The Love Album
John Hartford · 1968
27 min · 12 tracks · bluegrass music
A tapestry of heartfelt melodies weaving bluegrass instrumentation with introspective lyrics about love and longing.
Top tracks — play these first
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The Six O'Clock Train and a Girl With Green Eyes — This track encapsulates the album's exploration of love's bittersweet nature, using vivid storytelling that captures a fleeting moment of connection.
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A Simple Thing as Love — With its gentle melody and profound lyrics, this song highlights Hartford's ability to convey complex emotions in simple terms, making love feel both accessible and deeply personal.
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Love Is Sweeter — This closing track serves as an uplifting finale, emphasizing the joy found in love amidst life's struggles, showcasing Hartford's songwriting prowess and melodic sensibility.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- concise emotional storytelling
- gentle melodies for reflection
- nostalgic tunes for daydreaming
- warm background for conversations
Maybe skip if you
- seeking high-energy tracks
- prefer longer, sprawling albums
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 1968, The Love Album was John Hartford's fifth studio record, following his earlier success with the hit 'Gentle on My Mind' in 1967. At this point, Hartford was transitioning from a burgeoning songwriter to a more established performer, exploring deeper emotional themes through his music.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Doc Watson· Tim O'Brien· Tony Rice
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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Landscape Grown Cold
The imagery shifts from vibrant landscapes to desolate scenes reflects an emotional shift from hope to despair.
This contrast between visuals serves as a metaphor for lost love, deepening the emotional impact by illustrating how external environments mirror internal feelings.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Why Do You Do Me Like You Do? 2:26
- 2 The Six O'Clock Train and a Girl With Green Eyes 2:38
- 3 Springtime All Over Again 2:10
- 4 Landscape Grown Cold 2:16
- 5 This Eve of Parting 2:30
- 6 I Would Not Be Here 2:19
- 7 Natural to Be Gone 1:46
- 8 Empty Afternoon of Summer Longing 2:20
- 9 A Simple Thing as Love 2:54
- 10 Windows 2:28
- 11 Prayer 1:27
- 12 Love Is Sweeter 2:45
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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