12-String Blues

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12-String Blues
12-String Blues cover
Live album by Leo Kottke
Released 1969
Recorded The Scholar Coffeehouse, Minneapolis, MN
Genre Folk, blues
Label Oblivion obl-s1
Professional reviews
Leo Kottke chronology
12-String Blues
(1969)		 6- and 12-String Guitar
(1969)

12-String Blues (sub-titled Live at the Scholar), is the first album by guitarist Leo Kottke. It is not a studio album, but was recorded live at the Ten O'Clock Scholar, a Minneapolis coffee house that had also featured Bob Dylan, Spider John Koerner and Simon & Garfunkel early in their careers.

Most of these songs were re-recorded for Kottke's third album Circle Round The Sun. This album, on the justly-named Oblivion Records (their only known product), is out of print and has not been re-issued on CD.

Contents

[edit] Track listing (with Kottke's notes)

[edit] Side one

  1. "If Momma Knew" – 2:08 (One of the first songs I wrote. The second actually, around 1962. At the time I considered evil the only virtue worth cultivating.)
  2. "So Cold in China" – 4:06 (The title lyric and, consequently, the idea for the song were stolen from somebody who sang at the Ontario Place in Washington when John Hurt worked there.)
  3. "Furry Jane" – 2:01 (There's not much to say about this one. Its origin was in a couple of nightmares, one of which nearly got me.)
  4. "Circle 'Round the Sun" – 3:03 (The majority of the lyrics are traditional. Another early song.)
  5. "Sweet Louise" – 3:17
  6. "The Prodigal Grave" – 3:01 (This was written in a fit of terror while trying to calm down. It originally contained many more verses which later served only to confuse, so they were discarded.)

[edit] Side two

  1. "Easter and the Sargasso Sea" – 2:28 (Columbus got stuck in this sea of weeds. There was no wind. Johnny Quest often goes there on business. Consequently resurrection here is not only promising but necessary.)
  2. "Sunrise" – 2:37
  3. "Living in the Country" (Pete Seeger) – 1:21 (Seeger's great contribution to the 12-string. Originally recorded as a guitar duet with Frank Hamilton. Later recorded at high speed with accompanying whistle.)
  4. "Sail Away Ladies" (John Fahey) – 1:47 (This is John Fahey's arrangement done on Vol.4, Takoma, with Al Wilson and his Veena.)
  5. "The Last Steam Engine Train" (John Fahey) – 1:38 (Fahey's contribution to steam engines. (Vol.3 Takoma) somewhat augmented and re-arranged.)
  6. "You Left Me Standing" – 2:29 (In A.)
  7. "Mary Mary" (I sometimes think people like to hear this song for the same reason they like to watch accidents.)

All songs by Leo Kottke, except as noted

[edit] Personnel

  • Leo Kottke - 6 & 12-string guitars, vocals

Cover design by Annie Elliott (who also did 6- and 12-String Guitar)

Copyright Symposium Music, BMI 1969

[edit] External links

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