T Shirt (album)

T Shirt
Studio album by Loudon Wainwright III
Released May 1976[1]
Studio Record Plant, New York City
Genre Folk
Label Arista
Producer Loudon Wainwright III
Loudon Wainwright III chronology
Unrequited
(1975)Unrequited1975		 T Shirt
(1976)		 Final Exam
(1978)Final Exam1978
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
Robert ChristgauB+[3]

T Shirt is a 1976 album by Loudon Wainwright III. Unlike his earlier records, this (and the subsequent Final Exam) saw Wainwright adopt a full blown rock band (Slowtrain) - though there are acoustic songs on T Shirt, including a talking blues. Nevertheless, it had the misfortune to arrive on the scene at the same time as punk rock, making it immediately dated in the eyes of many critics. According to Wainwright on the 2006 CD liner notes, it received a scathing review from Rolling Stone Magazine which depressed him so much he stayed in bed for five days. By the early 1990s, he disowned the album in a radio interview broadcast in Australia. However, by the time of the CD remaster (which included Final Exam) he admitted to a much more sympathetic view of the album(s), which he referred to as his 'puppies'.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Loudon Wainwright III; except where indicated

  1. "Bicentennial"
  2. "Summer's Almost Over"
  3. "Hollywood Hopeful" (Traditional; arranged by Loudon Wainwright III)
  4. "Reciprocity"
  5. "At Both Ends"
  6. "Wine with Dinner"
  7. "Hey Packy" (George Gerdes)
  8. "California Prison Blues"
  9. "Talking Big Apple '75"
  10. "Prince Hal's Dirge"
  11. "Just Like President Thieu"
  12. "Wine with Dinner (Night Cap)"

Personnel

  • Loudon Wainwright III - guitar, vocals
  • Richard Davis - bass
  • Hank Jones - keyboards
  • David Sanborn - saxophone
  • Marvin Stamm - horn
  • Jimmy Maelen - conductor
  • Elliott Randall - guitar
  • David Taylor - trombone
  • Eric Weissberg - banjo
  • Charlie Brown - guitar
  • Jeanie Arnold - vocals
  • Jon Cobert - vocals
  • Joe Cocuzzo - drums
  • Kenny Kosek - violin
  • Richard Crooks - drums
  • John Crowder - bass
  • Ron Getman - steel guitar
  • Don Hammond - recorder
  • Peter Labarbera - background vocals
  • John Lissauer - clarinet
  • George Marge - recorder
  • Irwin "Marky" Markowitz - horn
  • Charlie Messing - guitar, vocals
  • Gwynne Michaels - vocals
  • Glen Mitchell - keyboards, vocals
  • Paul Prestopino, Maggie & Terre Roche - vocals
  • Christie Thompson - vocals
  • Stephen Tubin - keyboards
  • Joanne Vent - vocals
Technical
  • Jimmy Iovine - engineer, mixing
  • Benno Friedman - cover photography

Release history

  • LP: Arista AL4063 (U.S.)
  • LP: Arista RTY127 (UK)
  • CD: Arcadia ACAD 8142 (2 CD with Final Exam (U.S. 2007)

References

  1. ↑ "Loudon Wainwright III". Associated Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
  2. ↑ Allmusic review
  3. ↑ Robert Christgau review
  1. "Prince Hals Dirge" is a reference to Henry IV, Part II by Shakespeare
  2. "Just Like President Thieu" references South Vietnam's recently deposed Prime Minister Nguyễn Văn Thiệu
  3. "Bicentennial" is a sarcastic reference to the United States's upcoming 'birthday', where Wainwright celebrates heroes like Jack Ruby
  4. "California Prison Blues" is a time capsule, referencing Charles Manson, 'Squeaky' Lynette Fromme, Patty Hearst (and her father), Timothy Leary, and Eldridge Cleaver.
  5. "Wine with Dinner" mentions Dean Martin and Foster Brooks
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