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Album
Bygdén, Lars
Songs I Wrote
(Diverse)

Price: 149 SEK

In a 10 year period of my professional life, starting the mid 90’s, I was privileged to work with some of my all time musical heroes. Because of my involvement with a handful of the best US roots labels, I got to release albums by and meet legends like Guy Clark, Townes van Zandt, Buddy Miller, Mary Gauthier, Chip Taylor, Pinetop Perkins and many more. The record business was quite healthy and my office desk flooded with great CDs. Almost all of them made in the US.

The downside of this situation was that I completely lost track of the Swedish music scene. But to be honest, at the time I did not see it as any major loss really. Not too much exciting going on from my point of view…

When I founded Rootsy in 2004, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the domestic americana/alt country scene had exploded. Suddenly there was an abundance of great Swedish singer/songwriters and bands. Where did they all come from?

Listening to “Songs I Wrote” I realize that Lars Bygdén’s role as originator and instigator on this scene can’t be over estimated. With his band the Thousand Dollar Playboys, he proved that Swedish country didn’t have to be corny. On the contrary, it could actually be very cool.

But to talk about Lars Bygdén as an originator only would be to diminish him as singer, songwriter and performing artist. The 36 tracks on these two CDs make it obvious that he is a brilliant artist in his own right.

“Songs I Wrote” is a schoolbook example of how to put together a compilation. It includes the hits, some of the best album tracks, and a lot of undiscovered and/or unreleased gems. And after well over two hours it leaves you hungry for more.

I can’t wait to rediscover the original albums by Lars Bygdén and the Thousand Dollar Playboys. But above all, I’m curious to hear what Mr Bygdén is up to next. “Songs I Wrote” is not a closure, but the beginning of something new.

Håkan Olsson/Rootsy

CD 1:
1. Preacher
2. Lonely Nights
3. Smoke
4. Lay You Down
5. Take Me Away
6. A Very Special Christmas
7. As The Desperation Comes
8. Don't You Miss Me
9. Dream On
10. The Mess You've Made
11. For The Old Folks
12. This Road (feat. Ane Brun)
13. Family Feeling - Intro
14. Into The Twilight
15. Ct-scan
16. Good Times
17. Today & Every Day
18. Nothing To Say	feat Sharon Vaughan
CD 2:
1. The Passenger
2. Highwayman
3. (she's So) Untouchable
4. I Said Yes
5. Ruby Tuesday
6. Into The Twilight (alternate Versio N)
7. Don't You Miss Me (alternate Version)
8. I'm Coming Home
9. Dream On (acoustic Version)
10. I Want You
11. The Rope (givin' Enough Rope Remix)
12. Every Single Word
13. V.i.p.
14. I Love Girls
15. The End Of The Line (feat. Nina Persson)
16. Poor Girl
17. Carry Me Through
18. Thousand Years

Other albums by Bygdén, Lars: