Kris Kristofferson - The Silver Tongued Devil and I

Title: The Silver Tongued Devil and I Artist: Kris Kristofferson Release Date: 1971 Re-Released On: 2/1/2008 Label: Sbme Special Mkts., Monument Records Duration: 32:52 UPCs: 074644435221, 886972375922, 074644435245, 079894435229 Genre: Country Styles: Traditional Country, Progressive Country, Singer/Songwriter, Outlaw Country Moods: Earnest, Literate, Wry, Autumnal, Bittersweet, Plaintive, Relaxed, Melancholy, Organic, Reflective, Sophisticated, Wistful, Gentle, Poignant, Intimate, Passionate, Earthy Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 4 Number of Discs/SwapaCD Credits: 1

1. The Silver Tongued Devil and I
2. Jody and the Kid
3. Billy Dee
4. Good Christian Soldier
5. Breakdown (A Long Way from Home)
6. Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)
7. The Taker
8. When I Loved Her
9. The Pilgrim, Chapter 33
10. Epitaph (Black and Blue)

Year Type Label Catalog # 2008 CD Sbme Special Mkts. 723759 ------ CD Monument Records AK-44352

No other editions were found for this album.

By the time Monument came to release Kristofferson's second album, The Silver Tongued Devil and I, in July 1971, he was the author of four songs that had topped the country or pop charts for others. Kristofferson himself had not yet reached the charts with a recording of his own, but his spectacular success as a songwriter made The Silver Tongued Devil and I a much-anticipated record. One consequence of this was that Monument was willing to spend more money; three of the album's songs boasted strings and another a horn section. But the key, of course, was still the songwriting, and though there were several excellent songs, the album could not live up to its predecessor, which was the culmination of years of writing. Typically for a second album, Kristofferson reached back into his catalog, presenting his own treatments of "Jody and the Kid" and "The Taker," which had been hits for Roy Drusky and Waylon Jennings, respectively. In his newly written material, Kristofferson continued to examine the lives of society's outcasts, but the antiestablishment tone of some of Kristofferson was gone along with much of the wry humor, and in their place were touches of morbidity and sentimentality. Kristofferson retained his gift for intimate love songs, and the album's most memorable selections turned out to be "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)" (which became a semi-standard) and "When I Loved Her." And even if his observations seemed less acute, his talent for wordplay often rescued the songs from banality. On its way to becoming a gold record, The Silver Tongued Devil and I reached the pop Top 20, Kristofferson's career high on that chart, and the country Top Five; thus, Kristofferson made the transition from being a successful songwriter to a successful recording artist. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Name Credits Billy Swan Vocals, Bass Bobby Dyson Bass Charlie McCoy Keyboards, Harmonica Chris Gantry Guitar David Briggs Keyboards Donnie Fritts Vocals, Keyboards Farrell Morris Percussion Fred Foster Producer Gene Eichelberger Engineer Jerry Carrigan Drums Jerry Kennedy Guitar Jerry Shook Guitar Kris Kristofferson Vocals, ?, Guitar Mort Thomasson Engineer Norbert Putnam Bass Norman Blake Guitar Rita Coolidge Vocals Tommy Strong Engineer