The Poet Game Explained

The Poet Game
Type:	Album
Artist:	Greg Brown
Cover:	The_Poet_Game.jpg
Released:	1994
Genre:	Folk
Length:	53:12
Label:	Red House
Producer:	Bo Ramsey and Greg Brown
Prev Title:	Bathtub Blues
Prev Year:	1993
Next Title:	The Live One
Next Year:	1995

The Poet Game is an album by American folk singer/guitarist Greg Brown, released in 1994.

Reception

Writing for Allmusic, music critic Richard Meyer wrote of the album "Greg Brown's latest release is somber and streetwise with more political undertones than his previous CDs... Production is simple and in a few cases one would have liked to hear a bit more thought given to the instrumental arrangement, but still this is a fine stripped-to-the-bone songwriter album by one of the premiere contemporary writers." Music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a "Neither" rating.

Track listing

All songs by Greg Brown.

1. "Brand New '64 Dodge" – 3:49
2. "Boomtown" – 3:17
3. "Poet Game" – 5:30
4. "Ballingall Hotel" – 5:42
5. "One Wong Turn" – 3:46
6. "Jesus and Elvis" – 3:39
7. "Sadness" – 5:50
8. "Lately" – 4:27
9. "Lord, I Have Made You a Place in My Heart" – 4:17
10. "My New Book" – 6:01
11. "Driftless" – 3:06
12. "Here in the Going Going Gone" – 3:48

Personnel

• Greg Brown – vocals, guitar
• Bo Ramsey – guitar, lap steel guitar
• Gordon Johnson – bass, guitar
• Robin Adnan Anders – percussion
• Rob Arthur – organ
• Steve Hayes – drums

Production

• Produced by Bo Ramsey and Greg Brown
• Engineered by Tom Tucker
• Mixed by Tom Tucker, Greg Brown, Bo Ramsey
• Assistant engineer - Fred Harrington