The Late Great Townes Van Zandt
Encyclopedia
The Late Great Townes Van Zandt is a 1972 studio album by Texas
singer-songwriter
Townes Van Zandt
. It was the second album that he recorded in 1972, and a follow-up to High, Low and In Between
. The album includes the earliest recorded version of two of his best-known songs, "Pancho and Lefty
" and "If I Needed You". The album also included several cover songs and a re-recorded version of "Sad Cinderella" from his 1968 debut album
. Some reviewers point to this as an indication that Van Zandt's prolific writing was beginning to slow, however, this was his sixth studio album in five years. The cover songs included one song by his close friend, Guy Clark
("Don't Let the Sunshine Fool Ya'"), one by a major influence, Hank Williams ("Honky Tonkin'"), and the Lawton Williams song "Fraulein". As a boy Van Zandt's father only agreed to buy him his first guitar after Van Zandt promised to learn to play "Fraulein".
The album has been reissued many times over the years. In 1996, just before Van Zandt's death, Capitol
released a single disc that compiled High, Low and In Between and The Late Great Townes Van Zandt.
Arranged by Chuck Cochran
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt
John Townes Van Zandt , best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet...
. It was the second album that he recorded in 1972, and a follow-up to High, Low and In Between
High, Low and in Between
High, Low and in Between is an album by country singer/songwriter Townes Van Zandt, released in 1972.-Track listing:#"Two Hands"#"You are Not Needed Now"#"Greensboro Woman"#"Highway Kind"#"Standin'"#"No Deal"#"To Live Is To Fly"...
. The album includes the earliest recorded version of two of his best-known songs, "Pancho and Lefty
Pancho and Lefty
"Pancho and Lefty" is a song written by country singer and songwriter Townes Van Zandt. Van Zandt first recorded it for his 1972 album, The Late Great Townes Van Zandt...
" and "If I Needed You". The album also included several cover songs and a re-recorded version of "Sad Cinderella" from his 1968 debut album
For the Sake of the Song: First Album
For the Sake of the Song: First Album is the first album by country singer/songwriter Townes Van Zandt released in 1968.-Track listing:All tracks composed by Townes Van Zandt#"For the Sake of the Song"#"Tecumseh Valley"#"Many a Fine Lady"...
. Some reviewers point to this as an indication that Van Zandt's prolific writing was beginning to slow, however, this was his sixth studio album in five years. The cover songs included one song by his close friend, Guy Clark
Guy Clark
Guy Clark is an American Texas Country artist. In his career, he has released more than twenty albums, primarily on major labels. He has also written singles for other artists, including Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner and Rodney Crowell....
("Don't Let the Sunshine Fool Ya'"), one by a major influence, Hank Williams ("Honky Tonkin'"), and the Lawton Williams song "Fraulein". As a boy Van Zandt's father only agreed to buy him his first guitar after Van Zandt promised to learn to play "Fraulein".
The album has been reissued many times over the years. In 1996, just before Van Zandt's death, Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
released a single disc that compiled High, Low and In Between and The Late Great Townes Van Zandt.
Critical acclaim
The album has made several critical "best of all-time" lists. Stereophile included it as one of 94 honorable mentions that just missed their list of "The 40 Essential Albums".Track listing
All lyrics and music by Townes Van Zandt unless noted otherwise:- "No Lonesome Tune" – 4:21
- "Sad Cinderella" – 4:15
- "German Mustard (A Clapalong)" – 2:55
- "Don't Let the Sunshine Fool Ya'" (Guy ClarkGuy ClarkGuy Clark is an American Texas Country artist. In his career, he has released more than twenty albums, primarily on major labels. He has also written singles for other artists, including Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner and Rodney Crowell....
) – 2:25 - "Honky Tonkin'" (Hank Williams) – 3:44
- "Snow Don't Fall" – 2:27
- "Fraulein" (Lawton Williams) – 2:42
- "Pancho and LeftyPancho and Lefty"Pancho and Lefty" is a song written by country singer and songwriter Townes Van Zandt. Van Zandt first recorded it for his 1972 album, The Late Great Townes Van Zandt...
" – 3:40 - "If I Needed YouIf I Needed You"If I Needed You" is a single written by Townes Van Zandt, most famously performed by American country music artists Emmylou Harris and Don Williams. Released in September 1981, it was the first single from Harris' album Cimarron. The song reached #3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and...
" – 3:44 - "Silver Ships of Andilar" – 5:07
- "Heavenly Houseboat Blues" – 2:51
Arranged by Chuck Cochran
Release history
| year | format | label | catalog # |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971? | LP | Tomato | 7011 |
| CD | Tomato | 269627 | |
| 1994 | CD | Rhino | 71242 |
| 1996 | CD | Capitol | 53930B |
| 2003 | CD | Tomato | 2010 |
| 2003 | CD | Charly | 138 |
| 2001 | CD | Charly | 215 |
Musicians
- Townes Van ZandtTownes Van ZandtJohn Townes Van Zandt , best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet...
– acoustic guitar & vocals - Joe Allan – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Jack ClementJack ClementJack Henderson Clement is an American singer, songwriter, and a record and film producer.Raised and educated in Memphis, Jack Clement was performing at an early age...
– mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single... - Vassar ClementsVassar ClementsVassar Clements was a Grammy Award- winning American jazz, swing, and bluegrass fiddler. Clements has been dubbed the Father of Hillbilly Jazz, an improvisational style that blends and borrows from swing, hot jazz, and bluegrass along with roots also in country and other musical...
– fiddleFiddleThe term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music... - Chuck Cochran – pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s & arrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
s - Jim Colvard – guitar
- Rocky HillRocky Hill (musician)Rocky Hill was a blues guitarist, singer, and bassist from Dallas, Texas in the United States. Hill was the older brother of ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill.-Biography:...
– slide guitarSlide guitarSlide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles... - Kenny MaloneKenny MaloneKenny Malone is an American drummer/percussionist from Nashville, Tennessee. He has been, since the 1970s, and continues to be a prominent session musician in folk, country and many other acoustic-based genres.-References:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Production
- ProducedRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Kevin Eggers & Jack Clement - Executive producerExecutive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
– Kevin Eggers - Engineer – Garth FundisGarth FundisGarth Fundis is an American country music record producer. Active since the 1970s, Fundis has produced albums for several country artists, including Alabama, Don Williams, Trisha Yearwood, Sugarland, and Keith Whitley. Fundis has also served as a judge on the Colgate Country Showdown.-References:...
- Production coordination – Kevin CalabroKevin CalabroKevin Calabro is an American play-by-play announcer and talk show host for 710 ESPN Seattle. The Kevin Calabro Show airs from 3-6p PT and features cohost and Seattle P-I columnist Jim Moore, as well as ESPN Senior NFL Writer and Analyst John Clayton...
, Katja Maas, & Tyson Schuetze - RemasteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
– Gene Paul
Artwork
- Milton GlaserMilton GlaserMilton Glaser is a graphic designer, best known for the I Love New York logo, his "Bob Dylan" poster, the "DC bullet" logo used by DC Comics from 1977 to 2005, and the "Brooklyn Brewery" logo. He also founded New York Magazine with Clay Felker in 1968.-Biography:Glaser was born into a Hungarian...
– art directionArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
, designDesignerA designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
, & cover design - Steve Salmieri – photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- Kevin Eggers & Lola Scobey – liner notesLiner notesLiner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...