Robert Byrne / Blame It On The Night

Robert Byrne established his songwriter status by 1977 American Song Festival Grand-Prix with "Bound To Know The Blues" and 1978 winning tune of the same festival "I'll Love Your Leavin' Away". Thus, Robert Byrne got a chance to release his own solo album "Blame It On The Night" in 1979 under Mercury USA. However, only several months later this album was deleted from Mercury Catalogue, which made a little bit difficult to get this album in spite of popularity among AOR/Westcoast music freaks here in Japan. Almost one year later, we could see this album again here in Japan with the revised artworks often done in those days as Japanese marketing strategy. There were many successful revised artworks such as "Bill LaBounty / Bill LaBounty" and/or "Roby Duke / Not The Same", but as regards the revised jacket design of this Japanese version (done by Masao Igawa using the not-sophisticated photography taken by Akira Kobayashi and himself), most people says it should not have been done. Considering the majority's opinion, this reissue CD is done with the original US vinyl jacket. I guess you may not feel why everyone praises this album when you listen to only the opening tune "Baby Fat", a kind of cheap disco tune. When you find that "Blame It On The Night", the one of the most sophisticated and perfect ballads in 20th century, follows, you are obliged to agree with the people admiring Robert Byrne. And further you must be knocked out once you listen to the next track "That Didn't Hurt Too Bad". Please note that there is another album led by Robert Byrne, which is "An Eye For An Eye" released in 1981 as "Barne and Byrnes".
In 2010 when the second reissues CD was released,two songs from the 1978 45rpm single were added as bonus tracks.

Release: 1979
Label: Mercury-Phonogram Inc., USA (SRM-1-3768)

First Reissued CD Release: 22 November, 2000 (Mercury-Universal Music, Japan, UICY-3055)

Tracks:
1. Baby Fat
2. Blame It On The Night
3. That Didn't Hurt Too Bad
4. Pretend He's Me
5. All For Love
6. No Love In The Morning
7. Tell Me It's Over One More Time
8. Southern Gun
9. You And Me
10. She Put The Sad In All His Songs

Bonus Tracks added to Reissued CD(s):
2010 and 2012 Universal Music, Japan (UICY-94688 released on 27 October, 2010UICY-15154 released on 27 June, 2012)

11. Learning To Live Without You
12. Bound To Know The Blues

Producers: Clayton Ivey, Terry Woodford

Robert Byrne: Vocals, Guitar, Synthesizer

- Musicians -
Keyboards: Clayton Ivey
Drums: Roger Clark
Bass: Bob Wray
Guitars: Mac McAnally, LarryByrom, Bill Hines, Dennis Clifton, Tippy Armstrong
Percussion: Tom Roady
Woodwinds: Jim Horn
Backup Vocals: Mac McAnally, Lenny LeBlanc, Eddie Struzick, Marie Tomlinson
Strings: The Shelly Kurland Strings

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