reel-to-reel tape box cover
album cover art: Rob Springett
photo by Styrous®
In
addition to my vinyl LP record collection I'm selling, I have hundreds of reel-to-reel, pre-recorded tapes as well. This is an entry about one of
them that is for sale on eBay (see link below). Interested? Contact me by email, please, not by a comment.
~ ~ ~
Hard Nose the Highway is the seventh studio album by Northern Irish, singer-songwriter, Van Morrison, released in 1973 on the Warner Bros. label. It is his first solo album to contain songs not written by Morrison. A cover version of the song Bein' Green, usually associated with Kermit the Frog is included, and a take of the traditional song "Purple Heather".
reel-to-reel tape box back
album art: Rob Springett
photo by Styrous®
The title song, Hard Nose the Highway, is explained by Morrison as:
"the theme running through the whole song is 'Seen some hard times'
which I have 'Drawn some fine lines' which I definitely have, and 'No
time for shoe shines' when you're trying to make a living
Snow in San Anselmo is the opening song and features the backing vocals
of the Oakland Symphony Chamber Chorus. Morrison says the song is,
"just a sketch on when it snowed in San Anselmo."
Warm Love
was released as a successful single and was also a favorite concert
performance in the 70s. It featured the catchy line, "and it's ever
present everywhere, Warm Love."
reel-to-reel tape box back detail
album art: Rob Springett
detail photo by Styrous®
Wild Children is actually about the post-war children growing up in
other countries and getting their images—from American anti-heroes such
as those portrayed by James Dean, Marlon Brando, Rod Steiger and playwright Tennessee Williams.
The Great Deception is, according to biographer, Richie Yorke: "One of
the most stinging indictments from any observer, let alone a rock
artist, of the tragic hypocrisy of so many participants in the
sub-culture, in particular the big-time rock stars of this era.
reel-to-reel tape box back detail
album art: Rob Springett
detail photo by Styrous®
Being Green is the first non-original composition Morrison had included
on any album for Warner Bros. so far and was taken from the popular
American children's TV show, Sesame Street, which he must have watched with his young daughter, Shana.
He says about his interpretation of the song, "That was just a
statement that you don't have to be flamboyant. If somebody doesn't like
you just because you're a certain thing, then maybe they're seeing the
wrong thing."
reel-to-reel tape box back detail
detail photo by Styrous®
A reviewer said about the ten and a half minute Autumn Song: "I can't
deny that it's the funkiest song about the splendors and moods of fall
that has ever glided through my ears.
reel-to-reel tape
photo by Styrous®
The ending song, Purple Heather is the traditional Wild Mountain Thyme written by Francis McPeake as a variant of Robert Tannahill's The Braes of Balquhidder, and re-arranged by Morrison.
Track listing:
All songs written by Van Morrison, unless otherwise noted.
Side one:
1 - Snow in San Anselmo - 4:33
2 - Warm Love - 3:22
3 - Hard Nose the Highway - 5:12
4 - Wild Children - 4:19
5 - The Great Deception - 4:50
Side two:
1 - Bein' Green (Joe Raposo) - 4:20
2 - Autumn Song - 10:34
3 - Purple Heather (Traditional) - 5:42
Personnel:
Van Morrison – acoustic guitar, vocals
Jack Schroer – tenor, alto, baritone and soprano saxophones
Jules Broussard – tenor saxophone, flute
Joseph Ellis – trumpet on "Hard Nose the Highway" and "Bein' Green"
Bill Atwood – trumpet
Nathan Rubin – violin
Zaven Melikian – violin
Nancy Ellis – viola
Theresa "Terry" Adams – cello
John Tenney – violin
Michael Gerling – violin
Jef Labes – piano
John Platania – guitar
David Hayes – bass
Gary Mallaber – vibraphone, drums
Rick Shlosser – drums
Marty David – bass on "Warm Love", "Hard Nose the Highway" and "Autumn Song"
Jackie De Shannon – backing vocals on "Warm Love" and "Hard Nose the Highway"
Oakland Symphony Chamber Chorus on "Snow in San Anselmo"
SPIRIT, MORALE AND LAUGHTER – Ed Fletcher (alias Iversen)
Production:
Producer: Van Morrison
Engineers: Neil Schwartz, Jim Stern
Arrangers: Van Morrison, Jef Labes (strings), Jack Schroer, (horns)
Album Cover Art: Rob Springett
Warner Bros. Records - WST 2712-C
1973
Van Morrison Music on YouTube:
All songs written by Van Morrison, unless otherwise noted.
Side one:
1 - Snow in San Anselmo - 4:33
2 - Warm Love - 3:22
3 - Hard Nose the Highway - 5:12
4 - Wild Children - 4:19
5 - The Great Deception - 4:50
Side two:
1 - Bein' Green (Joe Raposo) - 4:20
2 - Autumn Song - 10:34
3 - Purple Heather (Traditional) - 5:42
Personnel:
Van Morrison – acoustic guitar, vocals
Jack Schroer – tenor, alto, baritone and soprano saxophones
Jules Broussard – tenor saxophone, flute
Joseph Ellis – trumpet on "Hard Nose the Highway" and "Bein' Green"
Bill Atwood – trumpet
Nathan Rubin – violin
Zaven Melikian – violin
Nancy Ellis – viola
Theresa "Terry" Adams – cello
John Tenney – violin
Michael Gerling – violin
Jef Labes – piano
John Platania – guitar
David Hayes – bass
Gary Mallaber – vibraphone, drums
Rick Shlosser – drums
Marty David – bass on "Warm Love", "Hard Nose the Highway" and "Autumn Song"
Jackie De Shannon – backing vocals on "Warm Love" and "Hard Nose the Highway"
Oakland Symphony Chamber Chorus on "Snow in San Anselmo"
SPIRIT, MORALE AND LAUGHTER – Ed Fletcher (alias Iversen)
Production:
Producer: Van Morrison
Engineers: Neil Schwartz, Jim Stern
Arrangers: Van Morrison, Jef Labes (strings), Jack Schroer, (horns)
Album Cover Art: Rob Springett
Warner Bros. Records - WST 2712-C
1973
Van Morrison Music on YouTube:
reel-to-reel tapes on eBay
Do you still sell open reel?
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