Album III is the third full-length album from Loudon Wainwright III. It was released in 1972 on Columbia Records. Album III would spawn Loudon Wainwright's most popular hit single, "Dead Skunk", one of the many 'novelty songs' sprinkled throughout Wainwright's career. Although Wainwright has maintained an ironic, sometimes sepulchral sense of humor, "Dead Skunk", despite its commercial success, has dogged him ever since, as he comments on 1985's album I'm Alright, "Were you embarrassed about 'Dead Skunk?
This is the first of his albums to feature a full backing band, on many tracks, which was named White Cloud. Wainwright mostly eschewed a rocking sound for a stripped down acoustic one from the early-1980s onwards.
Track listing All tracks composed by Loudon Wainwright III except where noted. "Dead Skunk" – 3:05 "Red Guitar" – 1:49 "East Indian Princess" – 2:56 "Muse Blues" – 2:53 "Hometeam Crowd" – 1:49 "B Side" – 2:26 "Needless To Say" – 3:14 "Smokey Joe's Cafe" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) – 2:31 "New Paint" – 3:00 "Trilogy (Circa 1967)" – 3:11 "Drinking Song" – 2:55 "Say That You Love Me" – 2:30
Personnel Loudon Wainwright III – guitar, vocals David Amram – French horn Charlie Brown III – guitar, electric guitar Richard Crooks – drums Richard Davis – bass Thomas Jefferson Kaye – guitar, arranger, rhythm guitar, producer Bill Keith – banjo, steel guitar Kenny Kosek – fiddle, violin Hugh McCracken – guitar Don Payne, Tom Watson – electric bass Elliott Randall – electric guitar Jimmy Ryan – guitar David Sanborn – saxophone "Sailor" Bob Schmidt – harmonica Eric Weissberg – dobro, guitar Teddy Wender – piano White Cloud consisted of Charles Brown III, Richard Crooks, Thomas Jefferson Kaye, Kenneth Kosek, Don Payne and Teddy Wender
Technical Brooks Arthur – engineer, mixing Milton Kramer – executive producer Fred Lombardi – cover photography
Charts Chart (1973)PeakpositionAustralian Albums (Kent Music Report)62 US Cash Box Top 100 Albums75
Release history LP: Columbia KC 31462 (US) LP: CBS 65238 (UK) CD: Sony CK31462 (August 20, 1990, re-release)
References