Continental American is the third studio album by Peter Allen, released in 1974. The album was his first for A&M Records, and is notable for the inclusion of Allen's version of his co-authored hit for Olivia Newton-John, among others, "I Honestly Love You".
Allen's previous two studio albums, Peter Allen (1971) and Tenterfield Saddler (1972) had been released on Metromedia Records, with modest results. Prior to the release of Continental American, Allen had assumed residency in New York City and had become a regular performer at the Reno Sweeney nightclub, owned and operated by composer Lewis Friedman between 1972 and 1977.[2] A portrait of Allen, taken at Reno Sweeney's, is featured on the back cover of Continental American.
The album was later described by critic William Ruhlmann as involving a "retrospective, world-weary concept" and a "mood of desperate nostalgia", concluding that the album was "a dour singer/songwriter collection that used show business clichés in music and words to express a world view of regret and resignation."[3]
Metromedia Records had ceased operations as of 1974, resulting in Allen's earlier albums becoming largely unavailable. He used the Continental American and later A&M releases as an opportunity to reintroduce some of his music. "Just Ask Me I've Been There", was originally recorded on the Tenterfield Saddler album. "Harbour", included on his follow-up Taught by Experts album (1976), was also originally from Tenterfield Saddler.[4]
