My lovely and thoughtful wife just gave me an iTunes gift card today, and I want to get a couple things I’ve had my eye on, but other options always took precedence over. One of those is getting one of Loudon Wainwright’s albums to see if it is worth getting more (Why Loudon Wainwright? A long story starting with John Prine, heading to Steve Goodman, and somehow ending up here). Since iTunes music store doesn’t have any compilations available, I am going to get one of the albums (they currently have 6 available for album purchase). Looking for any input, but what I want to get is one that best exemplifies his music, and of course, is entertaining.
So, here’s what they have:
So Damn Happy
I’m Alright
Fame and Wealth
A Live One (I generally dislike live albums, and don’t want to start with one)
Album III
Unrequited
I’ve got “Rufus” on an old LP somewhere, so it’s definitely been recorded. of the one’s you list, the only one I know is “Fame and Wealth” which is pretty good. “Reader and Advisor,” the first cut is decent, and so is “Ingenue” and “IDttywlm” (though I forget what that stands for.) I think Wainwright’s really gifted.
His best is “Album III” which features “Dead Skunk,” a classic. I’d start there.
I’ve been a fan of Loudon for over 30 years, though mostly from his earlier stuff. Album III is certainly a great place to start.
I’d also suggest “Social Studies,” with the absolutely brilliant, “Tonya’s Twirls.”
Loudon is one of the best live performers I have ever seen. There is a video of his concert on the Kennedy Center website – search for his name in the Milleneum Stage performance area. You won’t be disappointed.
It’s not odd you got to him through John Prine. Back when Loudon was starting out, he joked that he was a member of the “New Bob Dylan Club” with Prine, Bruce Springsteen, and Elliot Murphy, all of whom were being billed, for one reason or another, as the new Bob Dylan.
Elliot Murphy? ELLIOT EFFING MURPHY?!?!? Been a while. Probably haven’t listened to “Aquashow” in a good 28 years. Oughta dig it out now that my turntable is back in working order.
Speaking of Prine, heard a fellow who taught a class at the Old Town School of Folk Music tell of this postman who walked into his class with the first four songs he had written (let’s see if I can recall them), “Sam Stone,” “Paradise,” “Angel From Montgomery,” and “Hello in There.” Like a grand slam his first at bat.
So Damn Happy is also a live album, but it’s a really good one, and the one I’d recommend as the A album of the list. First of all, it’s the longest of the albums listed, to the tune of around 70 minutes if I recall. Second, it’s got the best version of “Tonya’s Twirls” because of his intro. Third, a couple of good guest shots, with Richard Thompson on guitar. fourth, it covers the emotional range, with a couple of good tearjerkers in addition to the lighter side. Although it’s live, it’s the closest to a latter-day greatest hits we have, covering the nineties pretty well, and Loudon is really much more in his element when he’s interacting with an audience, IMO.
I’m Alright is his divorce album. Great piece of work, if a little dark as well as funny. A good studio starting point.
If you’re picking individual songs, I’d take “Dead Skunk” and “Muse Blues” off Album III…the album overall didn’t do much for me, and I think he’s still kinda feeling his way in at some point.
Yeah, LW III is one of my high school artists, specifically Unrequited, although I haven’t heard that all they way through since about 1982. Definitely the one to get if you must get only one, IMO.
Do any of those have “The Swimming Song”? I like this song but I only know the Fairport Convention version on “Old, New, Borrowed, Blue” and would love to hear Loudon’s version.
