History (Loudon Wainwright III album)


History is the twelfth studio album by American singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, released on September 21, 1992 on Charisma Records. The album was recorded following the death of Wainwright's father, Loudon Wainwright Jr. Regarding his father's death and its influence on History, Wainwright stated that:
The album featured deeply personal compositions, with a musical style that ranges from talking blues to almost pure country rock and modern folk.
History is often regarded as a breakthrough in Wainwright's career. Allmusic call the album "his masterpiece", and both Bruce Springsteen and Bob Geldof cited it as their favourite album of the year.

Song information

The final track, "A Handful of Dust" is an adaptation of a song written by his father.
"Hitting You" is the fourth song of Wainwright's career dedicated to his daughter Martha Wainwright, and "A Father and a Son" is directed to his son Rufus Wainwright.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Loudon Wainwright III
  1. "People in Love" – 2:57
  2. "Men" – 3:35
  3. "The Picture" – 2:32
  4. "When I'm at Your House" – 2:31
  5. "The Doctor" – 4:00
  6. "Hitting You" – 3:03
  7. "I'd Rather Be Lonely" – 2:50
  8. "Between" – 1:27
  9. "Talking New Bob Dylan" – 3:34
  10. "So Many Songs" – 3:52
  11. "4 X 10" – 3:07
  12. "A Father and a Son" – 3:21
  13. "Sometimes I Forget" – 5:53
  14. "A Handful of Dust" – 3:24

    Personnel