Apart from his eponymous debut album and final album (Solo), it is Lightfoot's only studio album not to derive its title from a song on the album. Back Here on Earth was Lightfoot's last studio recording on the United Artists label which he left after releasing the live album Sunday Concert in 1969.
Bear Family Records reissued Lightfoot's previous album, Did She Mention My Name, together with this album, Back Here on Earth, as a 2-in-1 CD in 1993.[2] It included as a bonus track a recording of "Spin, Spin" which did not appear on any of Lightfoot's original studio albums, though a John Court production of it was released as a single in 1966.[3] The version on the Bear Family Records reissue is tagged (New York remake version) and was produced by John Simon.
In his Allmusic review, critic Richie Unterberger wrote of the album "It's not quite as outstanding as his first three albums, lacking highlights on the order of "Early Mornin' Rain" or "Black Day in July." Lightfoot never offered weak material on his United Artists efforts, however, and Back Here on Earth is still a very solid set, certainly worth acquiring if you like his other LPs for this label."[4]
