Talking with the Taxman about Poetry

Infobox Album |
Name = Talking with the Taxman about Poetry
Type = Album
Artist = Billy Bragg


Released = September 1986
Recorded =March–July 1986
Livingston Studios, London
Genre = Rock
Length = 38:06
Label = Go! Discs (UK) Elektra (US)
Producer = Ken Jones, John Porter
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Aqiaxlf0e5cqt link]
*Review-Christgau|B+|artist=142|
Last album = "Brewing Up with Billy Bragg"
(1984)
This album = "Talking with the Taxman about Poetry"
(1986)
Next album = "Workers Playtime"
(1988)

"Talking with the Taxman about Poetry" is the third release (second full length album) by Billy Bragg, released in 1986. With production by John Porter and Kenny Jones, "Talking with the Taxman about Poetry" featured more musicians than Bragg's previous works, which were generally little more than Bragg himself and a guitar. There were two singles released from the album. While "Levi Stubbs' Tears" peaked at #29 in the UK, the follow-up "Greetings To The New Brunette" fell short, only managing #58 a few months later.

The album's title was a title of Vladimir Mayakovsky's poem. [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Talking-Taxman-About-Poetry-Billy/dp/B000002H40]

The song "There Is Power in a Union" is based on the song "Battle Cry of Freedom".

Track listing

All tracks written by Billy Bragg, except where noted

Disc one

#"Greetings to the New Brunette" – 3:29
#"Train Train" (Zenon DeFleur) – 2:11
#"The Marriage" – 2:30
#"Ideology" – 3:27
#"Levi Stubbs' Tears" – 3:28
#"Honey, I'm a Big Boy Now" – 4:05
#"There Is Power in a Union" (Bragg, traditional) – 2:47
#"Help Save the Youth of America" – 2:45
#"Wishing the Days Away" – 2:28
#"The Passion" – 2:52
#"The Warmest Room" – 3:55
#"The Home Front" – 4:09

Disc two (2006 reissue)

#"Sin City" (Gram Parsons, Chris Hillman) – 3:34
#"Deportees" (Woody Guthrie, Martin Hoffman) – 4:03
#"There is Power in a Union" (instrumental) (George Root) – 3:16
#"The Tracks of My Tears" (Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore, Marvin Tarplin) – 2:56
#"Wishing the Days Away" (alternate version) – 2:32
#"The Clashing of Ideologies" (alternate version) – 2:52
#"Greetings to the New Brunette" (demo version) – 3:57
#"A Nurse's Life is Full of Woe" – 2:48
#"Only Bad Signs" – 3:10
#"Hold the Fort" (traditional) – 1:47

Personnel

Musicians

*Billy Bragg – guitars (acoustic and electric), vocals
*Kirsty MacColl – vocals
*Ken Craddock – organ, piano
*Ken Jones – percussion
*Johnny Marr – electric guitar
*Simon Moreton – percussion
*John Porter – guitar, mandolin, bass guitar, slide guitar
*George Shilling – percussion
*Bobby Valentino – violin
*Dave Woodhead – trumpet, flugelhorn
*Hank Wangford – vocals and mandolin on "Sin City" and "Deportees"
*Robert Handley – vocals on "Hold the Fort"

Production

*Ken Jones – producer
*John Porter – producer
*Grant Showbiz – reissue producer
*George Shilling – technician
*Pennie Smith – photography

References