Little Ship (album)

Little Ship is an album by the American singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, released in 1998 on Virgin Records/Charisma Records.^[4] According to Wainwright, the album "focuses primarily on the theme of a relationship. In terms of the other records, I don't know how or why I would place it somewhere except that it's the newest."^[5]

Little Ship
Studio album by Loudon Wainwright III
Released	1998
Recorded	Shelter Island Sound, Sear Sound and Big House Recording, New York City
Genre	Folk
Length	48:17
Label	Virgin/Charisma
Producer	John Leventhal, Loudon Wainwright III
Loudon Wainwright III chronology
Grown Man (1995) Little Ship (1998) BBC Sessions (1998)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	[2]
Uncut	[3]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Loudon Wainwright III

1. "Breakfast in Bed" – 3:05
2. "Four Mirrors" – 2:55
3. "Mr. Ambivalent" – 3:44
4. "OGM" – 2:55
5. "Our Own War" – 3:50
6. "So Damn Happy" – 2:25
7. "Primrose Hill" – 4:47
8. "Underwear" – 1:30
9. "The World" – 1:49
10. "What Are Families For?" – 4:26
11. "Bein' a Dad" – 3:41
12. "The Birthday Present ll" – 3:51
13. "I Can't Stand Myself" – 2:41
14. "Little Ship" – 3:33
15. "A Song" – 3:05

Personnel

The following people contributed to Little Ship:^[6]

Musicians

• Loudon Wainwright III – vocals, guitars, banjo, ukulele, "Bein' a Dad" chorus
• John Leventhal – guitars, keyboards, percussion, harmonica, harmonium, lap steel, mandolin, bass, drums, "Bein' a Dad" chorus
• Tony Garnier – bass ("Breakfast in Bed", "Mr. Ambivalent", "Our Own War", "Primrose Hill", "Bein' a Dad", "I Can't Stand Myself" and "Little Ship")
• Shawn Pelton – drums ("Breakfast in Bed", "Mr. Ambvivalent", "Our Own War", "Bein' a Dad", "I Can't Stand Myself" and "Little Ship")
• Rick Depofi – tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet ("What Are Families For?" and "I Can't Stand Myself")
• Brian Mitchell – organ ("Mr. Ambivalent" and "I Can't Stand Myself")
• Shawn Colvin – background vocals ("Mr. Ambivalent" and "Our Own War")
• Larry Campbell – pedal steel ("Our Own War")
• Sandra Park – violin leader ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Sharon Yamanda – violin ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Richard Sortomme – violin ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Carol Webb – violin ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Lisa E. Kim – violin ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Daniel F. Reed – violin ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Sue Pray – viola ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Robert Rinehart – viola ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Alan J. Stepansky – cello ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Maria Kitsopoulos – cello ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• John Patitucci – bass ("Breakfast in Bed" and "A Song")
• Chris Botti – trumpet ("Our Own War" and "The Birthday Present II")
• Bob Carlisle – trumpet ("Our Own War" and "The Birthday Present II")
• Jimmy Hynes – trumpet, flugelhorn ("Our Own War" and "The Birthday Present II")
• Michael Davis – trombone ("Our Own War" and "The Birthday Present II")
• Steve Addabbo – "Bein' a Dad" chorus

Arrangements

• Stephen Barber – string arrangement ("A Song") and horn arrangement ("Our Own War")
• Rick DePofi – horn arrangements ("What Are Families For?" and "I Can't Stand Myself")
• John Leventhal – horn arrangements ("What Are Families For?", "I Can't Stand Myself" and "The Birthday Present II")

Recording personnel

• John Leventhal – producer, recording, mixing
• Loudon Wainwright III – producer
• Mike Kappus – executive producer
• Joe Blaney – recording
• Scott Ansell – additional recording
• Tom Shick – recording assistant
• John Reigart – recording assistant
• Aaron Keane – recording assistant
• Ken Feldman – recording assistant
• Steve Addabbo – mixing ("Bein' a Dad", "I Can't Stand Myself", "Mr. Ambivilant" and "Our Own War")
• Ted Jensen – mastering

Artwork

• Hugh Brown – art direction, photography
• Ellie Kompare – "Family" illustration
• Katsushika Hokusai – "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa"

Release history

• CD: Virgin CDV2844