A Tear and a Smile (Tír na nÓg album) explained

A Tear and a Smile
Type:studio
Artist:Tír na nÓg
Cover:Album_A_Tear_and_a_Smile_cover.jpg
Released: (UK)
(US)
Studio:Morgan Studios, London[1]
Genre:folk
Length:38:03 (UK edition)
35:25 (North America edition)
Label:Chrysalis
Producer:Tony Cox
Bill Leader
Prev Title:Tír na nÓg
Prev Year:1971
Next Title:Strong in the Sun
Next Year:1973

A Tear and a Smile is the second album by Irish band Tír na nÓg. It was released in the United Kingdom on 7 April 1972 by Chrysalis Records and was the first Tír na nÓg album to be released in the United States, in October 1972. The track list is different between the US and the UK releases. Because of this, two editions of the album exist but there was no reissue of the North American version.
On this last one, "Daisy Lady" and "Dante" are taken directly from the first album Tír na nÓg. The song "Looking Up" was already on the previous album but Leo O'Kelly was not very satisfied by the first version: he and Sonny Condell decided to record a new one, produced by Tony Cox, for A Tear and a Smile. The Lady I Love which was released as a single in Europe, appears also on the US version of the album, these four songs replacing "Down Day", "Bluebottle Stew", "Hemisphere", and "Goodbye My Love".

Track listing

1972 North America edition

Personnel

Release history

RegionDateLabelFormatCatalog
United Kingdom7 April 1972Chrysalis Recordsstereo LPCHR 1006
United Kingdom7 April 1972Chrysalis, Island Recordsmono 8-trackY8HR 1006
United Kingdom1972Chrysalisstereo 8-trackY8HR 1006
United Kingdom1972Chrysalisstereo compact cassetteZCHR 1006
Germany1972Chrysalis[2] stereo LP6307 504
Spain1972Chrysalisstereo LP6307 504
United States20 October 1972Chrysalis[3] stereo LPCHR 1006
United States1972ChrysalisReel-to-reel tape (7½ in/s)CHR 1006-C
CanadaOctober 1972Chrysalisstereo LPCHR 1006
Australia1972Chrysalis[4] stereo LPSCYL-934,623
New Zealand1972Chrysalisstereo LPSCYL-934,623
New Zealand1972Chrysalisstereo compact cassetteCY-24623
United KingdomSeptember 1991[5] Edsel RecordsCDED CD 334

Notes and References

  1. "(...) later at Morgan Studios, where we were recording A Tear & A Smile, (...).", Sonny Condell, interview for Frenzy & Distortion. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
  2. German and Spanish presses were distributed by Fonogram.
  3. North American presses were distributed by Warner Bros Records.
  4. Australian and New Zealander presses were distributed by Festival Records.
  5. "The second and third TIR NA NOG albums were re-issued by Demon Records in September and October 1991.", Alan Hadwin, Camouflage fanzine no.2 (September 1992) – p.2. Retrieved on 9 October 2008.