Red Pajamas
2006
Live At The Earl Of Old Town
About This Album
Steve Goodman, more than two decades after his death from leukemia, still retains a strong following among devotees of folk-derived singer/songwriters who also play a wicked acoustic guitar and happen to worship the Chicago Cubs. Posthumous Goodman CD releases don't trickle out very often, but when they do, those fans grab them up quickly. Live at the Earl of Old Town provides plenty of reasons for them to rejoice. Recorded in August 1978 at the Chicago club where Goodman got his start (and not a reissue of his similarly titled debut album, Gathering at the Earl of Old Town), the tape surfaced after decades stashed away. The recording boasts excellent sound quality, but more importantly it captures Goodman at the peak of his artistry. His cleverness is in high gear in "Men Who Love Women Who Love Men," the final word on sexuality-identity/open-mindedness tunes, and he's got the crowd in stitches with Shel Silverstein's hysterical "Three Legged Man." A tribute to Goodman's wife, "I Gotta Hand It to You," gives credit where it's due in a love song that's purely romantic while remaining devoid of sap. Goodman's cover choices are never less than intriguing, either, while country standards such as Terry Fell's "Truck Drivin' Man" and Leon Payne's "Lost Highway" (made famous by Hank Williams) had already been covered by dozens of artists before Goodman got to them, he managed to bring a fresh sparkle to them.
Track List (try tracks 4,7,8,9,10,13,14 and 17)

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