Search - Sammy Walker :: Song for Patty

Song for Patty
Sammy Walker
Song for Patty
Genres: Folk, Pop
 
  •  Track Listings (12) - Disc #1

Japanese limited edition in an LP-style slipcase.

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Sammy Walker
Title: Song for Patty
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Vivid Sound
Original Release Date: 7/25/2003
Re-Release Date: 8/4/2003
Album Type: Import
Genres: Folk, Pop
Style:
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 4540399032092

Synopsis

Album Description
Japanese limited edition in an LP-style slipcase.
 

CD Reviews

God help the troubadour with his unknown chords of fame ...
Paul Hickey | Fairfax, VA USA | 04/14/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"An unjustly overlooked masterpiece, Sammy Walker's excellent 1975 debut album "Song for Patty" stands the test of time to remain one of the most interesting -- and still relevant -- records of its day.



However, the history of this work has perhaps overshadowed its actual artistic content, and that is unfortunate because the songs that Walker wrote and performed here are almost uniformly perfect. Of course, it is worth noting that the late, great folksinger Phil Ochs produced "Song for Patty" for "Broadside" magazine, right around the time that he was spiraling down into mental illness, and it is a testament to Ochs's fine musical judgment that he was able to recognize Walker's immense talent even when his own life was so tormented.



The times they were a-changing, though, and the era of topical songwriting was ending. Radio stations might still play something like Gordon Lightfoot's "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" but they wouldn't touch this title track about the controversial kidnapped heiress-turned Symbionese Liberation Army fugitive Patricia Hearst. Sadly, as a result, most people never got to hear just how good these tunes were when they first came out.



And these songs are fantastic. "My Old Yearbook" is a sly, witty little number that takes an amusing look at how life holds surprises for all of us. "Closin' Time" is a powerful piece of social commentary wrapped in stirring poetry. "A Simple Hour Operation" and "Funny Farm Blues" both offer catchy lines, and if the former seems a bit dated with its reference to ex-President Richard Nixon, the rest of its verses remain as thought-provoking as ever. On the other hand, "Testimony Of A Dying Lady" still rings so true that it could easily describe the state of health care and our criminal (in)justice system even today. The cover of the Ochs' classic "Bound for Glory" is nicely handled, and the Woody Guthrie tune "I Ain't Got No Home (In This World Anymore)" is genuinely haunting. It's hard to listen to Phil singing harmony on the chorus and not shiver to realize he would be dead by his own hand less than a year after that recording session. Elsewhere, in spite of its descriptive charms, "Little New Jersey Town" is more of a minor track, while "Ragamuffin Minstrel Boy" is a ballad that Walker obviously intended as his tribute to a certain ex-folkie superstar from Hibbing, Minnesota. Both are OK but nothing special.



Overall though, Walker's lyrics are extraordinary, and his delivery works well with his material. Because of his background story and the sound of his voice, many reviewers inevitably compare him to Bob Dylan, but stylistically he owes as much to other singer-songwriters of that age, such as Eric Andersen, Harry Chapin, John Prine, and Patrick Sky. Modern audiences hearing Walker might also be reminded of Bill Morrissey, especially in the way Walker uses the casual observations of his characters and his own personal narratives to make important points about human nature.



The bottom line is that "Song for Patty" is an undiscovered treasure and a diamond in the rough that anyone who appreciates strong songwriting should enjoy. This gem of an album has been neglected for too long. By all means, do yourself a favor and check it out. If this import version does not fit within your budget, you should know that the same title (without the cover art) is available from Smithsonian Folkways at a much lower price. Give it a listen, and prepare to have your ears peeled back. For a generation bombarded with Britney Spears and brainwashed with Wilco, Sammy Walker is the real deal like nothing else you've ever heard. It's a blast from the past that still packs a punch.



"
Sammy Walker is Not Bob Dylan Or John Prine
Ralph and Martha Wright | Djibouti, Africa | 10/31/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)

"but he exists somewhere in between. His voice more closely resembles Bob on this earlier album, but the material is more folky, and less bluesy, with occasional touches of humour and politics. Cool solo singer-songwriter from Georgia helped out by Phil Ochs. He should've been a star. He never lip-synched either."