Scott 3 is the third solo album by American singer songwriter Scott Walker, released on March 1, 1969, in the United Kingdom through Philips Records. It was produced by John Franz. Though a majority of the tracklist features original songs from Walker, the final three tracks are covers of compositions by Jacques Brel.

Reception

Commercial

Upon release in 1969, it met with slightly fewer sales than his previous albums, as pop audiences struggled to keep pace with Walker's increasingly experimental approach, though it still reached No. 3 on the UK Album Chart.

Critical

In a retrospective review, Mark Lager wrote that the album contained "contemplative, delicate, and nostalgic songs surrounded by a string section of somber darkness. The opening track 'It's Raining Today' is autumnal, gray, misty, and overcast and his lyrics share similarities with Leonard Cohen's songs from around this same time period. 'Copenhagen' contains Christmas chimes and, at the end, a carnival carousel. His voice is reminiscent of crooner Andy Williams, yet the lyrics are akin to Marcel Proust's Swann's Way in their recollections upon faraway childhood innocence. 'Winter Night' is a crystalline, melancholy mood piece that is best accompanied by a glass of Amontillado sherry."

Legacy

The album's slightly muted reception and subsequent failure of Walker's short-lived BBC TV series signified the beginning of his decline in popularity. Since its release, however, it has been regarded by many of Walker's fans as a favourite. In September 2019, Thom Yorke, on the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs, named "It's Raining Today" as one of the eight pieces of music he would take to an imaginary desert island. The title of the 1981 compilation Fire Escape in the Sky: The Godlike Genius of Scott Walker is taken from the lyrics of the song "Big Louise", and the 2006 documentary Scott Walker: 30 Century Man is named after "30 Century Man".

Track listing

The original U.S. Smash label vinyl issue omitted "30 Century Man", replacing it with "Lights of Cincinnati", a UK non-LP single from the same period. This issue also featured a different cover design from the UK Philips release.

Personnel

Release history

Charts