Kate & Anna McGarrigle (album)

Kate & Anna McGarrigle
Studio album by Kate & Anna McGarrigle
Released	January 1976[1][2]^:316[3]^:30-31
Recorded	Late 1974-1975[2]^:315
Genre	Folk
Length	35:06
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Joe Boyd, Greg Prestopino
Kate & Anna McGarrigle chronology
Kate & Anna McGarrigle (1976) Dancer with Bruised Knees (1977)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[4]
Rolling Stone	(very favorable) [5]
Robert Christgau	A [6]

Kate & Anna McGarrigle is the debut album by Kate & Anna McGarrigle, released in January 1976.^{[1][2]:316[3]:30-31}

The album includes "Heart Like a Wheel," the McGarrigles' most famous song, which was first recorded in 1972 by McKendree Spring and by Linda Ronstadt in 1974. That song subsequently has been covered by several other artists, including Billy Bragg, Katie Moore, The Corrs, and June Tabor.^[7]

Other songs from the album which have received cover treatments include "Talk to Me of Mendocino," covered by Ronstadt on her 1982 album Get Closer, by the English singer-songwriter John Howard on his 2007 E.P. The Bewlay Brothers and by Nona Marie and The Choir on their 2011 eponymous album;^[8] "Complainte pour Ste-Catherine," covered by the British pop singer Kirsty MacColl in 1989; and "Go Leave," covered by Anne Sofie von Otter with Elvis Costello.^[9]

Guest musicians on the album include Lowell George, Bobby Keys and Anna McGarrigle's husband, Dane Lanken.

On 25 December 1976, the album was voted Rock Album of the Year by London's Melody Maker.^[3]:37 It was also listed at #5 on the 1976 Pazz & Jop poll.^[10]

Track listing

Each song's writing credit is listed below.

1. "Kiss and Say Goodbye" – 2:47 - Kate
2. "My Town" – 2:57 - Anna
3. "Blues in D – 2:43 - Kate
4. "Heart Like a Wheel" – 3:08 - Anna
5. "Foolish You" – 3:02 - Wade Hemsworth
6. "Talk to Me of Mendocino" – 3:08 - Kate
7. "Complainte pour Ste-Catherine" – 2:48 - Anna/Philippe Tatartcheff
8. "Tell My Sister" – 3:37 - Kate
9. "Swimming Song" – 2:26 - Loudon Wainwright III
10. "Jigsaw Puzzle of Life" – 2:29 - Anna
11. "Go Leave" – 3:19 - Kate
12. "Travellin' on for Jesus" – 2:42 - traditional, arranged by J. Spence

Personnel

• Anna McGarrigle - vocals, keyboards, banjo, button accordion
• Kate McGarrigle - vocals, piano, guitar
• Tony Levin - bass
• Steve Gadd - drums
• Jay Ungar - fiddle
• Lowell George, David Spinozza, Greg Prestopino, Hugh McCracken, Tony Rice, Amos Garrett, Andrew Gold, Chaim Tannenbaum - guitar
• Red Callender - bass
• David Grisman - mandolin
• Joel Tepp - harmonica, clarinet
• Peter Weldon - banjo, backing vocals
• Floyd Gilbeau - fiddle
• Bobby Keys - tenor saxophone
• Plas Johnson - alto saxophone, clarinet
• Nick DeCaro - accordion
• Russ Kunkel - drums
• Dane Lanken - backing vocals

References

1. Sleeve notes from Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Warner Bros. Records distributed by WEA Records Ltd. P & C 1976 K56218 (BS 2862).
2. McGarrigle, Anna & Jane (2015). Mountain City Girls. Canada: Penguin Random House. ISBN 978-0-345-81402-9.
3. Lanken, Dane (2007). Kate and Anna McGarrigle Songs and Stories. Canada: Penumbra Press. ISBN 18-9732-304-2.
4. "Allmusic review". Allmusic. All Media Guide. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
5. Archived March 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
6. "CG: Kate & Anna McGarrigle". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
7. Second Hand Songs.com: List of covers of "Heart Like a Wheel"
8. Nona Marie and The Choir Bandcamp.com Retrieved 2013/02/06
9. Second Hand Songs.com: List of McGarrigle covers
10. "The 1976 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2014-01-08