Little Ship (album)

Little Ship is the fourteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, released on October 6, 1997, on Virgin Records/Charisma Records. According to Wainwright, the album "focuses primarily on the theme of a relationship. In terms of the other records, I don't know how or why I would place it somewhere except that it's the newest."[1]

Little Ship
Studio album by Loudon Wainwright III
Released	October 6, 1997
Recorded	Shelter Island Sound, Sear Sound and Big House Recording, New York City
Genre	Folk
Length	48:17
Label	Virgin/Charisma
Producer	John Leventhal, Loudon Wainwright III
Loudon Wainwright III chronology
Grown Man (1995) Little Ship (1997) BBC Sessions (1998)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Robert Christgau	link

Track listing

All tracks composed by Loudon Wainwright III

1. "Breakfast in Bed" – 3:05
2. "Four Mirrors" – 2:55
3. "Mr. Ambivalent" – 3:44
4. "OGM" – 2:55
5. "Our Own War" – 3:50
6. "So Damn Happy" – 2:25
7. "Primrose Hill" – 4:47
8. "Underwear" – 1:30
9. "The World" – 1:49
10. "What Are Families For?" – 4:26
11. "Bein' a Dad" – 3:41
12. "The Birthday Present ll" – 3:51
13. "I Can't Stand Myself" – 2:41
14. "Little Ship" – 3:33
15. "A Song" – 3:05

Personnel

The following people contributed to Little Ship:[2]

Musicians

• Loudon Wainwright III – vocals, guitars, banjo, ukulele, "Bein' a Dad" chorus
• John Leventhal – guitars, keyboards, percussion, harmonica, harmonium, lap steel, mandolin, bass, drums, "Bein' a Dad" chorus
• Tony Garnier – bass ("Breakfast in Bed", "Mr. Ambivalent", "Our Own War", "Primrose Hill", "Bein' a Dad", "I Can't Stand Myself" and "Little Ship")
• Shawn Pelton – drums ("Breakfast in Bed", "Mr. Ambvivalent", "Our Own War", "Bein' a Dad", "I Can't Stand Myself" and "Little Ship")
• Rick Depofi – tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet ("What Are Families For?" and "I Can't Stand Myself")
• Brian Mitchell – organ ("Mr. Ambivalent" and "I Can't Stand Myself")
• Shawn Colvin – background vocals ("Mr. Ambivalent" and "Our Own War")
• Larry Campbell – pedal steel ("Our Own War")
• Sandra Park – violin leader ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Sharon Yamanda – violin ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Richard Sortomme – violin ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Carol Webb – violin ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Lisa E. Kim – violin ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Daniel F. Reed – violin ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Sue Pray – viola ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Robert Rinehart – viola ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Alan J. Stepansky – cello ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Maria Kitsopoulos – cello ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• John Patitucci – bass ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Chris Botti – trumpet ("Our Own War" and "The Birthday Present II")
• Bob Carlisle – trumpet ("Our Own War" and "The Birthday Present II")
• Jimmy Hynes – trumpet, flugelhorn ("Our Own War" and "The Birthday Present II")
• Michael Davis – trombone ("Our Own War" and "The Birthday Present II")
• Steve Addabbo – "Bein' a Dad" chorus

Arrangements

• Stephen Barber – string arrangement ("A Song") and horn arrangement ("Our Own War")
• Rick DePofi – horn arrangements ("What Are Families For?" and "I Can't Stand Myself")
• John Leventhal – horn arrangements ("What Are Families For?", "I Can't Stand Myself" and "The Birthday Present II")

Recording personnel

• John Leventhal – producer, recording, mixing
• Loudon Wainwright III – producer
• Mike Kappus – executive producer
• Joe Blaney – recording
• Scott Ansell – additional recording
• Tom Shick]- recording assistant
• John Reigart – recording assistant
• Aaron Keane – recording assistant
• Ken Feldman – recording assistant
• Steve Addabbo – mixing ("Bein' a Dad", "I Can't Stand Myself", "Mr. Ambivilant" and "Our Own War")
• Ted Jensen – mastering

Artwork

• Hugh Brown – art direction, photography
• Ellie Kompare – "Family" illustration
• Katsushika Hokusai – "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa"

Release history

• CD: Virgin CDV2844

References

1. "Loudon Wainwright III interview- Perfect Sound Forever". Furious.com. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
2. Little Ship liner notes