Track Listing

1. Road Ode
2. I'm Alright
3. Five Years Old
4. Your Mother and I
5. Westchester County
6. He Said, She Said
7. Christmas Rap
8. Suddenly It's Christmas
9. Thanksgiving
10. Fine Celtic Name
11. T.S.M.N.W.A.
12. Some Balding Guys
13. Swimming Song
14. Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
15. Happy Birthday Elvis
16. Fabulous Songs
17. Unhappy Anniversary
18. I'd Rather Be Lonely
19. Just Say No
20. April Fool's Day Morn
21. Man Who Couldn't Cry
22. Acid Song
23. Tip That Waitress
24. Career Moves

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #43829 in Music
• Released on: 1993-09-07
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Live

Amazon.com
Folk music is supposed to be the sound of people describing their own lives and communities, but how many of the countless folk singers from the suburbs sing about private schools and country club dances? Loudon Wainwright III does. Country clubs are too easy a target for anger, so on this live album, Wainwright pokes fun at the absurd customs of "Westchester County" where he grew up. He's a very funny guy, and the album's 19 songs (not to mention the between-song patter) wring new laughs out of such well worn subjects as Christmas, swimming pools, Elvis Presley, and sex. Wainwright isn't much of a singer, and he's less of a guitarist, but he's a clever wordsmith with a real knack for pushing the inherent absurdity of common situations out into the open. Career Moves is divided between unaccompanied songs and those performed with fiddler/mandolinist David Mansfield and banjoist Chaim Tannenbaum. Six of the songs have never been released on an album; the other 13 are drawn from all phases of a 25-year career. All in all, the album makes a good introduction to Wainwright for newcomers and a fine summary for old fans. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews

The BEST place to start with LW III
After reading the previous reviews I wanted to add my comments. I feel this album is the best place to start listening to Loudon Wainwright III. First because it is LIVE and he is a great "live" performer. Second because it contains a good sampling of "something old, something new". If you don't like LW III on this album you are likely to not like any of his other stuff. Some of his earlier studio work was over produced, while others thought that his "live" and solo work was too "empty" with just a guitar backing. He even put out a 1/2 studio, 1/2 live album to try to please both factions of his fans.

He is a VERY funny writer and at the same time insightful. He can poke fun at the most unexpected targets; his favorite seems to be himself. Some songs are hilarious and others "straight from the heart". ALL are well written. His words are well chosen and most of his melodies are pleasant and memorable, some are wonderful.

I disagree with Geoffrey Hines. I think Loudon's voice is just fine and his guitar playing is distinctive (I can listen to 4 bars of playing and know it is LW III) and proficient.

All I can say is, if you want voice buy Pavoratti, if you want guitar buy Knopfler, if you want a really good album that you'll listen to again and again, buy this CD.

Loudon knows how to do it
First of all, I don't think Mr. Himes is a big musical expert, if he's saying Loud is a bad guitarist and singer. He is a brilliant singer and guitarist, perfectly in tune with his songwriting skills. Second: I don't see how everybody sees him as a merely *funny* guy. I think he's not *funny* (in the classic sorta way) at all; he's more on the sarcastic side, which *is* funny, but at the same time hardweighty painful. Take One Man Guy as an example; you can't say it is a funny song, do ya? It's bitterly sarcastic, I'd say. Anyway, this CD is great. I strongly recommend it.

Nearest thing to being there.
If you can't get to a Loudon Wainwright concert, you should buy this CD. It is almost as good as being part of the audience at The Bottom Line in New York. The quality of the recording makes this live compilation as good as any produced in a studio. Loudon walks with you through his musical history with the older tunes mixed in with his more recent works. When he is joined on stage by some of his regular backing musicians, they perform together like a well oiled machine to give new and lively renditions of some of his classic songs.

This is a must for any serious Loudon Wainwright fan to have in their collection.