Gerry Rafferty

Gerry Rafferty - Gerry Rafferty Revisited - 1974 - Transatlantic Records

"Gerry Rafferty Revisited", released on Transatlantic Records in 1974 is mainly a compilation of Humblebums material that Gerry Rafferty had written and performed while in that group. It comprises most of the serious musical content of the last two albums released by that group, with the exception of So Bad Thinking (which came from the B-side of his "Can I Have My Money Back?" single). The remaining content of those two albums were mostly humorous Billy Connolly compositions, although a few musical gems can be found among them, especially the ones in which Rafferty sings harmony. The sound and feel of this album is similar to "Can I Have My Money Back?", his first solo effort from 1971. All song versions on this album (except So Bad Thinking) are available in CD form on various Humblebums compilations.
In the same year that City to City was released, Visa Records released the self-titled Gerry Rafferty album, a 15-track compendium of Humblebum tunes which appeared on 1969's The New Humblebums and 1970's Open Up the Door. Spotlighting Rafferty's early songwriting prowess, fans who are more familiar with tracks such as "Baker Street," "Right Down the Line," and "Get It Right Next Time," from his more successful solo career, will enjoy his discerning folk-pop sound that drifts through songs like the Beatlesque "My Singing Bird," "Her Father Didn't Like Me Anyway," and "Patrick." The spirited "Steamboat Row" is a definite precursor to future efforts like Stealers Wheel' "Stuck in the Middle With You" and his own "The Girls Got No Confidence," proving that his talent isn't purely engulfed in heartfelt ballads and twilight pieces. If anything, the songs that make up Gerry Rafferty illustrates his ability for combining pleasant melodies and earnest moods before his work was embedded in a commercial late-'70s sound. While the material that he produced at the end of the decade brought him more success, there's an ample amount of modesty and genuine simplicity in his early music that is often just as effectual, which is why the tracks that appear on Gerry Rafferty should eventually be discovered by longtime fans, if they haven't heard them already. © Mike DeGagne © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/gerry-rafferty-r47466/review

The album was reissued on various labels 1n 1978 with the simple title "Gerry Rafferty".

TRACKS

1 "Shoeshine Boy"
2 "Rick Rack"
3 "All The Best People Do It"
4 "Look Over The Hill And Far Away"
5 "Blood and Glory"
6 "Song For Simon"
7 "I Can't Stop Now"
8 "So Bad Thinking"
9 "Patrick"
10 "Steamboat Row"
11 "Her Father Didn't Like Me Anyway"
12 "Keep It To Yourself"
13 "Coconut Tree"
14 "Please Sing A Song For Us"
15 "My Singing Bird"

All songs composed by Gerry Rafferty except "So Bad Thinking" by Gerry Rafferty & Joe Egan, and "My Singing Bird" (Traditional). Tracks 1,3,6,7,10,12,15 from from The Humblebum's "Open Up the Door" album. Tracks 2,4,5,9,11,13,14 from The Humblebum's "The New Humblebums" aka "The Humblebums" album. Track 8 was the B-side to Gerry Rafferty's "Can I Have My Money Back" single

MUSICIANS

Gerry Rafferty - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Billy Connolly - Guitar, Vocals
Alan Parker - Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
Roger Brown - Guitar (Electric), Vocals
Zed Jenkins - Guitar (Electric)
Bernie Holland, John VanDernick - Guitar
Rod King - Guitar (Steel)
Gary Taylor - Bass, Vocals
Tom Lasker - Keyboards, Piano
Tom Parker - Harmonium, Harpsichord, Keyboards
Jimmy Tagford, Terry Cox, Andrew Steele, Henry Spinetti - Drums
Hugh Murphy - Tambourine, Vocals
Johnny VanDerrick - Fiddle, Violin
Barry Dransfield - Violin
Joe Egan - Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Rab Noakes - Vocals

Gerry Rafferty's bio and other releases can be found on this blog

THE HUMBLEBUMS BIO

Scottish folk outfit the Humblebums aren't perhaps as well known as their two main individual members: Gerry Rafferty, who later scored hits with Stealers Wheel and as a solo artist, and Billy Connolly, who left music to become an internationally successful stand-up comedian. Connolly actually founded the group in 1965, along with guitarist Tam Harvey; both had been regulars on the Glasgow folk circuit, and Connolly had previously been playing old-time country music in a group called the Skillet Lickers. The duo quickly became a popular attraction in Glasgow's folk clubs, particularly as Connolly honed his humorous between-song patter, which became an increasingly large part of their already whimsical act. After a few years of local celebrity, the Humblebums recorded their debut album, First Collection of Merrie Melodies, for the Transatlantic label, employing bassist Ronnie Rae to flesh out their sound; the repertoire was split between traditional folk songs and Connolly originals. Not long after the album's release, budding singer/songwriter Gerry Rafferty (a former member of a beat group called Fifth Column) approached the duo after one of their gigs for feedback on his original songs. He wound up being invited to join the group, officially making them a trio. Rafferty's songs soon took a prominent place in their repertoire, which led to friction with Tam Harvey; he departed around half a year into Rafferty's tenure. Toward the end of 1969, Rafferty and Connolly entered the studio together and cut the second Humblebums LP, The New Humblebums, which began to feature brass and woodwind arrangements. With Rafferty's pop instincts, the Humblebums grew more popular on the live circuit than ever, and they recorded another album in a similar vein, 1970's Open Up the Door. However, there was growing dissension between Rafferty and Connolly. Rafferty's material had a more serious bent than Connolly's lighthearted, dryly witty offerings, and Connolly's comedy bits were taking up a large portion of the Humblebums' stage show, to the point where Rafferty wanted him to cut the comedy altogether. Moreover, the extra session musicians who were used on Open Up the Door made it difficult for the duo to capture the feel of the record on stage. It was no surprise when the Humblebums broke up in 1971. Rafferty moved on to Stealers Wheel, best known for their hit "Stuck in the Middle With You," and later went solo, scoring a huge hit with "Baker Street." Connolly, meanwhile, realized that stand-up comedy was his true calling, and in a few short years became one of the most popular comedians not only in Scotland, but the whole U.K., with a career that's spanned decades. © Steve Huey © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/humblebums-p18359/biography