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Wide Eyed and Legless: the a&M Recordings | 
| Artist: Andy Fairweather Low
Label: Demon
Category: Music
List Price: £14.99
Buy New: £4.98
You Save: £10.01 (67%)
New (22) Used (6) from £4.49
Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 35444
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 2
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
UPC: 740155174828
EAN: 7401551748282
ASIN: B0002476H4
Release Date: May 24, 2004
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Tracks:
Disc 1
| • | Spider Jiving | | • | Drowning On Dry Land | | • | Keep On Rocking | | • | Same Old Story | | • | I Ain't No Mountain | | • | Every Day I Die | | • | Standing On The Water | | • | Mellow Down | | • | Light Is Within | | • | Reggae Tune | | • | Dancing In The Dark | | • | My Bucket's Got A Hole In It | | • | Jump Up And Turn Around | | • | Halfway To Everything | | • | La Booga Rooga | | • | Champagne Melody | | • | If That's What It Takes | | • | 8 Ton Crazy | | • | Grease It Up | | • | Wide Eyed And Legless | | • | Inner City Highwayman |
Disc 2
| • | Shimmie Doo Wah Sae | | • | Ain't No Fun Anymore | | • | Da Doo Rendezvous | | • | Hot Poop | | • | Travellin' Light | | • | Rocky Raccoon | | • | Lighten Up | | • | I Can't Take Much More | | • | Rhythm 'n' Jazz | | • | Checking Out The Checker | | • | Be Bop 'n' Holla | | • | If I Ever Get Lucky |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
Good time music by a talented performer April 5, 2008
Peter Durward Harris (Leicester England)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
In a world where most singers, however brilliant, sound like a lot of other equally brilliant singers, Andy Fairweather-Low has a very distinctive voice that doesn't draw any obvious comparisons with others. Quite apart from his distinctive voice, Andy also plays guitar, writes great songs and records them in a diverse range of styles.
Andy first made the big time in the sixties as the front man for Amen Corner. In that capacity, he had six hits in the British pop charts, four of which made the top ten including Bend me shape me (a top three hit that was a cover of a song that had been a huge American hit for American Breed) and If Paradise is half as nice (which made number one in the British charts). Amen Corner split in two, with Andy and three of the other five members forming Fair Weather, who had a British top ten hit with Natural sinner, but this group was short-lived. Eventually, Andy emerged as a solo artist and this collections contains the first three of the five solo albums that he recorded for A and M, together with a bonus track (If I ever get lucky) that originally appeared as the B-side of a single.
The first two of these three albums each spawned a British top ten hit single, these being Reggae tune (from the first album, Spider jiving) and Wide eyed and legless (from the second album (La booga rooga). The third album (Be bop 'n' holla) marked a slight change in style, sounding a little mellower than its predecessors, but yielded no hits. Unless you are already familiar with Andy's music beyond the hits, you won't know most of the other songs. There are three cover versions but they aren't of the most obvious songs. My bucket's got a hole in it (a cover of a Hank Williams song) may be familiar - and not just to country music fans, as Andy was by no means the first rocker to cover the song. Indeed, it is possible that Andy learned the song from a rock'n'roll cover version, of which there were several. Fans of the Beatles' white album will immediately recognize Rocky raccoon, but not many others will because there aren't a huge number of covers of this song. At least among Brits, the most famous of the three songs covered is Travellin' light, which provided Cliff Richard with a British number one hit in 1959. With all three songs, Andy puts his distinctive stamp on them.
Andy recorded the first of these albums (Spider jiving) in San Francisco, with Elliot Mazer (who had already worked with Neil Young among others) as the producer. The other two albums were recorded in Britain with Glyn Johns as the producer. In all three albums, the overall feel is of good-time music performed in a variety of styles, yet somehow holding together well. Picking out favorites among the less familiar songs is hard as there is so much good material here.
Andy was supported by a stellar cast of musicians on all three of the albums re-issued, so it seems a cruel twist of fate that he has spent much of the time since the seventies providing musical backing to others, especially Eric Clapton and Roger Waters. Still, at least he's been able to continue making a living in the music business and we should be thankful for that.
The booklet includes lyrics and musician credits for all songs except the bonus track, together with a couple of pages of liner notes. While the music is not easily pigeon-holed - it isn't progressive rock, glam-rock or mainstream pop - there is a lot to like about Andy's good-time seventies rock music.
Suite sole full music February 16, 2007
Roger T. Duke (UK)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
OK so my review of "Sweet Soulful Music" was not very helpful to some but I was right the album is brilliant and if Andy tours again go see him. His guitar playing is superb. Obviously picked a bit up here and there from playing with Slowhand and Snowy White over the years. This A&M years release is long overdue and it will be good to see all his back catalogue on sale. Those of you who may only have heard of "Reggae Tune" "Wide Eyed and Legless" the title of a TV play incidentally starring Julie Walters will not be disappointed. This album showcases a truly great songwriter who has a unique voice which after seeing him a couple of months back in Salford is as good as ever.Among musicians appearing on these CDs include Benny Gallagher, Graham Lyle, Gerry Rafferty, Georgie Fame, BJ Cole,Henry Spinetti,Dave Mattacks,Henry McCullough,The Memphis Horns and George Chisolm to name but a few. Well worth buying if like me your vinyl collection is wearing out. Lets's hope Warner Brothers see sense soon and release Mega Shebang on CD.
well worth the wait April 12, 2006
Adrian Rumble (valencia, valencia Spain)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
We should indeed give thanks to Edsel records for this wonderful double cd pack which contains the three albums Andy Fairweather Low cut for A & M between 1974 and 1976. Here is proof positive that British '70's pre-punk rock was not all prog.
This is joyous, straight ahead goodtime rock and roll as good as anything the Faces ever did. And if it sometimes gets a little close to whimsy never fear 'cos some of the very best, most rock steady session men of the era are on hand to ensure that this is real quality stuff.
Fairweather's voice is strong and soulful and never less than honest.
There are tunes galore and not a moment of boredom. Just about every track on '74's "Spider Jiving" is right on and it's difficult to highlight but perhaps I'd take "Drowning on Dry Land", "Standing on the Water" and "The Light is Within" to that desert island with me. As for the other two albums reissued here: "La Booga Rooga" and " Be Bop n Holla" there are are gems too:"8 Ton Crazy" and the classic "Wide Eyed and Legless" which is still featured on many a pub juke box. That old Cliff Richard standard "Travellin' Light" gets a nice, almost schmaltzy treatment but Andy's voice is too bluesily strained to get sugary and "Be Bop and Holla" is tight, jazzy and late night.
Andy Fairweather Low is a really fine songwriter but the musicians he picked for these sessions are special too: B J Cole, Chris Spedding, Henry Spinetti et al. He's even got the Memphis Horns on a few tracks. The fact that Glyn Johns produced two of the albums is the clincher.
A truly musical treat long lost and forgotten from a fine British song writer. Fickle fate has decided he must now be a backing musician to one of our rock legends. Well, it could be worse; while he's easily Eric's equal as a song writer it has to be admitted that he hasn't been the influence that Clapton has.
A great set.
I'm sure you will love it.
Transported back to the 70s January 18, 2005
N. Goldsmith (Tunbridge Wells, Kent, United Kingdom)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I have just received Wide Eyed and Legless. I originally owned La Booga Rooga on LP. What a wonderful job Edsel have done, not only putting Spider Jiving (1974) La Booga Rooga (1975) and Be Bop 'N' Holla (1976) together, but with a booklet containing all words and all musician listings. I have just listened to both CDs and I have been transported back to my youth in the 70s! It's worth it just to hear track 20, "Wide Eyed And Legless". All this for the price of 12.99!! (or even cheaper 2nd hand) You must be crazy NOT to buy it!
I'm glad I'm not alone November 3, 2004
Carol L. Brennan (United States)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
So glad to know I'm not alone in my admiration for Andy Fairweather Low. I too am waiting for Mega Shebang to be released on CD. Andy is by far the most versitale musician I have ever seen or heard. You can tell there is deep joy and gratification within him as he sings and plays with other musicians. I also bought two copies of this CD, just in case something happens to one of them. I can't live without my AFL music!
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