The Soul of a Wanderer

Track Listings

1. Desolation Island

2. My Sweet Wyoming Home

3. Banks of the Mobile

4. Angus Fraser

5. Ferry Me Over

6. Soul of a Wanderer

7. Lost Little Children

8. Phil the Fluther's Ball

9. San Antonio Rose

10. The Sons of Liberty

11. Letter from Lilac Acres

12. Drill Ye Tarriers

13. Lakes of Ponchartrain

14. Garden Where the Praities Grow

15. Sarah's Mountain Time

Editorial Reviews
John Brophy in "Irish Music Magazine"
Jed tells his stories with simplicity and conviction in a collection of excellent quiet listening.

Jane McBride in "The Beaumont Enterprise" (Beaumont, TX)
a fine, controlled tenor, poetic lyrics and guitar mastery produce music that pulls at the heart and encourages the imagination

Album Description
The album is a collection of American, Irish and Scottish stories told in contemporary, traditional and original folk-style songs. Marum mixes American and Celtic songs with a variety of acoustic instruments.

SOUL OF A WANDERER was produced by Paul Mills at the Millstream in Toronto. Working with Jed and Paul on the album are veteran Celtic and folk musicians, Brian McNeill (Battlefield Band, Ed Miller), Rick Fielding (Canadian folk music legend, Curly Boy Stubbs (Stan Rogers "favorite side man"), Betty Blakley Waddoups (Louisiana's Irish band, The Conlys). Producer Paul Mills says of the project,

"I have been a record producer for over thirty years and have had the pleasure and privilege to record some of the cream of the folk music artists. I am proud to have worked with more than fifty individuals and groups including Stan Rogers, Natalie MacMaster, Ron Hynes, Sharon, Lois and Braum, John Alllen Cameron to name a few. I am delighted to add Jed Marum to this list.

Jed chose to travel all he way from his home in Texas to Toronto, Canada to have me produce his CD and I am very glad he did. He is a fabulous singer who knows how to communicate a lyric, as well as a great guitar player with a unique style that is both powerful and musical. He writes strong story songs with great melodies and can skillfully interpret them as well as works by other artists. This CD is a collection of the very best from both sources."

The Soul of a Wanderer

Tracks:

The Wanderer
Looking Up
Breakdown
Grand Illusion
Running For Cover
Cold Love
Who Do You Think You're Foolin'
Nightlife
Stop Me
I Believe In Jesus

Customer Reviews:

Donna Summer: THE WANDERER (1980).......2006-11-16

In October of 1980, Donna Summer released her eleventh album entitled, THE WANDERER. This albums to be Donna Summer's first studio album since 1979's BAD GIRLS. This album is another great album, and because of how great this album, it makes me wonder why this album is so overlooked and underrated. I assume that it is because that Donna Summer strayed a little too far away from the sound of Disco. God-forbid should anybody do something different *with a sarcastic tone in my voice*.

THE WANDERER
The first single from the album, as well as being the album's title track, as if you did not already know. This is a great song with a real catchy vibe to it.

LOOKING UP
Great.

BREAKDOWN
Great.

GRAND ILLUSION
Awesome.

RUNNING FOR COVER
Awesome.

COLD LOVE
The second single from the album. A great tune. I could listen to it over and over again.

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE FOOLIN'
Great song.

NIGHT LIFE
Awesome.

STOP ME
Great.

I BELIEVE IN JESUS
I really took this song to heart because I am a Catholic myself. This is a great song.

I just can't believe that most people would disagree with this album. So what? She strayed a little too far from Disco. That doesn't mean you have to reject the album. Anyhow, this is a great album and it left me feeling very impressed and wanting a whole lot more.

What Could Have Been The Start of Her 80's Career.......2005-09-27

The Wanderer album has always been a release I admired for the direction that it pointed to. After a string of well crafted double albums, a single disk release to me seemed rushed, and it could have been since Donna had just signed as the first artist to Geffen Records, and they no doubt wanted to get product out as soon as possible, and Donna was still riding high from her blockbuster year of 1979.

Moving forward to the more rock/new wave edge of the early 80's, this release featured great dancable songs that never the less moved away from Disco. The Wanderer, Looking Up, Running For Cover, Who Do You Think Your Fooling, and Nightlife all were songs that you could move to, and Cold Love continued in the vein of Hot Stuff.

Grand Illusion was the most intriging track here, it is actually a real breakthrough, combining an almost 60's physcadellic aura with a London style new wave edge.

This album also featured Donna's first openly spritual song, the very disarming, I Belive In Jesus. For watever reason the secular music critics loved it (one called it the best song of it's type since Let It Be), and the Contemporary Christian Music critics dismissed it (and they wondered why Donna would never record a album for one of their labels).

Rolling Stone Magazine (long supporters of Donna) loved this album and gave it an almost classic rating, and Time reported that it shows she can be THE female rocker of the 80's.

Why did I give it 4 stars (as opposed to 5) ?, for me the album lacked a true Donna Summer ballad, and with this albums theme of Post Disco New Wave/Rock, and great Janis Joplin type ballad would have MADE the album.

Despite the progress that The Wanderer showed, Geffen Records would push Donna into a very different direction with her next release, and this album would be the last of her albums to be produced by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte for quite awhile (see my reviews of Donna Summer, and I'm A Rainbow).

..and for the record, when you read my other reviews of Donna's releases while at Geffen Records, The Wanderer was the only one not to have a non-album track as at least one B-side single.

Interesting collection.......2005-09-06

In 1980, Donna Summer had been through a lot. She had achieved massive success and Grammy Awards for her 1979 album, "Bad Girls"; released a number one greatest hits album called "On The Radio"; left her record label (Casablanca) for the newly-formed Geffen records; and became a born-again Christian. She also had to contend with the backlash towards disco music.

So when Donna Summer began her tenure with Geffen Records, it was to be a new beginning. "The Wanderer" her first album for Geffen was a move into new wave/rock/pop. Overall, it is a good album, with Donna exploring interesting themes and penning more introspective lyrics, but admittedly, it's all over the map. Donna couldn't decide if she was a pop/rock singer (the brilliant "Cold Love"), a gospel singer ("I Believe In Jesus"), a rocker ("Stop Me") or avant garde ("Grand Illusions"). Donna had underwent such a dramatic change from sex-kitten disco queen ("Bad Girls) to born-again Christian, that many of her fans felt alienated. "The Wanderer" is void of any of the dance grooves, or even camp, that was prevalent on prior releases such as "Bad Girls" and "Once Upon a Time". Also, the transition from disco to rock and from the 70s to the 80s (and a change in record labels) presented many challenges for Donna.

Here she was still working with collaborators Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, but it's not hard to guess that the partnership was coming to an end. Moroder's inclination for Europop/Eurodisco is pretty much stifled here, so it's not surprising that he would go on to find other female artists (ie. Irene Cara) to further develop his sound.

But, despite all this, "The Wanderer" is worth a listen. It's well-produced and Donna's singing is excellent. It's an interesting chapter in her music career as it shows the singer in transition.

Disco is Over.......2005-08-28

I always considered myself the ultimate Donna Summer Fan..but
when this long awaited Geffen release hit the air waves I knew
Disco was over..I have never been so disappointed in an album..even though I remember the first time I heard Hotstuff its hard rock edge I knew things were changing...

The Godmother of Techno.......2005-07-30

I was 12 years old when this album came out and i remember buying every single released from the album. Although The Wanderer was the first (and most popular) cut from the album it was Grand Illusion that i latched onto. I remember it was a b-side to either The Wanderer single or Cold Love but I listened to it over and over because i'd never heard anything so mesmerizing before. That one b-side opened me up so so many other musical possibilities and as i grew older my musical intersts moved into what was called Alternative music in the 80s/ groups like The Smiths, Cocteau Twins, Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Cure, etc. but i think it was because of listening to Donna's songs when i was a little kid that made me appreciate all those differnt sounds. These days, while others still caller her the Queen of Disco, I consider her the Godmother of Techno. With the help of producers like Giorgio Moroder she virtually invented the 12-inch dance track, was the first artist to have an all electronic top 40 hit, and paved the way for New Wave, House and Techno. I certainly hope that one day she gets the credit she deserves for being so responsible for much of the music styles we've listened to for the past 25+ years. and i applaud her for being one of the first African American artists to refuse to be pigeon-holed into an Aretha Franklin cookie-cutter charicature of what people thought an African American female should sound like.

Average customer rating:

Historic Organs of Connecticut

Manufacturer: Organ Hist. Society
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Canons | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000004AM5
Release Date: 1997-12-16

Average customer rating:

Depoet & the Monkey

Manufacturer: depoet
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CA96IK
Release Date: 1999-11-02

Tracks:

Little Orange Room
Last Thanksgiving Day
I'm Not Broken
Daydream Fantasy
All My Lies
Catherine
Lifetime
Her New Shoes
Don't Want it
Another World
Wishes
La La Reprise

Average customer rating:

Thank You Jed
The Best Jed Marum CD
Beautiful, more diverse than "Fall River"

The Soul of a Wanderer

Manufacturer: Boston Road
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Streets of Fall River

ASIN: B00007BKTG
Release Date: 2002-11-01

Tracks:

Desolation Island
My Sweet Wyoming Home
Banks of the Mobile
Angus Fraser
Ferry Me Over
Soul of a Wanderer
Lost Little Children
Phil the Fluther's Ball
San Antonio Rose
The Sons of Liberty
Letter from Lilac Acres
Drill Ye Tarriers
Lakes of Ponchartrain
Garden Where the Praities Grow
Sarah's Mountain Time

Album Description

The album is a collection of American, Irish and Scottish stories told in contemporary, traditional and original folk-style songs. Marum mixes American and Celtic songs with a variety of acoustic instruments.

Customer Reviews:

Thank You Jed.......2007-07-19

I first want to thank Jed for track number 15, "Sarah's Mountain Time." This song was written and dedicated to my sister who passed away from cancer at a young age. It has been almost seven years since then and I was just listening to Jed's CD tonight. It is both inspirational and heartwarming. Jed has a magical way of communicating his thoughts through music. Thank you Jed! You have no idea how much your song and all of your music means to my family.

The Best Jed Marum CD.......2003-08-22

We love this CD! We first saw Jed with Kimmie Rhodes in Dallas and loved his set so we bought his first two CDs at the show. We really liked those so we bought this one on-line and we love the whole thing. This is a great album. We're looking forward to the next one!

The Soul of a Wanderer has a good mix of Irish, Scottish and American songs. The liner notes tell why he sings the songs, and where they came from, just like he does at his shows.

Beautiful, more diverse than "Fall River".......2002-11-15

My family and I "discovered" Jed Marum at a small Celtic festival in North Texas. His mastery of guitar and banjo are excelled only by his songwriting ability. We liked Jed's music so much that we travelled to a different city to catch him at another festival, where I bought "Wanderer" from him after sitting in the rain to hear him sing and play. All the way home from the festival, we listened to this CD, and I've been listening to it heavily since.

"Soul of a Wanderer" is a more ecclectic collection of music than "Streets of Fall River", which was composed mostly of Ireland-inspired ballads and songs of home and family. (I highly recommend that cd as well.) "Wanderer" still has a great Celtic flavor, but Jed tosses in a couple of "country--he used the term 'cowboy'"-sounding songs (don't let that scare you away--I'm no fan of country music, but enjoy these tracks tremendously), to go with his Celtic songs. If you like acoustic music that speaks to the soul, Jed's your man.

Though Jed is a great guitarist, I have to admit that one of my favorite tracks on this cd is sung a capella: "Where the Praities Grow". The songs on this cd run the gamut from whimsical and fun: "Phil the phluther's ball" to manly and driving: "Drill Ye Tarriers" and "Desolation Island", to historical heart-string pullers: "Banks of the Mobile" and "Sons of Liberty".

Tracks:

I. Dar Innerst I Min Ande
II. I Enslighet Forsvinna
III. Min Stamfar Hade En Stor Pokal
IV. Kom, Vanner, Lat Oss Satta Oss
V. I Rom , I Rom, Dit Ung Jag Kom
VI. Du Soker Ryktbarhet
VII. Du Hade Mig Kar
I. Lutad Mot Gardet
II. Dottern Sade Till Sin Gamla Moder
III. Den Tidiga Sorgen
IV. Till En Ros
V. Behagen
I. Lat Oss Do Unga
II. Guld Och Grona Skogar
III. Ingalill
IV. Fylgia
I. Stjarnoga
II. Vid Fonstret
III. Gammal Nederlandare
IV. Mansken
V. Adagio
I. Vandraren
II. Nattyxne
III. Stjarnan
IV. Jungfru Blond Och Jungfru Brunett
V. Det Far Ett Skepp
VI. Nar Genom Rummet Fonsterkorsets Skugga Ligger
VII. Varfor Till Ro Sa Brat
VIII. Lycklandsresan
IX. En Strandvisa
X. Prins Aladin Av Lampan
I. Var Valsignad, Milda Omsinthet
Late Harvest: II. Trost
III. Klockan
IV. Manniskornas Ogon
V. Hjartat

Music Album:

Music Album

1. Desolation Island
2. My Sweet Wyoming Home
3. Banks of the Mobile
4. Angus Fraser
5. Ferry Me Over
6. Soul of a Wanderer
7. Lost Little Children
8. Phil the Fluther's Ball
9. San Antonio Rose
10. The Sons of Liberty
11. Letter from Lilac Acres
12. Drill Ye Tarriers
13. Lakes of Ponchartrain
14. Garden Where the Praities Grow
15. Sarah's Mountain Time