts in November 1974, and "Roll On Down the Highway" hit the No. 22 position in January 1975.{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/15176/bachman-turner-overdrive/|website=officialcharts.com|title=Bachman-Turner Overdrive (UK Chart History)|access-date=August 5, 2022}}

"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" was a leftover track that was not originally intended to be included on Not Fragile. It was only after Charlie Fach of Mercury Records heard the other eight tracks, and did not see hit single potential in any of them, that he asked if the band had anything else he could hear. They played him the leftover track and he assured them it was more radio-friendly than any of the others, convincing the band to add it to the album.Fred Bronson, The Billboard Book of Number One Hits, Billboard, 1988 via [https://www.superseventies.com/sw_youaintseennothinyet.html "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet"] from SuperSeventies.com

The Not Fragile album contains the only instrumental track in BTO's discography, a Blair Thornton composition called "Free Wheelin'". This track would appear as the B-side to the "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" single.

Not Fragile has gone on to achieve triple platinum status. Randy Bachman has called it the band's "crowning achievement," stating: "Not Fragile was when it all came together for us. We captured the album-oriented rock audience as well as the singles audience with that album. Not Fragile made BTO recognized around the world."{{cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/bachman-tuner-overdrive-not-fragile-expanded/|website=ultimateclassicrock.com|title=Bachman-Turner Overdrive's 'Not Fragile' Gets Expanded for 40th Birthday|last=Wilkening|first=Matthew|date=February 14, 2014|access-date=December 23, 2019}}

{{Album reviews

| rev1 = Allmusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}} [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1110/review|pure_url=yes}} link]

|rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide

|rev2Score = B{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: B|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=B&bk=70|access-date=February 21, 2019}}

| rev4 = Tom Hull

| rev4Score = A{{cite magazine|last=Hull|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Hull (critic)|date=April 1975|url=https://www.tomhull.com/ocston/arch/rekord2.php|title=The Rekord Report: Second Card|magazine=Overdose|access-date=June 26, 2020|via=tomhull.com}}

}}

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Lead vocals

| title1 = Not Fragile

| writer1 = C.F. Turner

| extra1 = Turner

| length1 = 4:06

| title2 = Rock Is My Life, and This Is My Song

| writer2 = Randy Bachman

| extra2 = Randy Bachman

| length2 = 5:00

| title3 = Roll on Down the Highway

| writer3 = Turner, Rob Bachman

| extra3 = Turner

| length3 = 3:58

| title4 = You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

| writer4 = Randy Bachman

| extra4 = Randy Bachman

| length4 = 3:54

| title5 = Free Wheelin{{'-}}

| writer5 = Blair Thornton

| extra5 = instrumental

| length5 = 3:45

| title6 = Sledgehammer

| writer6 = Randy Bachman

| extra6 = Randy Bachman, Turner

| length6 = 4:34

| title7 = Blue Moanin{{'-}}

| writer7 = Turner

| extra7 = Turner

| length7 = 3:44

| title8 = Second Hand

| writer8 = Randy Bachman

| extra8 = Randy Bachman

| length8 = 3:24

| title9 = Givin' It All Away

| writer9 = Thornton

| extra9 = Randy Bachman, Turner

| length9 = 3:49

}}

Bachman–Turner Overdrive

• Randy Bachman – vocals, guitars
• Blair Thornton – guitars, backing vocals
• C. F. Turner – vocals, bass guitar
• Robbie Bachman – drums, percussion

Guest musician

• Frank Trowbridge – slide guitar on "Blue Moanin'"

Production

• Producer: Randy Bachman
• Engineer: Mark Smith
• Assistant engineer: Buzz Richmond
• Mixing assistant: Richard Dashut
• Mastering: Tom "Curly" Ruff
• Recording studio: Kaye-Smith Studios, Seattle
• Mixed at: Sound City Studios, Los Angeles
• Equipment: John Austin and Greg "Weasel" Morgan
• Design: Joe Kotleba
• Art direction: Jim Ladwig
• Photography: John Brott, Tom Zamiar

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col" | Chart (1974–75) ! scope="col" | Peak position
scope="row" | Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}} | 2
{{album chart|Austria|8|artist=Bachman-Turner Overdrive|album=Not Fragile|rowheader=true|access-date=2 April 2022}}
{{album chart|Canada|1|chartid=3873a|rowheader=true|access-date=2 April 2022}}
{{album chart|Netherlands|15|artist=Bachman-Turner Overdrive|album=Not Fragile|rowheader=true|access-date=2 April 2022}}
{{album chart|Germany4|6|artist=Bachman-Turner Overdrive|album=Not Fragile|id=7769|rowheader=true|access-date=2 April 2022}}
{{album chart|New Zealand|17|artist=Bachman-Turner Overdrive|album=Not Fragile|rowheader=true|access-date=2 April 2022}}
scope="row" | Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan){{Cite web|title=Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Se alla låtar och listplaceringar|url=https://www.nostalgilistan.se/bachman-turner-overdrive-8980|access-date=2 April 2022|website=NostalgiListan|language=sv}} | 2
{{album chart|UK2|12|date=19750223|rowheader=true|access-date=2 April 2022}}
{{album chart|Billboard200|1|artist=Bachman-Turner Overdrive|rowheader=true|access-date=2 April 2022}}

{{col-2}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col" | Chart (1975) ! scope="col" | Position
scope="row" | Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=427}} | 13
scope="row" | German Albums (Offizielle Top 100){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1975|title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts|date=1975|publisher=GfK Entertainment Charts|language=de|access-date=2 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129003943/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1975|archive-date=29 November 2021}} | 21

{{col-end}}

{{certification Table Top}}

{{certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Bachman-Turner Overdrive|title=Not Fragile|type=album|award=Platinum|relyear=1974|certyear=1975|access-date=2 April 2022}}

{{certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Bachman-Turner Overdrive|title=Not Fragile|type=album|award=Silver|relyear=1974|certyear=1975|id=4640-2193-2|access-date=2 April 2022}}

{{certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Bachman-Turner Overdrive|title=Not Fragile|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1974|certyear=1974|access-date=2 April 2022}}

{{certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

{{reflist}}

{{Bachman–Turner Overdrive}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Bachman–Turner Overdrive albums

Category:1974 albums

Category:Mercury Records albums

Category:Juno Award for Album of the Year albums