EARTH OPERA / THE GREAT AMERICAN EAGLE TRAGEDY

Digitized from the original vinyl, released in 1969 on Elektra Records.
Format: Mp3
Bit Rate: 224 kbps
ALBUM INFO:
Produced By: Peter K. Siegel
Engineered By: David Sanders, Peter K Siegel
Recorded At: A&R Studios & Elektra Sound Recorders, New York, New York.
Cover Art: Gene Szafran
TRACK LISTING:
Home to You
Mad Lydia's Waltz
Alfie Finney
Sanctuary from the Law
All Winter Long
The American Eagle Tragedy
Roast Beef Love
It's Love
THE PLAYERS:
Peter Rowan - Vocals, Guitars, TenorSax
David Grisman - Vocals, Guitars, Alto sax
John Nagy - Vocals, Bass, Cello, Mandocello
Paul Dillon - Drums
Guests:
John Cale - Viola
Bill Keith - Pedal Steel
Jack Bonus - Saxes
Richard Grando - Saxes
David Horowitz - Keyboards
WEBSITE(S):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Opera
http://www.punkblowfish.com/EarthOpera.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/earth-opera

REVIEWS:
Taste of History, May 3, 2004
By John M. Benante - Amazon Customer Review

I actually had the LP, back during the turbulent late'60s - early '70s. And here we are, more than 30 years later, and the sentiments expressed in the title song couldn't be more cogent in these days of a bumbling chief executive and more death, all around, in Iraq. We sure haven't learned very much in the interim. Sure, the song has an overwrought quality to it - but it's still quite effective, and beautifully sad in sections. Peter Rowan's voice isn't especially wonderful, but its strained, almost reedy quality serves this song well.
Beyond the title song, we have a mixed bag. "Home to You" has aged well, I think. "Mad Lydia's Waltz" is a little known gem. Only "Roast Beef Love" and "Sanctuary From the Law" seem like throwaways, to my hearing at least.
Overall, this CD is highly recommended. At only about 37 minutes in length, it's rather short. But there are several high points that will reward the listener.

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Apocalypse then, December 7, 2006
By E. OBrien (Palm Harbor, Fl.) - (Amazon Customer Review)

The title song is much more than a late 60's college radio classic. What Peter Rowan and Dave Grisman did on this anti war song cannot effectivly be described in words. It is powerful, heart pounding and hand sweatingly visceral. To listen to it is to feel the anger at the government and the frustration of knowing that the madness was continuing despite all efforts to stop it. And beyond belief was that while President Nixon was in the final stages of his own personal and political melt down he continued to send thousands of America's children to Viet Nam to die in an unnecessary war. He did all this while ignoring the voice of the majority of the people. Rowan and his group must have collapsed after recording it. Ignoring parallels with the present administration and Iraq is impossible. Listen to it and weep.

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By Yours Truly

Another album from the late 60's that made a big impression on me. Back then it was Viet-Nam and now it's nigh on impossible to listen to the title track and not experience deja vu due to our current incompentant administrations war monger aspirations. Personally I don't expect it to get any better when the media's new messiah takes over and hoping it don't get a whole lot worse.

Politics aside, this band started the careers of Peter Rowan and David Grisman. Drop either name into a google search bar and see where they went from here. My favorite tunes, other than the title offering have always been Home To You, Sanctuary From The Law and All Winter Long. Back in high school we had an assignment, I don't recall what class, that reqired us all to do a 10 minute radio broadcast, complete with ads and news. So me, hating public speaking, Put all my ads and news in the first 4 minutes and played All Winter Long for my song to fill up the last 6 minutes. I don't recall the grade I got either but that's probably just as well. I'd rather have played the title cut which was less pastoral and more to the point, but I needed at least a passing grade.

This is Earth Opera's 2nd disc. I have the first one too but have never listened to it much......to my mind this is the one to have.....

Tom
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