The Swamp Fox is back! Today, Run Out Groove announced that late singer-songwriter Tony Joe White is the winner of its latest fan vote. Swamp Music: Monument Rarities is confirmed to be the next official limited, numbered ROG release, and pre-orders are now open!
This 180-gram, 3-LP collection had its genesis in Rhino Handmade's 2006 3-CD box set Swamp Music: The Complete Monument Recordings. The new vinyl release culls all of the alternate takes, demos, and rarities from that long out-of-print collection; all are making their debut on vinyl. Fans can expect to hear alternate versions of White classics like "Willie and Laura Mae Jones" as well as his interpretations of songs from other top-tier songwriters including Burt Bacharach and Hal David ("This Guy's in Love with You"), John Lennon and Paul McCartney ("Hey Jude"), Bob Dylan ("The Ballad of Hollis Brown"), and Dave Bartholomew ("Blue Monday").
Monument Rarities, adorned with beautiful new artwork, is being pressed at Record Industry and will come in a deluxe tri-fold jacket. After the pre-order period at ROG's official webstore closes, no further orders will be taken. The one limited and numbered pressing will, as always, be based on orders received. Swamp Music: Monument Rarities will be available to pre-order until July 9, and then pressed and numbered to a limited quantity based on total orders.
With the announcement of a new ROG release comes another round of voting, so don't miss out on your chance to determine the next ROG pressing! This month's choices (with descriptions provided by the label) are:
The Idle Race - Schizophrenic Psychedelia: Vote for U.K. Psych pioneers The Idle Race and ROG will release a brand new vinyl collection of key tracks on multi-color vinyl.
Cobra Starship - While The City Sleeps, We Rule The Streets: Vote for Cobra Starship and ROG will issue this title on vinyl for the first time and press it on gold and black mixed vinyl.
The Walkmen- A Hundred Miles Off: If voted to win, ROG will reissue this for the first time since original release and press on multi colored vinyl.
Pre-order Swamp Music: Monument Rarities here, and peruse the track listing below!
Tony Joe White, Swamp Music: Monument Rarities (Run Out Groove, 2019)
Side A
- Willie and Laura Mae Jones (alternate) 3:52
- I Protest 3:08
- A Man Can Only Stand Just So Much Pain 2:31
- Toil & Trouble (early version) 3:50
- It's Not What You Got (It's How You Use It) (alternate) 3:09
- Prison Song 2:19
Side B
- Hung Up On You (alternate) 2:35
- Ten More Miles To Louisiana 2:24
- Let The Party Roll On 2:29
- Watching The Trains Go By (alternate) 2:48
- Boom, Boom 8:02
- Baby Please Don't Go 4:25
Side C
- Soul Britches 5:03
- Dusty Marshmallow version 1 3:11
- What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) 3:12
- This Guy's In Love With You (alternate) 3:36
- Laying Out All Night 2:00
- I Want Your Sweet Love 2:21
- Keep A Movin' Train 2:36
Side D
- Woodpecker (alternate) 2:43
- Prisoner 3:00
- Do You Want My Love 5:03
- Gospel Singer 3:21
- I Hate To See You Cry 3:07
Side E
- I Can't Stand It 6:15
- Mississippi River 5:13
- Hey Jude 6:32
- Chain of Fools 3:33
Side F
- Mississippi Delta 3:08
- The Ballad Of Hollis Brown 3:29
- Blue Monday 3:53
- Tobacco Road/Dead End Street 5:28
- Skinny Legs & All 3:22
- Just Look At You 2:06
David B says
Great stuff.. but where can I get his duet with Waylon Jennings "Whatever happened to the blues"? An incredible track .. but sadly very hard to find.