The lengths of the songs are listed as they are on the CD: MCAD 10661. They vary slightly from the times mentioned on the cover of the original LP, but they are more "accurate". Especially "Errors Of My Way" has probably a misprint in its length on the original LP. It says 6:08, which is the same length as is printed for "Lady Whiskey".
The Cassette-version of "Wishbone Ash" is mentioned in the leaflet inside the "Wishbone Four" -cassette. The "Wishbone Ash" -cassette is in any other way "unknown" to me.
First attempt, and already showing the Wishbone Ash trademark: two guitars and a bass sharing the front line playing harmonies or "battling" with each other.
The song starts with a guitar lick that I often "scat sing" at home. Then my family knows he has the Ash-mood again...
Andy Powell confesses in some interview that the solos owe a lot to his former arrangements for a brass group. This song still has the basic ingredients of Wishbone Ash sound; two guitars and a bass working TOGETHER.
The piano part is played by Matthew Fisher, formerly in Procol Harum (USASH, issue #1, p. 13).
A drivin’ riff, that haunts you. Stayed in the live repertoire a long time and that says it all. According to Martin: a "true story".
Makes me think of "the errors of my way" too and thinking how to correct/avoid them. A beautiful and melancholy song with three voices singing in harmony (Mart, Andy and Ted). The waltz-rhythm is something unusual for rock’n roll but fits perfectly in the mood of the song.
A rough intro that makes you expect more speed after a waltz. And your expectations aren’t denied: it’s a true rocker. The song is maybe an "forefather" for "Jail Bait" that appears in the next album. The first song with Wishbone Ash’s "symphonic" finales, as I call them. Not a long one, but already you wait how/when it really ends.
Martin Turner’s starting the song with a preview of what he can/will do with his bass guitar. Ted and Andy come in later on playing tasteful guitar licks. The song starts slowly, but increases speed and volume as it continues. There’s not much lyrics in this song, but an interesting drum solo by Steve. He should have made more of these. Read a comment from No Smoke Without Fire -album, then you know what I mean. The scat singing near the end of the song makes you hope for more of that too, and that wish will be granted later on. According to Martin (USASH, issue #1, p. 13) the basic idea of this song is from the Tanglewood/Empty Vessels -era (=predecessors for Wishbone Ash).
The song that’s glued to the group forever. For years it was the encore everybody waited for. The lyrics are based on the legend of the Phoenix and maybe it contributed in choosing the name of the group too. An ancestor for many long songs that starts quietly and ends with dueling guitars (Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Free Bird is the obvious one).
Written by: Rainer Frilund - Last update: Oct, 1998