| Wanted Dead or Alive | |
| Type: | Studio |
| Longtype: | / Live album |
| Artist: | David Bromberg |
| Cover: | WantedDeadOrAlive.jpg |
| Alt: | A black and white picture of a giant David Bromberg on top of the Empire State Building, like King Kong. He is holding a biplane, and is seemingly being attacked by flying women who look like Fay Wray. |
| Released: | 7 January 1974 (US) |
| Genre: | Folk, folk rock, blues |
| Label: | Columbia |
| Producer: | David Bromberg |
| Prev Title: | Demon in Disguise |
| Prev Year: | 1972 |
| Next Title: | Midnight on the Water |
| Next Year: | 1975 |
Wanted Dead or Alive is an album by David Bromberg. It was his third album, released by Columbia Records as a vinyl LP in 1974. It has been released as a CD several times − by Sony Music Media in 2004, by SBME Special Markets in 2008, and by Columbia Records in 2011. It was also released as a double CD, combined with Bromberg's subsequent album Midnight on the Water, by BGO Records in 2010.
The title Wanted Dead or Alive is a play on words, referring to how the record was created. Side one of the LP was recorded in the studio with various musicians, including four members of the Grateful Dead − Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Keith Godchaux and Bill Kreutzmann. Side two was recorded live.
Writing in Driftwood Magazine in 2011, Craig Harris said: "With their masterfully executed mix of America’s musical roots, the albums released by David Bromberg in the mid-1970s remain as much fun as they were more than a third of a century ago.... Reaching into what he does best, Bromberg came up with an album full of spirit, high energy and musical diversity. Opening with a galloping reprisal of "The Holdup", his collaboration with George Harrison, Bromberg and cohorts... rarely let up. While his vocals were anything but luscious, Bromberg's deep, growl-like singing made every word heartfelt. Showing the depths of his songwriting with four self-composed tunes... Bromberg uses the guitar picking styles that he had learned as a student and protégé of bluesman Reverend Gary Davis as springboards for discovery."
According to AllMusic, "Some of Bromberg's strongest and best-loved material can be found here, including "The Holdup", "Danger Man", "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair", "The New Lee Highway Blues" and Bob Dylan's "Wallflower"."
Side one:
Side two: