Mermaid Avenue

by Billy Bragg & Wilco

Mermaid Avenue cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 23 June 1998
  • Label: Elektra
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 49:40
  • Community rating: 3.63/5 from 13 ratings

Artists on this release: Wilco

Album Notes & Community Reviews

'Mermaid Avenue' is a warm, collaborative project that sets unrecorded Woody Guthrie lyrics to new music by Billy Bragg and Wilco. The album is a melodic and poetic celebration of Americana, blending pastoral folk rock with Guthrie's enduring socialist and humanitarian themes in an uplifting, mellow collection.

Genres

Descriptors: political, melodic, socialism, folk, storytelling, acoustic, protest

Tracklist

  1. Walt Whitman's Niece (3:53)
  2. California Stars (4:58)
  3. Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key (4:06)
  4. Birds And Ships (2:15)
  5. Hoodoo Voodoo (3:12)
  6. She Came Along To Me (3:28)
  7. At My Window Sad And Lonely (3:27)
  8. Ingrid Bergman (1:50)
  9. Christ For President (2:42)
  10. I Guess I Planted (3:33)
  11. One By One (3:25)
  12. Eisler On The Go (2:57)
  13. Hesitating Beauty (3:05)
  14. Another Man's Done Gone (1:36)
  15. The Unwelcome Guest (5:05)

Credits

  • Billy Bragg - primary artist, art direction, liner notes, producer, acoustic guitar, lead vocals, music by, electric guitar, bouzouki, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, vocals, resonator guitar [national guitar], backing vocals, handclaps, resonator guitar [national guitar], banjo, vocals
  • Wilco - primary artist, producer, backing vocals [answering vocals], music by
  • Alli Truch - art direction, design
  • Nora Guthrie - art direction, executive-producer, executive producer
  • Dave Trumfio - engineer
  • Jerry Boys - engineer
  • Matthew Ellard - engineer
  • Mike Hagler - engineer
  • Scott Eisenberg - engineer
  • Ciarán Cahill - engineer [assistant]
  • Gordon Jensen - engineer [assistant]
  • Ivan O'Shea - engineer [assistant]
  • Keith McDonnell - engineer [assistant]
  • Tom Skerritt - engineer [assistant]
  • Woody Guthrie - lyrics by
  • Ken Schles - photography by, photography
  • Pennie Smith - photography by [wilco photos: ken coomer], photography by [billy bragg photos], photography
  • Tony Margherita - photography by [wilco photos: stirratt, bennett, tweedy], photography
  • Grant Showbiz - producer
  • Jonathan Parker - technician [technical assistance], backing vocals [answering vocals]
  • John Stirratt - acoustic bass, electric bass, backing vocals, electric bass, piano [bass], organ [hammond b3], acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, organ [bass pedals], backing vocals, handclaps
  • Ken Coomer - drums, percussion, backing vocals, handclaps
  • Jeff Tweedy - electric guitar, harmonica, acoustic guitar, lead vocals, music by, acoustic guitar, harmonica, acoustic guitar, vocals, backing vocals, handclaps, acoustic guitar, harmonica, harmony vocals
  • Jay Bennett - piano, clavinet, organ [farfisa], drums, music by, piano, backing vocals, organ [hammond b3], bouzouki, organ, organ [farfisa bass pedals], electric bass, slide guitar, acoustic guitar, harmony vocals, organ [hammond b3], dulcimer, backing vocals, banjo, piano, clavinet, backing vocals, handclaps, piano, organ [hammond b3], piano, melodica, percussion, piano, electric guitar, backing vocals, grand piano, grand piano, melodica
  • Corey Harris - lap steel guitar, electric guitar, music by, backing vocals, handclaps
  • Eliza Carthy - violin
  • Elizabeth Steen - accordion
  • Natalie Merchant - backing vocals, Vocals
  • Peter Yanowitz - drums [chorus drums]
  • Bob Egan - slide guitar, pedal steel guitar

More from Billy Bragg & Wilco: full discography