Love Chronicles



Love Chronicles is the second studio album of Scottish folk artist Al Stewart, released in September 1969. It was his first album to be released in the US (and was also the only one of his first four albums). Among the supporting musicians were Jimmy Page and four members of Fairport Convention: Bassist Ashley Hutchings, guitarist Simon Nicol (listed as "Simon Breckenridge"), drummer Martin Lamble (as Martyn Francis) and guitarist Richard Thompson (listed as "Marvyn Prestwick"). Largely written during a deep depression, the songwriting is generally stark and features what is usually credited as the first use of the word "fucking" in popular commercial music. At least one song, "Old Compton Street Blues", was apparently recorded with a heavy cold.

Love Chronicles is commercially available in the UK as part of a double compilation album "To Whom It May Concern", which is an anthology of Stewart's first three albums. In 2007 Love Chronicles was issued for the first time on CD and includes bonus tracks.

Original LP release
All tracks composed by Al Stewart

Side A: Side B:
 * 1) "In Brooklyn"
 * 2) "Old Compton Street Blues"
 * 3) "The Ballad of Mary Foster"
 * 4) "Life and Life Only"
 * 1) "You Should Have Listened to Al"
 * 2) "Love Chronicles"

Cassette release
Side 1: Side 2:
 * 1) "You Should Have Listened to Al"
 * 2) "Old Compton Street Blues"
 * 3) "The Ballad of Mary Foster"
 * 4) "Life and Life Only"
 * 1) "In Brooklyn"
 * 2) "Love Chronicles"

2007 Collectors' Choice Music edition
Bonus tracks
 * 1) "In Brooklyn" - 3:43
 * 2) "Old Compton Street Blues" - 4:26
 * 3) "The Ballad of Mary Foster" - 8:02
 * 4) "Life and Life Only" - 5:49
 * 5) "You Should Have Listened to Al" - 3:02
 * 6) "Love Chronicles" - 18:04
 * 1) "Jackdaw" - 3:20
 * 2) "She Follows Her Own Rules" - 3:18
 * 3) "Fantasy" - 2:15

Personnel

 * Al Stewart - vocals, guitar
 * Jimmy Page - guitar on "Love Chronicles"
 * Simon Breckenridge (pseudonym for Simon Nicol) - guitar
 * (Mervyn Prestwyck pseudonym for Richard Thompson) - guitar
 * Brian Brocklehurst - bass
 * Harvey Burns - drums
 * (Martyn Francis) pseudonym of Martin Lamble - drums
 * Brian Odgers - bass
 * Ashley Hutchings - bass