No Deeper Blue

No Deeper Blue
Studio album by Townes Van Zandt
Released	1994
Recorded	Xeric Studios, Limerick, Ireland
Genre	country, folk, singer-songwriter
Length	49:58
Label	Sugar Hill
Producer	Philip Donnelly
Professional reviews
The reviews parameter has been deprecated. Please move reviews into the “Reception” section of the article. See Moving reviews into article space. Allmusic [1] Chicago Tribune (favorable) [2] New York Times (favorable) [3] Rolling Stone [4] Piero Scaruffi (5/10) [5]
Townes Van Zandt chronology
Roadsongs (1994) No Deeper Blue (1994) Rain on a Conga Drum (1995)

No Deeper Blue is a 1994 studio album by Texas country/folk singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt.

This was Van Zandt's first studio album of original songs in seven years following, At My Window and the last to be widely released before his death on New Year's Day 1997. As recently as September 1993 Van Zandt had been in a Nashville hospital suffering from what at first was diagnosed as tuberculosis, but was later found to be a severe case of pneumonia.^[6] The release of this album found Van Zandt in good form and touring extensively in both Europe and the United States.

The liner notes include a dedication "to John (JT), Will, and Katie Bell," and Van Zandt includes lullabies to his two youngest children ("Hey Willy Boy" and "Katie Belle Blue"), but light-hearted songs are contrasted with some of Van Zandt's darkest material, songs like "The Hole" and "Marie".

Track listing

All songs written—and vocals—by Townes Van Zandt

1. "A Song For" — 3:00
   • Philip Donnelly (guitar), Percy Robinson (steel guitar), Sven Buick (bass), Robbie Brennan (drums), Brendan Hayes (piano), Declan Masterson (whistle
2. "Blaze's Blues" — 3:20
   • Philip Donnelly (slide guitar, percussion), Sven Buick (bass), Robbie Brennan (drums), Brendan Hayes (piano, organ)
3. "The Hole" — 4:09
   • Philip Donnelly (electric guitar, percussion), Sven Buick (bass), Fran Breen (drums), Brendan Hayes (organ)
4. "Marie" — 4:45
   • Philip Donnelly (guitar), Percy Robinson (steel guitar), Paul Kelly (fiddle), Sven Buick (bass), Fran Breen (drums), Brendan Hayes (organ)
5. "Goin' Down to Memphis" — 4:10
   • Philip Donnelly (electric guitar), Sven Buick (bass), Fran Breen (drums), Brendan Hayes (piano organ)
6. "Hey Willy Boy" — 2:15
   • Philip Donnelly (guitar & percussion), Sven Buick (bass), Paul Kelly (fiddle), Fran Breen (drums), Brendan Hayes (harmonium), Mairtin O'Connor (accordion )
7. "Niles River Blues" — 3:05
   • Philip Donnelly (guitar), Sven Buick (bass), Paul Kelly (fiddle), Fran Breen (drums), Brendan Hayes (barrel organ), Mairtin O'Connor (accordion)
8. "Billy, Boney and Ma" — 5:13
   • Pete Cummins (guitar), Percy Robinson (steel guitar), Sven Buick (bass), Paul Kelly (fiddle), Philip Donnelly (percussion), Fran Breen (drums), Brendan Hayes (keyboards), Declan Masterson (Uileann pipes )
9. "Katie Belle Blue" — 3:18
   • Philip Donnelly (high-string guitar), Sven Buick (bass), Paul Kelly (fiddle), Brendan Reagan (bazouki), Brendan Hayes (baby chimes )
10. "If I Was Washington" — 2:29
    • Philip Donnelly (12-string guitar & percussion), Pete Cumins (guitar), Sven Buick (bass), Brendan Reagan (mandolin), Fran Breen (drums), Brendan Hayes (piano)
11. "Lover's Lullaby" — 4:09
    • Philip Donnelly (acoustic & electric guitars), Percy Robinson (steel guitar), Sven Buick (bass), Fran Breen (drums), Brendan Hayes (organ)
12. "Cowboy Junkies Lament" — 3:18 (written for the band formed in 1986)
    • Philip Donnelly (acoustic & electric guitars), Percy Robinson (steel guitar), Sven Buick (bass), Fran Breen (drums), Brendan Hayes (organ)
13. "BW Railroad Blues" — 3:52
    • Philip Donnelly (acoustic & electric guitars and percussion), Sven Buick (bass), Fran Breen (drums), Donovan (harmonica), Brendan Hayes (organ)
14. "Gone Too Long" — 2:55
    • Townes Van Zandt (guitar), Philip Donnelly (electric guitar), Sven Buick (bass), Fran Breen (drums), Donovan (harmonica), Brendan Hayes (piano, organ)

Credits

Production

• Produced by Philip Donnelly
• Executive producer — Jeanene Van Zandt
• Recorded by Pearse Gilmore

  at Xeric Studios, Limerick, Ireland

• Studio coordinator — Edel Ni Dhuinn
• Guitar technician — Joe Brown
• Project agent — Harold Eggers
• Mastered by Paul Solomons

  at Porky's Mastering, LTD., London, England

Artwork

• Album cover painting — "Snake Eyes" by Jeanette (Jet) Whitt
• Photography — Anthony Lathrop
• Design — Anthony Lathrop, Jeanene Van Zandt and CC Design

Releases

year	format	label	catalog #
1994	CD	Sugar Hill	1046
1994	cassette	Sugar Hill	1046

External links

• Townes Van Zandt — A guide to his songs and recordings (links to discography & lyrics)

Notes and sources

1. ^ William Ruhlmann, "Review: No Deeper Blue", Allmusic
2. ^ Gary Dretzka, "Townes Van Zandt", Chicago Tribune, February 2, 1995, p. 58
3. ^ Neil Strauss, "The Pop Life", New York Times, November 24, 1994
4. ^ ,John Swenson "Album reviews: Townes Van Zandt - No Deeper Blue", Rolling Stone, 704, March 23, 1995
5. ^ Piero Scaruffi, "History of Rock Music: Townes Van Zandt: Biography, Discography, Reviews, Links", 1999 (English and Italian web adaptation of A History of Rock Music, iUniverse, 2003, ISBN 0595295657)
6. ^ Dave Hoekstra, "Van Zandt in Ascendance At the Lunar", Chicago Sun-Times, December 19, 1994, p. 24