Art for Art's Sake (song)

"Art for Art's Sake" is a single by 10cc released in 1975. It was taken from the How Dare You! album,^[2] and, in an edited version, reached No. 5 on the UK singles chart.

"Art for Art's Sake"
Single by 10cc
from the album How Dare You!
B-side	"Get It While You Can"
Released	21 November 1975[1]
Recorded	1975
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	4:11 (single edit) 6:01 (album version)
Label	Mercury
Songwriter(s)	Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman
Producer(s)	10cc
10cc singles chronology
"I'm Not in Love" (1975) "Art for Art's Sake" (1975) "I'm Mandy Fly Me" (1976)

The title of the song derives from the fact that Graham Gouldman's father, Hymie Gouldman, often used to say "Art for art's sake, money for God's sake, okay".^[3]

The wordless tape-loop vocals used by the band in their ground-breaking hit "I'm Not in Love" are also clearly audible in the slow sections of the song.

Record World called it "a spirited tour-de-force of vocal and production technique with an irresistible hook" and "a great sound."^[4]

Personnel

• Eric Stewart – lead vocal, grand piano, electric piano, six string bass, fuzz bass, lead guitar
• Graham Gouldman– electric guitars, cow bell, tambourine, backing vocals
• Lol Creme – 2nd lead vocal, electric guitars, maracas, Moog synthesizer, recorder, backing vocals
• Kevin Godley – drums, temple blocks, backing vocals

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1975/6) Peak position UK Singles Chart[5][6] 5 Australia ARIA Charts[7] 61 Canada RPM (magazine)[8] 69 Irish Singles Chart[9] 4 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[10] 6 US Billboard Hot 100[11] 83

Year-end charts Chart (1976) Rank New Zealand (Top 40 Singles)[12] 34

References

1. "Music Week" (PDF). p. 60.
2. "Art for Art's Sake". allmusic. Rovi. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
3. "Art for Arts Sake -10cc". Songfacts. Retrieved 2014-12-05.
4. "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. November 22, 1975. p. 10. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
5. "everyhit.com search results". Retrieved 11 January 2009.
6. "The Official Charts Company - 10cc - Art for Art's Sake". Official Charts. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
8. "RPM Top 100 Singles - January 10, 1976" (PDF).
9. "irishcharts.ie search results". Archived from the original on 26 January 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
10. "10cc – Art for Art's Sake". Top 40 Singles.
11. "10cc Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
12. "END OF YEAR CHARTS 1976 - OFFICIAL TOP 40 SINGLES". nztop40.co.nz. Retrieved 12 May 2020.