Eugene Chadbourne

There'll Be No Tears Tonight

One of the absolute essentials of Chadbourne's oeuvre, what he described as "free improvised country & western bebop," featuring his frantic, skewed interpretations of classic songs such as Merle Haggard's "Swingin' Doors," Roger Miller's "The Last Word in Lonesome is Me," and Willie Nelson's "Mr. Record Man," There'll Be No Tears Tonight was recorded in Spring of 1980. It's lineup includes Chadbourne on acoustic and electric guitar and voice, Tom Cora on cello, John Zorn on saxophones, clarinet, and birdcalls, David Licht on percussion, with another set of songs featuring Doctor Chad on electric dobro and singing, with Scott Manring on lap steel and lap dobro, Robbie Link on acoustic bass, Dennis Licht on percussion, and David Licht on drum set. For the guitarist's solo Johnny Paycheck medley alone, this would be worth the price of admission, but the whole show is built on lightning fast juxtaposition and hilarious interjection. Though it was reissued on CD, it's been out of print for years, and here is given the royal treatment, with facsimile repro cover, new photos from the sessions, remastered from original tapes, and an additional 26-minute track titled "Richmond Dobro Massacre." In this deluxe reissue, Tears remains one of the best free song outings ever made and is an absolute must for every home.

1. Honey Don't (Carl Perkins/2:49)
2. Dang Me (Roger Miller/2:33)
3. The Last Word in Lonesome is Me (Roger Miller/5:49)
4. I'm the Only Hell My Mama Raised (Bobby Braddock/3:32)
5. Take this Job and Shove It (David Allan Coe/2:13)
6. Motel Time Again (Bobby Bare/2:45)
7. Georgia in a Jug (Bobby Braddock/2:12)
8. Window Shopping (Marcel Joseph/2:05)
9. My Heart Would Know (Hank Williams/3:48)
10. Mr. Record May (Willie Nelson/1:53)
11. Jealous Loving Heart (Ernest and Talmadge Tubb/3:27)
12. Swingin' Doors (Merle Haggard/7:13)
13. There'll Be No Tears Tonight (3:23)
14. Set Up Two Glasses, Joe (4:02)
15. Richmond Dobro Massacre (26:28)

Tracks 1, 3, 12:
Eugene Chadbourne, acoustic and electric guitars, vocals
Tom Corra, cello
John Zorn, alto, soprano, and baritone saxophones, clarinet, bird-calls, and back-up vocal on "Swingin' Doors"
David Licht, percussion

Tracks 8-11:
Eugene Chadbourne, electric dobro and vocal

Scott Manring, lap steel and lap dobro
Robbie Link, acoustic bass
Dennis Licht, percussion
David Licht, drum set
Track 2 is a duet by Eugene Chadbourne and John Zorn
Tracks 4-7 are a Johnny Paycheck medley and are solos by Eugene Chadbourne; track 15 is not a Johnny Paycheck medley and is a solo by Eugene Chadbourne
Tracks 1-7 and 12-13 recorded at Dick Charles Studio, New York City, March, 1980; tracks 8-11 recorded at Ron Schrank Studios, Greensboro, NC, June, 1980; track 14 recorded live at Jot Em Down Café, Greensboro, NC; track 15 recorded live at the Richmond Artists' Workshop, Richmond, VA, June 1980.
Tracks 1-13 originally released on Parachute Records (Parachute P-013).

Cover photos by Ela Troyano. Label photo by Scott Sawyer.

LP design by Lee Local. All songs arranged by Eugene Chadbourne.
Remastered for CD by Alex Inglizian, Experimental Sound Studio, Chicago.

CD design by David Giordano.

Publications editor, Corbett vs. Dempsey, Emily Letourneau.
Released under license from Dr. Eugene Chadbourne.
CD produced by John Corbett.

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