The Best of the Long Ryders

The Best of the Long Ryders
The Best of the Long Ryders
Compilation album by The Long Ryders
Released	14 June 2004
Recorded	1983–1987
Genre	Paisley Underground; alternative country; roots rock; Americana;
Length	65:01
Label	Prima
Producer	Earle Mankey; The Long Ryders; Henry Lewy; Paul McKenna; Will Birch; Ed Stasium;
The Long Ryders chronology

The Best of the Long Ryders is a compilation album by American band the Long Ryders, released on 14 June 2004 by Prima Records.^[5] Spanning the Long Ryder's career from 1983 to 1987, the album features 18 tracks from the band's first three studio albums and their debut EP, a 1987 live recording, and three non-album tracks.^[6] All tracks have been remastered for this release by Jerome Schmitt and Sid Griffin in April 2004.^[7]

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[6]
Classic Rock	^[8]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[9]
Independent on Sunday	^[10]
Record Collector	^[11]
Uncut	^[12]

The album received good reviews from critics. Classic Rock called it a "splendid career overview",^[8] Record Collector a "stunning best-of",^[11] and Time Out "a rollicking collection of twang and vigour."^[13] AllMusic wrote, "while this hardly includes every memorable song the group recorded, their best-known tunes are here ... The Best of the Long Ryders ultimately lives up to its title and is a concise but effective summation of what made them special, and why their music continues to resonate today."^[6]

Track listing[edit]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original release	Length
1.	"Looking for Lewis and Clark" (Long Version)	Sid Griffin	State of Our Union, 1985; 10" single version	3:59
2.	"Lights of Downtown"	Stephen McCarthy	State of Our Union	3:06
3.	"Years Long Ago"	Tom Stevens	State of Our Union	3:34
4.	"Gunslinger Man"	Griffin	Two-Fisted Tales, 1987	3:20
5.	"I Want You Bad"	Terry Adams, Phil Crandon	Two-Fisted Tales	2:42
6.	"A Stitch in Time"	Stevens	Two-Fisted Tales	4:09
7.	"Man of Misery"	McCarthy	Two-Fisted Tales	3:32
8.	"If I Were a Bramble and You Were a Rose"	Griffin	B-side from "Looking for Lewis and Clark" 10" single	3:19
9.	"Capturing the Flag" (Live)	Griffin, McCarthy, Stevens, Greg Sowders, Will Birch	Three Minute Warnings: the Long Ryders Live in New York City, 2003	4:07
10.	"State of My Union"	Griffin, Sowders	State of Our Union	4:48
11.	"Final Wild Son"	Griffin, McCarthy	Native Sons, 1984	2:35
12.	"Ivory Tower"	Barry Shanks	Native Sons	2:59
13.	"Sweet Mental Revenge"	Mel Tillis	Native Sons	2:49
14.	"I Had a Dream"	McCarthy	Native Sons	3:50
15.	"You Don't Know What's Right, You Don't Know What's Wrong"	McCarthy, Des Brewer	10-5-60, 1983	4:01
16.	"And She Rides"	Griffin, Greg Sowders	10-5-60	4:30
17.	"Masters of War"	Bob Dylan	Looking for Lewis and Clark: the Long Ryders Anthology, 1998	4:31
18.	"I Can't Hide"	Cyril Jordan, Chris Wilson	Flexi disc single, 1986	3:10
Total length:				65:01

Notes

"Capturing the Flag" was recorded live at the Bottom Line in New York City on 7 May 1987
"Masters of War" and "I Can't Hide" were recorded for the abandoned 5 by 5 sessions in February 1985.

Personnel[edit]

Credits are adapted from the album liner notes.^[7]

The Long Ryders

Sid Griffin – guitar, autoharp, harmonica, vocals
Steve McCarthy – guitar, mandolin, banjo, lap steel guitar, vocals
Greg Sowders – drums
Tom Stevens – bass, vocals (except 10-5-60)
Des Brewer – bass, vocals (10-5-60)

Additional musicians

Gene Clark – vocals on "Ivory Tower"
Dave Pearlman – pedal steel guitar on "(Sweet) Mental Revenge"
Will Glenn – violin on "Masters of War"
Steve Wickham – violin on "If I Were a Bramble and You Were a Rose"
Christine Collister – vocals on "If I Were a Bramble and You Were a Rose"
Debbi Peterson – vocals on "I Want You Bad"
Vicki Peterson – vocals on "I Want You Bad"

Technical

Will Birch – producer (1–3, 8, 10)
Ed Stasium – producer (4–7)
David Van Der Heyden – producer (9)
Henry Lewy – producer (11–14)
Paul McKenna – producer (11–14, 17, 18)
Earle Mankey – producer (15, 16)
The Long Ryders – producer (15–18)
Jerome Schmitt – remastering
Sid Griffin – remastering
Phil Smee – design
Greg Sowders – liner notes
Tom Stevens – liner notes
Pete Frame – booklet family tree

References[edit]

^ "The Paisley Underground". Record Collector. 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
^ Hann, Michael (13 September 2016). "Cult heroes: the Long Ryders – the accidental creators of alt-country". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "Looking For Lewis And Clark: The Long Ryders Anthology (Long Ryders album)". Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
^ Cain, Michael Scott (2017). The Americana Revolution: From Country and Blues Roots to the Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons, and Beyond. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 19. ISBN 978-1442269408.
^ "Best of the Long Ryders CD". sidgriffin.com. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c Deming, Mark. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
^ ^a ^b The Best of the Long Ryders (Media notes). The Long Ryders. Prima. 2004.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ ^a ^b Ewing, Jerry (September 2004). "Uncut Review". Classic Rock. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
^ Larkin, Colin (2011). Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Concise (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
^ "Independent on Sunday Review". Independent on Sunday. June 2004. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
^ ^a ^b Wilson, Lois (September 2004). "Record Collector Review". Record Collector. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
^ Williamson, Nigel (September 2004). "Uncut Review". Uncut. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
^ Watts, Peter (June 2004). "Time Out Review". Time Out. Retrieved 17 April 2020.

[recordcollector-1] "The Paisley Underground". Record Collector. 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2020.

[theguardian2-2] Hann, Michael (13 September 2016). "Cult heroes: the Long Ryders – the accidental creators of alt-country". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 April 2020.

[Encyclopedia-3] Larkin, Colin (2011). "Looking For Lewis And Clark: The Long Ryders Anthology (Long Ryders album)". Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Retrieved 17 April 2020.

[Cain-4] Cain, Michael Scott (2017). The Americana Revolution: From Country and Blues Roots to the Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons, and Beyond. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 19. ISBN 978-1442269408.

[5] "Best of the Long Ryders CD". sidgriffin.com. Retrieved 17 April 2020.

[AllMusic-6] Deming, Mark. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 April 2020.

[LN-7] The Best of the Long Ryders (Media notes). The Long Ryders. Prima. 2004.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[ClassicRock-8] Ewing, Jerry (September 2004). "Uncut Review". Classic Rock. Retrieved 17 April 2020.

[9] Larkin, Colin (2011). Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Concise (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958. Retrieved 17 April 2020.

[Independent-10] "Independent on Sunday Review". Independent on Sunday. June 2004. Retrieved 17 April 2020.

[RecordCollector-11] Wilson, Lois (September 2004). "Record Collector Review". Record Collector. Retrieved 17 April 2020.

[Uncut-12] Williamson, Nigel (September 2004). "Uncut Review". Uncut. Retrieved 17 April 2020.

[TimeOut-13] Watts, Peter (June 2004). "Time Out Review". Time Out. Retrieved 17 April 2020.

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v t e The Long Ryders
Sid Griffin Stephen McCarthy Greg Sowders Tom Stevens Barry Shank Des Brewer
Studio albums	Native Sons State of Our Union Two-Fisted Tales Psychedelic Country Soul September November
Live albums	BBC Radio One Live in Concert Three Minute Warnings: the Long Ryders Live in New York City State of Our Reunion
Compilations	Metallic B.O. Looking for Lewis and Clark: the Long Ryders Anthology The Best of the Long Ryders Final Wild Songs
Extended plays	10-5-60
Related articles	Sid Griffin Coal Porters