Dublin Blues Explained

Dublin Blues
Type:	studio
Artist:	Guy Clark
Cover:	Dublinblues.jpg
Border:	yes
Released:	April 4, 1995
Genre:	Country
Length:	41:25
Label:	Asylum^[1]
Producer:	Miles Wilkinson
Prev Title:	Boats to Build
Prev Year:	1992
Next Title:	Craftsman
Next Year:	1995

Dublin Blues is an album by the American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 1995.^{[2] [3]} Clark promoted the album by touring with son, Travis, as his bass player.^[4] It has recently been remastered (2023) and an extra track has been discovered. It will hopefully be released soon.

Production

Rodney Crowell cowrote "Stuff That Works".^[5] Nanci Griffith and Emmylou Harris contributed harmony vocals.

Critical reception

Entertainment Weekly praised the "tongue-and-groove meditations on life and love." The Salt Lake Tribune noted that "Clark can take ordinary conversation and turn it into a song—an underrated skill that's not as easy as it appears."^[6] The Indianapolis Star determined that "powerful poetic phrases, impressionable and hummable melodies, stunning storytelling and a living-room intimacy don't even come close to describing this collection."

Track listing

1. "Dublin Blues" (Guy Clark) – 4:19
2. "Black Diamond Strings" (Clark) – 3:49
3. "Shut Up and Talk to Me" (Clark, Susanna Clark, Keith Sykes) – 3:30
4. "Stuff That Works" (Clark, Rodney Crowell) – 5:04
5. "Hank Williams Said It Best" (Clark) – 4:43
6. "The Cape" (Clark, Susanna Clark, Jim Janosky) – 3:39
7. "Baby Took a Limo to Memphis" (Clark) – 4:08
8. "Tryin' to Try" (Clark, Jimmie Fadden) – 3:11
9. "Hangin' Your Life on the Wall" (Clark, Verlon Thompson) – 3:30
10. "The Randall Knife" (Clark) – 5:31

Personnel

Musicians

• Guy Clark – vocals, guitar
• Sam Bush – mandolin
• Travis Clark – bass
• Donivan Cowart – background vocals
• Rodney Crowell – guitar, background vocals
• Ramblin' Jack Elliott – background vocals
• Nanci Griffith – background vocals
• Emmylou Harris – background vocals
• Jelly Roll Johnson – harmonica
• Kenny Malone – drums, percussion, conga, tambourine, triangle, shaker, bell tree, Irish drum
• Kathy Mattea – background vocals
• Suzi Ragsdale – background vocals
• Darrell Scott – guitar, dobro, mandolin, penny whistle, slide guitar
• Verlon Thompson – guitar, harmonica, background vocals
• Jonathan Yudkin – violin

Production

• Miles Wilkinson – producer, engineer, mixing
• Carlos Grier – mastering
• Denny Purcell – mastering
• Darrell Scott – mixing
• Bill Tyler – art direction, design
• Senor McGuire – photography

Cover versions

• Chris Carrabba covered "The Cape" on his album Covered in the Flood.^[7]
• Mipso covered "Dublin Blues" as a single released in 2022.^[8]

Notes and References

1. News: Hurst . Jack . Texas-rooted singer-songwriter Guy Clark... . Chicago Tribune . 5 Jan 1995 . 9C.
2. Web site: Guy Clark Biography, Songs, & Albums. AllMusic.
3. Marsh . Dave . Folk — Dublin Blues by Guy Clark . Playboy . Aug 1995 . 42 . 8 . 18.
4. News: Christiano . Nick . GUY CLARK . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 5 May 1995 . FEATURES WEEKEND . 18.
5. Web site: The Austin Chronicle Music Anthology. Austin. Powell. Doug. Freeman. Daniel. Johnston. February 1, 2011. University of Texas Press. Google Books.
6. News: Renzhofer . Martin . GUY CLARK, 'Dublin Blues' . The Salt Lake Tribune . 24 Mar 1995 . D1.
7. Web site: Chris Carrabba: Covered in the Flood, PopMatters. January 17, 2012.
8. Web site: Dublin Blues . January 11, 2022.