Swan Songs: The Singles 1976-1981

39-track collection of every A- and B-side from Edmunds’ years on Swan Song Records on double-CD and double-LP. Featuring material written by and with Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Bob Seger, John Fogerty, Chuck Berry, Graham Parker, Huey Lewis, Rodgers & Hart, and more. Mastering and Restoration by multiple Grammy-winner Michael Graves with liner notes from Joe Marchese (theseconddisc.com).

Robert Plant and his Led Zeppelin cohorts—Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham—launched Swan Song Records in 1974. Rock ’n’ roll revivalist Edmunds wasn’t as unexpected a choice as some might have felt at the time; Plant was a big fan and would indulge his own love of vintage rock ’n’ roll and R&B with his 1980s band The Honeydrippers. ––Joe Marchese (from his liner notes).

After hitting the charts in 1968, Dave Edmunds began a spectacular career as a writer, performer, and producer. Signing with Swan Song Records, all of the pieces of the puzzle would fit into place. Beginning with “Here Comes The Weekend” (co-written with Nick Lowe), Dave began a stellar run on the charts, showcasing his propensity for, and ability to bring a “classic” sound back to the airwaves, and to remember where all of those sounds came from.

Swan Songs: The Singles 1976–1981 reveals the magic of the 7” single in a way that has yet to be explored. 39 tracks, covering every A- and B-side from that period, guide the listener through that pivotal time when listeners heard what they liked and liked what they heard. Funny thing is, if you missed them the first time, you heard them later…  From covers of contemporaries Graham Parker, Elvis Costello, and beyond, these Swan Songs all meld into Chuck Berry, Rodgers & Hart, and more. They’re the songs you know and love, played with the passion of their roots.

Huey Lewis & The News had a huge hit with “Bad Is Bad,” but Dave released it in 1979. Same with Hank DeVito’s “Queen Of Hearts,” with Juice Newton took onto the US airwaves years later. Bob Seger’s “Get Out Of Denver,” John Fogerty’s “Almost Saturday Night”—classics and stunning originals, this was the time where music ruled, and it is collected here on Swan Songs: The Singles 1976–1981.

With new mastering and restoration from multiple Grammy-winner Michael Graves, the packaging of this double-CD and double-LP features a look at picture sleeves that 7” collectors cherish, as well as detailed liner notes from Joe Marchese (theseconddisc.com) which outline Edmunds’ roots and trajectory from performer and band leader, to super producer (including his work with Stray Cats, as featured on their version of “The Race Is On”).

Swan Songs: The Singles 1976–1981 is truly the definitive look at Dave Edmunds: the artist—whether with his incredible guitar tone, his signature production style, or his ability to make every song distinctive, and truly his own. Take the (swan) dive.