Watching My Life Go By is the third studio album by Michael Hedges released in 1985.[1] After two solo instrumental albums, Hedges sang on all the tracks on this release.
| Watching My Life Go By | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1985 | |||
| Recorded | May–June 1985, Naked Ear Studio, Palo Alto, CA | |||
| Genre | New-age, world | |||
| Length | 40:23 | |||
| Label | Windham Hill | |||
| Producer | Elliot Mazer | |||
| Michael Hedges chronology | ||||
| ||||
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
Music critic Jason Anderson, writing for Allmusic, wrote of the album "Subdued, almost uncharacteristically restrained, Hedges the singer/songwriter doesn't quite live up to Hedges the avant-garde or self-proclaimed "violent acoustic" guitarist... A bit of a learning experience, Watching My Life Go By might not be Hedges' finest offering; however, the record still features plenty of great performances of heartfelt material."[2]
Track listing
editAll compositions by Michael Hedges except "All Along the Watchtower" by Bob Dylan.
- "Face Yourself" – 4:43
- "I'm Coming Home" – 4:14
- "Woman of the World" – 4:17
- "Watching My Life Go By" – 3:16
- "I Want You" – 4:00
- "The Streamlined Man" – 3:46
- "Out on the Parkway" – 2:58
- "Holiday" – 5:14
- "All Along the Watchtower" (Bob Dylan) – 3:01
- "Running Blind" – 4:54
"Holiday" ends with Hedges singing the first verse of "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", which is not credited in the liner notes.
Personnel
edit- Michael Hedges – guitar, vocals, bass ("I'm Coming Home", "Running Blind"), flute ("Woman of the World"), synthesizer ("I Want You", "Holiday"), harmonica ("Holiday"), wine glasses ("Out on the Parkway")
- Michael Manring – fretless bass ("Face Yourself", "I Want You", "Out on the Parkway")
- John Hanes – drums ("I Want You")
- Bobby McFerrin – chant and solo vocals ("The Streamlined Man")
- Hilleary Burgess – wine glasses ("Out on the Parkway"), production coordination
- Elliot Mazer - engineer
- Bryan Lanser, Marty Atkinson, Wes Weaver, Neil Janklow - assistant engineers
- Anne Robinson - album design
- Irene Young - cover portrait
- Carol Erlich - photo tinting
- Ruth Carroll Hedges - liner photo
Production notes
edit- Produced by Elliot Mazer
- Engineered by Elliot Mazer, Michael Hedges
- Mastered by George Horn
- Design by Anne Robinson
- Photography by Irene Young
References
edit- ^ Nomad Land official web site entry for Watching My Life Go By. Accessed May 11, 2009.
- ^ a b Anderson, Jason. "Watching My Life Go By > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved January 14, 2017.