Unrequited (album)

Unrequited is the fifth album from Loudon Wainwright III. It was his last album on the Columbia Records label, released in 1975. Tracks 1–7 were recorded in a studio, while tracks 8–14 were recorded live at The Bottom Line in New York City. Tracks 15–17 are bonus tracks included on the Sony-Legacy CD reissue.

Unrequited
Studio album by Loudon Wainwright III
Released	February 1975
Recorded	June–November 1974
Venue	The Bottom Line, New York City
Genre	Folk
Length	48:38
Label	Columbia
Producer	Loudon Wainwright III, Mark Harmon, Milton Kramer, Bruce Dickinson (1998 CD reissue)
Loudon Wainwright III chronology
Attempted Mustache (1973) Unrequited (1975) T Shirt (1976)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Christgau's Record Guide	A−[1]
Rolling Stone	mixed link[dead link‍]
The Village Voice	A−[2]

Although stylistically typical of Wainwright's mid-1970s output, the album is somewhat groundbreaking in that though all songs are originals, one side is studio, the other live.

Track listing

All songs composed by Loudon Wainwright III; except where indicated

1. "Sweet Nothings" – 2:47
2. "The Lowly Tourist" – 3:28
3. "Kings and Queens" (Loudon Wainwright III, George Gerdes) – 2:21
4. "Kick in the Head" – 2:49
5. "Whatever Happened to Us" – 2:02
6. "Crime of Passion" – 3:01
7. "Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder" – 2:28
8. "On The Rocks" – 3:15
9. "Guru" – 2:16
10. "Mr. Guilty" – 3:25
11. "The Untitled" – 2:58
12. "Unrequited to the Nth Degree" – 3:59
13. "Old Friend" – 2:53
14. "Rufus is a Tit Man" – 2:28
15. "Rufus is a Tit Man" (Alternate Version) – 2:59
16. "Over The Hill" (Loudon Wainwright III, Kate McGarrigle) – 2:50
17. "Hollywood Hopeful" – 2:39

Song information

Studio

Sweet Nothings

Paramount – August 21, 1974

Loudon Wainwright III, Calvin Hardy, Greg Thomas, Frank Kleiger, Ron Colbertson, Randy Wallace, Jon Hall, Marty Grebb, David Sanborn, Chris Guest

Written by Loudon Wainwright III

Produced and arranged by Mark Harmon

The Lowly Tourist

Bearsville – April 5, 1974

Loudon Wainwright III, Harvey Brooks, Marty Grebb, Richard Crooks, Jon Hall, George Gerdes

Written by Loudon Wainwright III

Produced by Loudon Wainwright III and Milton Kramer

Kings and Queens

Paramount – August 22, 1974

Loudon Wainwright III, Klaus Voormann, Jim Keltner, Lyle Ritz, Jay Migliori, Richard Green, Austin de Lone

Written by Loudon Wainwright III and George Gerdes

Produced by Loudon Wainwright III

Kick in the Head

Record Plant, Sausalito, CA – October 9, 1974

Loudon Wainwright III

Written by Loudon Wainwright III

Produced by Loudon Wainwright III

Whatever Happened To Us

Bearsville – June 28, 1974

Loudon Wainwright III, Jon Hall, Marty Grebb, Harvey Brooks, Richard Crooks, Freebo

Written by Loudon Wainwright III

Produced by Loudon Wainwright III and Milton Kramer

Crime of Passion

Paramount – August 22, 1974

Loudon Wainwright III, Jim Keltner, Klaus Voormann, Randy Wallace, Richard Greene, Martin Fierro

Written by Loudon Wainwright III

Produced by Loudon Wainwright III

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

Columbia, NYC – November 20, 1974

Loudon Wainwright III, Kate and Anna McGarrigle

Written by Loudon Wainwright III

Produced by Loudon Wainwright III

Live at the Bottom Line

Live tracks recorded live at the Bottom Line, remote by Record Plant NYC, August 30, August 31, September 1, 1974. All songs written, performed and produced by Loudon Wainwright III.

Bonus tracks

All songs written by Loudon Wainwright III except for "Over the Hill" written by Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle. All songs produced by Loudon Wainwright III

Charts

Chart (1975)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[3]	156

Release history

• LP: Columbia PC 33369 (U.S.)
• LP: CBS 80696 (UK)
• CD: Edsel EDCD273 (1988)
• CD: Sony-Legacy 65258 (1998)

References

1. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: W". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 21, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
2. Christgau, Robert (March 17, 1975). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
3. "Loudon Wainwright-iii Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 November 2024.