Here We Are Again (album)

Here We Are Again
Studio album by
Country Joe and the Fish
ReleasedJune 1969 (June 1969)
RecordedJanuary – March 1969
StudioPacific High (San Francisco)
Genre
Length36:15
LabelVanguard
ProducerSamuel Charters
Country Joe and the Fish chronology
Together
(1968) 		Here We Are Again
(1969) 		CJ Fish
(1970)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Billboard(positive)[1]
Rolling Stone(negative)[2]

Here We Are Again is the fourth album by the psychedelic rock band Country Joe and the Fish. It was released in 1969 with the US catalog number Vanguard VSD 79299.[3] It peaked on the Billboard 200 at number 48, and stayed on the charts for eleven weeks.[4] Only "Country Joe" McDonald and Barry "The Fish" Melton remained from the original lineup, which had begun breaking up since the previous album. The past members would appear as guest musicians though. The songs were composed by McDonald and Melton.

In addition to McDonald (vocals, guitar) and Melton (lead guitar, vocals), the founding members of the band—Gary "Chicken" Hirsh on drums and David Bennett Cohen on Hammond organ, piano and guitar—also played on the recording. The remaining instruments were played by Mark Ryan and President Flyer.[5] For the first time ever, some titles were accompanied by string and brass, which gave the album a somewhat poppier character. The tracks "I'll Survive" and "Maria" were recorded at Vanguard Studios in 23rd Street, New York. The remaining compositions were recorded at Pacific High Studios in San Francisco.[6]

A single from the album, "Here I Go Again"[7]/"Baby, You're Driving Me Crazy", was released, but did not place in the charts.[8]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Country Joe McDonald, except where indicated.

Side one
  1. "Here I Go Again" – 3:24
  2. "Donovan‘s Reef" – 4:18
  3. "It‘s So Nice to Have Love" – 3:25
  4. "Baby, You’re Driving Me Crazy" – (Barry Melton) – 2:43
  5. "Crystal Blues" – 6:18
Side two
  2. "For No Reason" – 3:55
  3. "I’ll Survive" – 2:28
  4. "Maria" – 3:30
  5. "My Girl" – (Melton) – 2:16
  6. "Doctor of Electricity" – (Melton) – 3:58

Personnel

Country Joe and the Fish
  • Country Joe McDonald – lead vocals (tracks 1–3, 5–8); harmony vocals (track 4), guitars
  • Barry "The Fish" Melton – electric guitar (tracks 1–6, 9, 10), electric slide guitar (tracks 7, 8), backing vocals (tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 8), lead vocals (tracks 4, 9, 10)
  • David Cohen – keyboards (tracks 1–5, 8–10)
  • Gary "Chicken" Hirsh – drums, percussion (all tracks)
Additional personnel
  • Mark Ryan – bass (tracks 1, 2, 6)
  • Jack Casady – bass (tracks 3–5, 9, 10)
  • Peter Albin – bass (tracks 7, 8)
  • Mark Kapner – piano (tracks 7, 8)

References

  1. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. June 28, 1969. p. 32.
  2. ^ Morthland, John (August 9, 1969). "Records". Rolling Stone. No. 39. San Francisco: Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. p. 37.
  3. ^ In Great Britain the album was released on Vanguard SRVL 19048.
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel: Top Pop Albums 1955–1996. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Ltd., 1996, p. 183
  5. ^ For full details see Tilch, K.D.: Rock LPs 1955–1970. Bd. 1: A-E. 3. erw. Aufl. Hamburg: Taurus Press, 1990, p. 353
  6. ^ "Country Joe McDonald, Here We Are Again". countryjoe.com.
  7. ^ For other recordings of this title, see Whitburn, Joel: Top Pop Album Tracks 1955–1992. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc., 1993, p. 160
  8. ^ cf. Whitburn, Joel: Top Pop Singles 1955–1993. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Ltd., 1994, p. 136