Watching My Life Go By

Summary

Watching My Life Go By is the third studio album by Michael Hedges released in 1985.[1] After two solo instrumental albums, Hedges sang on all the tracks on this release.

Watching My Life Go By
Studio album by
Released1985
RecordedMay 1985-Jun 1985, Naked Ear Studio, Palo Alto, CA
GenreNew-age, world
Length40:23
LabelWindham Hill
ProducerElliot Mazer
Michael Hedges chronology
Aerial Boundaries
(1984)
Watching My Life Go By
(1985)
Live on the Double Planet
(1987)

Reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic      [2]

Music critic Jason Anderson, writing for Allmusic, wrote of the album "Subdued, almost uncharacteristically restrained, Hedges the singer/songwriter doesn't quite live up to Hedges the avant-garde or self-proclaimed "violent acoustic" guitarist... A bit of a learning experience, Watching My Life Go By might not be Hedges' finest offering; however, the record still features plenty of great performances of heartfelt material."[2]

Track listing edit

All compositions by Michael Hedges except "All Along the Watchtower" by Bob Dylan.

  1. "Face Yourself" – 4:43
  2. "I'm Coming Home" – 4:14
  3. "Woman of the World" – 4:17
  4. "Watching My Life Go By" – 3:16
  5. "I Want You" – 4:00
  6. "The Streamlined Man" – 3:46
  7. "Out on the Parkway" – 2:58
  8. "Holiday" – 5:14
  9. "All Along the Watchtower" (Bob Dylan) – 3:01
  10. "Running Blind" – 4:54

"Holiday" ends with Hedges singing the first verse of "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", which is not credited in the liner notes.

Personnel edit

  • Michael Hedges – guitar, vocals, bass ("I'm Coming Home", "Running Blind"), flute ("Woman of the World"), synthesizer ("I Want You", "Holiday"), harmonica ("Holiday"), wine glasses ("Out on the Parkway")
  • Michael Manring – fretless bass ("Face Yourself", "I Want You", "Out on the Parkway")
  • John Hanes – drums ("I Want You")
  • Bobby McFerrin – chant and solo vocals ("The Streamlined Man")
  • Hilleary Burgess – wine glasses ("Out on the Parkway"), production coordination
  • Elliot Mazer - engineer
  • Bryan Lanser, Marty Atkinson, Wes Weaver, Neil Janklow - assistant engineers
  • Anne Robinson - album design
  • Irene Young - cover portrait
  • Carol Erlich - photo tinting
  • Ruth Carroll Hedges - liner photo

Production notes edit

  • Produced by Elliot Mazer
  • Engineered by Elliot Mazer, Michael Hedges
  • Mastered by George Horn
  • Design by Anne Robinson
  • Photography by Irene Young

References edit

  1. ^ Nomad Land official web site entry for Watching My Life Go By. Accessed May 11, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Anderson, Jason. "Watching My Life Go By > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved January 14, 2017.