The Johnstons   •   Give A Damn

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  • Give A Damn
    • 1969 - Transatlantic TRA 184 LP (UK)
  • Side One
    1. Give a Damn (Dorough, Scharf)
    2. You Keep Going Your Way (Dave Cousins)
    3. Urge for Going (Joni Mitchell)
    4. Port of Amsterdam (Jacques Brel)
    5. Funny in a Sad, Sad Way (Shay Healy)
    6. Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye (Leonard Cohen)
  • Side Two
    1. Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell)
    2. Julia (Jon Ledingham)
    3. Sweet Thames Flow Softly (Ewan MacColl)
    4. I Loved (Eric Blau, Jacques Brel, Gérard Jouannest, François Rauber, Mort Shuman)
    5. I Don't Mind the Rain on Monday (Bowen, Caroll)
    6. Walking Out on Foggy Mornings (Jon Ledingham)

  • The Johnstons
    • Adrienne Johnston: Vocals
    • Luci Johnston: Vocals
    • Mick Moloney: Vocals & Guitar
    • Paul Brady: Vocals & Guitar
  • Musicians
    • Daryl Runswick: Bass
  • Credits
    • Produced by Nathan Joseph
    • Recorded at Sound Technique Studios — London, Aug/Nov 1968
    • Engineer: John R. Wood
    • Cover pictures by Adam Ritchie
    • Design: Brian Shuel
    • Arranged by:
      • Barry Booth (Tracks: 3, 7, 8, 11)
      • David G Palmer (Tracks: 1, 5, 10)
  • Other releases include …
    • Both Sides Now (1969, USA)
      • Tracks: 3 & 8 only appear on the Britsh release.
      • These tracks are replaced with "Wherefore and Why" and "My House" on the USA releases.

Sleeve Notes

The Johnstons are exceptional. They are Adrienne and Luci Johnston, vocals. Mick Moloney and Paul Brady, vocals and guitars. Their vocal blend is one of those unique things that comes once in a generation of vocal groups and their musical taste matches their ability. When I first met them some nine months prior to writing this, they were the most successful group in Ireland with a repertoire consisting ninety per cent of traditional Irish material. They have in the last six months sifted through some 200 contemporary songs, anxious that if they were to turn their talents to contemporary material, it should be of the highest standard. These twelve songs they liked.

They are by Joni Mitchell, Jacques Brel, Leonard Cohen and Ewan MacColl, of writers whose names you will certainly know; and by an American, Stuart Scharf, two young Irishmen, Jon Ledingham and Shay Healy, an American resident in Dublin, Pat Carroll, and an English group. The Strawbs, all of whom you will certainly be hearing about in the future when the better modern song writers are being discussed.

All the songs have in common an intelligence and excellence that raise them far above the pop pulp average. So, too, do the four people singing them.