Eric Andersen, Today Is The Highway, June 2nd, 1965
I’d already seen Eric Andersen play quite a few times, usually at Sunday afternoon “Broadside Hoots” at New York City’s Village Gate, when his debut album finally appeared on Vanguard Records -- a label known for taking its time getting records to the public. Andersen had been introduced in 1964, on a sampler album, New Folks Vol. 2. The album featured four new singers, including Phil Ochs, who would end up recording for Vanguard’s main competitor at the time, Elektra. Two songs from New Folks Vol. 2, (“Come To My Bedside” and “Dusty Box Car Wall”), were also included on Today Is The Highway.
It could be said that Eric Andersen was the first of the “new Dylans”. He played guitar and harmonica, his lyrics were poetic and the title track's melody was reminiscent of Dylan’s “Tomorrow Is A Long Time”. Andersen’s singing style, however, was much gentler, sweeter, and his performances less frenzied. Andersen also finger-picked the majority of his songs.
Back then, there seemed to be requisite themes for folk albums: a love song, a ramblin’/train song, a song about the land, a tribute song -- and this album has all of them. Andersen’s specialty, however, was personal romantic ballads such as “Come To My Bedside”, “Everything Ain’t Been Said” and “Time For My Returning”. He had a way of singing these really high notes at key moments that would just get inside you.
In 1965, this album stayed on the turntable for a long time. Fifty years later, “Come To My Bedside” and “Everything Ain’t Been Said” still hold up. For Andersen, the best songs were yet to come, and it wouldn’t be long before they did.
I was a fan of his from the very beginning, and saw him quite a few times before Tony played with him, and I opened for him (which was never when Tony was with him). The Blue River album is generally considered his masterpiece. The album Tony and Arlen Roth did with him isn’t that good, not because of the backing, but just not great songs though a couple were okay, one of the best being a cover a friend of Tony’s wrote called “Dreams of Mexico.” I liked his first album, More Hits From Tin Can Alley which was his third album (sort of). I also liked his first album which has a great song called Everything Ain’t Been Said. His 2nd album, ’Bout Changes & Things, he actually recorded twice and released both. One is solo with his then girlfriend Debbie Green playing on some tracks (she is rumored to have taught Joan Baez guitar), and then he did Take 2. What happened was he had his first major concert in a concert hall, NYC’s Town Hall and he appeared with a small trio behind him, Harvey Brooks on bass; a piano player, Paul Harris and a drummer (can’t remember who it was). I went to the concert and it was fucking great. This was after Highway 61, and everyone really loved it, so he recut the album (which had just come out) with those guys backing him. But unfortunately, it wasn’t as good as the concert which Vanguard Records stupidly didn’t record. The thing is, it has some of his most classic songs, Thirsty Boots, Violets of Dawn and Close The Door Lightly When You Go. He then signed with Warners. See if you can find a song on youtube called “For What Was Gained.” It’s from after he signed with Warners, from his first album with them, Avalanche. It’s a beautiful song he plays on piano about a friend he grew up with who was killed in the war. I saw him sing it many times way back.