Washington County (album)

Washington County is a 1970 album by the American folk singer Arlo Guthrie.^[6] It peaked at #33 on the Billboard charts on December 4, 1970,^[7] and number 28 in Australia.^[8]

Washington County
Studio album by Arlo Guthrie
Released	October 1970
Recorded	August 1970
Genre	Folk, folk rock
Length	36:23
Label	Reprise
Producer	Lenny Waronker, John Pilla[1]
Arlo Guthrie chronology
Running Down the Road (1969) Washington County (1970) Hobo's Lullaby (1972)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Christgau's Record Guide	B−[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[4]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide	[5]

Critical reception

Contributing to Magnet, Bar/None owner Glenn Morrow called the album "remarkably eclectic". He praised "Gabriel's Mother's Highway Ballad #16 Blues", writing that it "wraps around the listener like a sonic temple—a place of peace and well-being, bracing out the cold winds of a hostile world".^[9]

Compilations and covers

"Gabriel's Mother's Highway Ballad #16 Blues" was later included on the 1977 compilation The Best of Arlo Guthrie. A cover version of it became the title track of the 1972 Franciscus Henri album Gabriel's Mother's Highway.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Arlo Guthrie, except where indicated.

Side One

1. "Introduction" – 3:22
2. "Fencepost Blues" (sometimes rendered as "Fence Post Blues") – 3:11
3. "Gabriel's Mother's Highway Ballad #16 Blues" – 6:23
4. "Washington County" – 1:59
5. "Valley to Pray" – 2:46 (Doc Coutson, John Pilla, Arlo Guthrie)

Side Two

1. "Lay Down Little Doggies" (Woody Guthrie) – 3:18
2. "I Could Be Singing" – 3:19
3. "If You Would Just Drop By" – 4:23
4. "Percy's Song" (Bob Dylan) – 4:57
5. "I Want to Be Around" – 2:45

Personnel

• Arlo Guthrie – banjo, guitar, piano, autoharp, harmonica, vocals
• Hoyt Axton – bass vocals
• Ry Cooder – slide guitar
• Doug Dillard – banjo
• Chris Ethridge – bass guitar
• Richie Hayward – drums
• John Pilla – guitar, autoharp, harmony vocals
• Gary Walters – bass guitar
• Clarence White – electric guitar

Technical

• Barry Feldman – executive producer
• Van Dyke Parks – co-producer on "Valley to Pray"

References

1. Reineke, Hank (June 10, 2012). Arlo Guthrie: The Warner/Reprise Years. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810883314 – via Google Books.
2. "Washington County: Arlo Guthrie". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
3. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: G". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 24, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
4. Larkin, Colin (May 27, 2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958 – via Google Books.
5. Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (July 10, 2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780743201698 – via Google Books.
6. Thompson, Dave. "Arlo Guthrie's M.O." Goldmine Magazine: Record Collector & Music Memorabilia.
7. "Arlo Guthrie". Billboard.
8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 131. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
9. "From The Desk Of Glenn Morrow: Arlo Guthrie's 'Gabriel's Mothers Highway Ballad #16 Blues'". Magnet. June 20, 2017.