Side One
Rob Roy McGregor from XTRA 1057
The Ballad of the Q4 from XTRA 1071
The Dundee Ghost from XTRA 1071
Big Samrny from XTRA 1045
The Pill from XTRA 1071
The Red YoYo from XTRA 1045

Side Two:
The Boys from Lisbon from TRA/SP 15
I Have Seen the Highlands from TRA/SP 18
Willie MacNamara from XTRA 1045
Moaning from XTRA 1057
The Ballad of John MacLean from XTRA 1057
The Heilan'Man from XTRA 1045

The Matt McGinn Sampler
1969—Transatlantic TRA SAM 18 LP

   
The Matt McGinn Sampler is just that, a sample of the best of Matt's Transatlantic years. For some reason when I see this one for sale it's very, very expensive. I was lucky enough to get a reasonably priced copy; and now that I have it—it's well worth the expensive price tag.  I like to have the original vinyl, but for those of you not so inclined I would suggest the CD release The Best of Matt McGinn—it includes most of the same songs included here and many more; it's much easier to find and cheaper—not to mentioned the marvelous Sleeve Notes by Janette McGinn (Mrs. Matt McGinn to those of you that didn't know). 

Sleeve Notes:
Karl Dallas, folk columnist of Melody Maker, writes: Matt McGinn—a pair of sparkling eyes over a bushy red beard, a rich sonorous voice. and one of the wickedest wits in the folksong revival. In the great tradition of the Bards of Dublin, Glasgow and Grub Street, he will use any material to express his ire or his amusement or his joy and if a great old song expires in the process, that's tough on the tradition. Matt is busy creating a tradition of his own. There is always a danger, which Matt doesn't try to avoid, that people will not take him seriously enough. Wit he maybe, lampooner he certainly is, but when he leaves off clowning Matt can write some of the most moving and profound songs in the song writing revival. This sampler, drawn from Matt McGinn's recordings for Transatlantic's XTRA label in the last three years, is amply representative both of Matt's wicked wit, (witness "Big Sammy" or "The Pill") and of his ability to write moving and profound songs. Listen hard to "The Ballad of the Q4" or "The Ballad Of John MacLean".
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