Maps of Music

The Tra-La Days Are Over (1973)

Where the lyrics of The Tra-La Days Are Over take you, and where it was really made.

The album title comes from a line in the song that marks the end of Sedaka's partnership with lyricist Howard Greenfield.

Key places

Recorded at Strawberry Studios (1973)

Recording site Strawberry Studios North — The album was the second to be produced at Strawberry Studios in England, with Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme, Kevin Godley and Eric Stewart. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• The Tra-La Days Are Over: 1973 album by American singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka
• Second album produced at Strawberry Studios in England
• Collaborators: Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme, Kevin Godley and Eric Stewart
• Gouldman, Creme, Godley and Stewart had formed the band 10cc after their first joint work with Sedaka on Solitaire (1972)
• Eleven tracks across two sides, all music by Sedaka
• Lyrics by Phil Cody, Howard Greenfield and Sedaka

Background

• The album consolidated Sedaka's return to popularity after a lengthy absence from the charts
• It yielded two hit singles: "Standing on the Inside" and "Our Last Song Together"
• "Our Last Song Together" commemorates the ending of Sedaka's partnership with lyricist Howard Greenfield
• The album title is taken from a line in that song
• "Love Will Keep Us Together" became a US No. 1 for Captain & Tennille in 1975
• Polydor Records re-issued the album in 1982 as part of its "Special Price Series"

Recording

• Sedaka: lead and backing vocals, organ, acoustic and electric piano
• Lol Creme: lead guitar and backing vocals; Eric Stewart: rhythm guitar and backing vocals
• Graham Gouldman: bass and backing vocals; Kevin Godley: drums, tambourine and backing vocals
• Discogs credits Eric Stewart as guitar, backing vocals and engineer

Cover

• Issued in a single sleeve printed in Germany, and also released with a gatefold sleeve

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born March 13, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York.
• Began his music career in 1957 after a short tenure as a founding member of the Linc-Tones, later renamed the Tokens.
• Signed a recording contract with RCA Victor.

Career

• Scored a string of early hits including "Oh! Carol" (1959), "Calendar Girl" (1960), "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" (1961), and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (1962), which hit No. 1 on the Hot 100.
• Popularity declined by the mid-1960s after the British Invasion.
• Revived in the mid-1970s with "Laughter in the Rain" and "Bad Blood", both Hot 100 number ones in 1975.
• Wrote or co-wrote over 500 songs, including hits for Connie Francis, Captain & Tennille, and Tony Christie.
• Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983.
• Died February 27, 2026, in Los Angeles, aged 86.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• The album consolidated Sedaka's return to popularity after a lengthy absence from the charts
• It was the second album produced at Strawberry Studios in England with Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme, Kevin Godley and Eric Stewart
• Four singles were issued from the album, including "Standing on the Inside", "Suspicions", "Our Last Song Together" and "Love Will Keep Us Together"
• "Standing on the Inside" reached No 26 in the UK and No 10 in Australia in June 1973
• "Our Last Song Together" reached No 31 in the UK in August 1973

Records

• "Standing on the Inside": UK No 26, Australia No 10 (June 1973)
• "Our Last Song Together": UK No 31 (August 1973)
• "Love Will Keep Us Together": Captain & Tennille's version reached US No 1 in 1975 and peaked at No 32 in Britain
• The Captain & Tennille version acknowledged Sedaka's authorship of the song

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Captain & Tennille worked the phrase "Sedaka is back" into the fadeout of "Love Will Keep Us Together"
• Sedaka's liner-note dedication thanks Mike Curb for letting him have his way
• The album title comes from a line in "Our Last Song Together"
• The first issue came in a single sleeve printed in Germany, and a gatefold sleeve version was also released
• Discogs lists Eric Stewart on guitar and backing vocals, and credits him as engineer

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

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