Bus Driver S Prayer And Other Stories

Description

Demon Records, as part of a larger and ongoing initiative of Ian Dury's catalog, is pleased to make his fourth solo album "The Bus Driver's Prayer & Other Stories" available on vinyl again, after more than a decade of being out of print. The album was originally released in 1992 by Demon Records and was recorded following the successful live reunion of Ian Dury & The Blockheads (inspired by the illness of their drummer, Charley Charles). The writing of the album was handled by Ian Dury and Mick Gallagher (their songwriting partnership having been solidified after their work together in 1989 on the album and musical 'Apples' which had been performed at the Royal Court Theatre in London for 10 weeks) as well as guitarist and former member of the Music Students Merlin Rhys-Jones. Although not titled a Blockheads album, all Chaz Jankel, Mick Gallagher, John Turnbull, and Davey Payne appear on the album. The album finds its origin in a 1991 Irish film, "After Midnight," for which Ian Dury was asked to produce part of the film's soundtrack music. Dury recruited Blockhead Mick Gallagher and Merlin Rhys-Jones, and the songs "O'Donegal" and "Quick Quick Slow," as well as another, "Bye Bye Dublin," were written and recorded at that time, accompanied by ambient music for the film. Considered a "return to form" for Dury as a lyricist, the standout tracks are "Poor Joey" and "Poo-Poo In The Crewn," with Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic describing the album as a "captivating collection of character portraits and stories," while Dury's "ironic observations are still as subtle and humorous." The final track, "Bus Driver's Prayer," is a humorous monologue of uncertain origin that Ian often recited during the Kilburns era – "Forgive us our Westminsters, as we forgive those who Westminster oppose us" – accompanied by musical backing and real laughter in the studio. This black vinyl reissue now features a printed inner sleeve with the full lyrics of the album.