Tapestry

Tapestry

Tapestry
Tapestry
  1. Castles in the Air
  2. General Store
  3. Magdalene Lane
  4. Tapestry
  5. Respectable
  6. Orphans of Wealth
  7. Three Flights Up
  8. And I Love You So
  9. Bad Girl
  10. Circus Song
  11. No Reason for Your Dreams

Released by United Artists in 1971. Don’s first album, famously rejected by over 30 labels before being snapped up by Mediarts. Mediarts was soon taken over by United Artists. Album includes legendary ‘Castles in the Air’ and ‘And I Love You So’ and other excellent folk songs concerned with environmental and social issues. Reissued in 1994 by BGO records on CD with extensive liner notes.

MEDIARTS 41-4, Released April 1970 [LP]
MEDIARTS M 84, Released April 1970 [8T]
UNITED ARTISTS UAS-5522, Reissued August 1971** [LP]
UNITED ARTISTS U-8280, Reissued August 1971 [8T]
UNITED ARTISTS UAS-29350 (UK), Reissued 1971** [LP]
PICKWICK SPC-3702, Reissued 1979* [LP]
LIBERTY LN-10157, Reissued January 1982* [LP]
BEAT GOES ON (BGO) 2779 232 2 [CD]
EMI E2-53928, Reissued 1996 [CD]

*PICWICK and LIBERTY release missing Three Flights Up and Respectable.
**UNITED ARTISTS and later releases contain a remix of Castles In The Air, and a remix of No Reason For Your Dreams.

All tracks composed by Don McLean unless otherwise stated.

62 Replies

  • “A truly memorable debut album in my opinion, dealing with issues which were uppermost in the mind of 25 year old Don McLean in 1970.
    Contains an insight into Don&#39s fine guitar playing and delivered in the crisp tones which would become so familiar in the following years.
    The title track unfortunately had the same name as a Carole King song from the same era and was often confused with it, but the album hits home hard with it&#39s dealings with environmental,racial and other social issues (&#39Orphans of Wealth&#39,&#39Tapestry&#39,&#39General Store&#39,&#39Respectable&#39,&#39Circus Song&#39,&#39Magdalene Lane&#39).
    For good measure,&#39And I Love You So&#39 and &#39Castles In The Air&#39 became great hits.
    This album occupies a valued place in my heart. It was one of the first I bought back in 1972. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “Some marvellous, deep, moving pieces of wordcraftmanship. A fine gathering of songs. (Rated 4 out of 5)”

  • “this is one of the most unique, deep and thought provoking albums ever! what a debut, just judge it up to the early Dylan folk albums, this is far better, includes the famous ones, AND I LOVE YOU SO, the most explicit song i&#39ve ever heard brillinant! Castles in the air, great tune, such honesty in his words. Tracks like Respectable and Orphans of Wealth are among his best work. this album is brilliant so unique there is nothin like this trust me! check out Circus song, who else could write something as strange and brilliant as that! check this out i beg you! (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • This album introduced me to Don Mclean in 1974. I had heard American Pie and Vincent before but I didn&#39t realize how good of a songwriter he really is.Thank you Don for sharing your feelings with the public! (Rated 5 out of 5)

  • “This LP came over from Canada with a relative very early on, I thought 1970, but it may have been 71. I still sometimes think of my life as “”a three ringed circus””, though Ive not heard the music for decades. The words to “”Tapestry”” could be the anthem for the environmental movement of the late 20th Century, so brilliant and accurate are they. All wonderful. thanks Don. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “I picked up my first copy of Tapestry on 8 track from a cut out table in
    a local department store in 1973. Since then I have purchased 5 additional
    copies in various formats (cd, cassette, lp, 8 track). It&#39s an album that
    MUST be in my record collection and gets constant rotation from me. Every song
    (with the possible exception of “”Reason for your Dreams””) is a classic.
    I constantly listen to the beautiful, haunting, and sometimes overwhelming lyrics
    combined with the sparceness of musical accompyment and am amazed at the talent of
    this man to speak to the soul. A true classic!! (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • This album can not described to in words. the record is so melodic and interesting but the most interesting thing is that many record componies rejected it fearing acustic folk was out and hard rock was in.but many record companies released it in various forms. (Rated 5 out of 5)

  • “One of the best albums out there. Every song is so beautifully written and amazingly incorperates melodic and poetic genius in one. Every song is a classic. Yes, including &#39Reason for your dreams&#39, my fav. lol 🙂 (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “I had this on vinyl back in 71 and lent it to someone who didn&#39t return it. Just bought it again on CD and it really is the best collection of poetry, song and acoustic guitar work I have heard. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “A beautiful album from an artist whose magic is breathtaking.
    It is so rare to find someone who can touch you so deeply through their words and music…
    I felt I had to write some testament to this album and on a greater level, this artist.
    I&#39d also like to say that, as wonderful as all the songs are on this album, “”General store”” is a particularly dark and powerful track. Darker than most of Don&#39s songs…I love it.
    Don…you&#39re a beautiful and brilliant artist and you command respect for so many reasons. Congratulations on your invulnerable self-truth, and thankyou, for your music. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “Hi. This is Sérgio (45), from Portugal, Europe. I&#39ve always loved Don&#39s music. A couple of months ago I picked up a dead-mint copy of his very first album, Tapestry, on the Mediarts label. This a very rare find indeed, and I&#39m grateful it came my way, for therein is some of the most beautiful music I&#39ve ever listened to. Many thanks for this gem, Don. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “Powerful, powerful record. The words of Orphans Of Wealth, and Respectable still ring so very true today (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • hi im 14 and i love don mcclean…my mom has almost every single one of his albums and i listen to the on a regular basis……i love his music!!!! (Rated 5 out of 5)

  • “Hi. My name&#39s Harry. I&#39m 42. This is a beautiful record and I love most of the tracks on it. When I bought the CD (released by EMI/United Artists in 1996), though, I was rather disappointed by the hiss. Were the original master tapes used for this transfer?It says on the sleeve that it&#39s digitally remastered by Jason Arnold at Tower Mastering, Capitol Records Studios, Hollywood in California, but it is too hissy for what it says. I hope this album will be re-released soon with much better sound and liner notes. It&#39s a great album and it deserves a better production.

    Best wishes to Don.
    Sincerely,
    Harry
    The Middle-east (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “This album was released 11 years before I was even born. I&#39m 20 now, and in 2002, I can&#39t help but feel so moved and in such awe whenever I listen to it (which is quite often). Thank you very much. One of the finest collection of songs that I&#39ve ever heard. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “Hello, I&#39m Simon from Lee Green in London. I was introduced to Don McLean by my brother who bought the album in the early seventies. It&#39s a close run thing, but I still think his best album is American Pie but there are some awesome tracks on Tapestry. I have always been partial to General Store and Bad Girl in particular. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “Every Mclean album is a classic, Am I the only one who thinks of O.J. when listening to Respectable? (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “Like so many of artists&#39 earlier works, this album is so true and raw and clearly from a talented songwriter. This album is better than most. The only other early work I can compare this to is David Bowie&#39s “”Hunky Dory””. This album would touch the soul of anyone in there 40&#39s and should touch music lovers at any age. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “Hello! I&#39m from Italy. I was introduced to Don McLean by my syster who had got the single “”Vincent & Castels in the air””. I&#39m 40 and I bought this LP in vinyl black when I was 13. I like all the songs (music and lyrics).
    Thank you very much Don. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “IMO, some of the absolute best, most moving folk, social comment/protest, and love songs by any artist at any time. This and several other of his recordings will ALWAYS be in my collection. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “Was very moved by the social issues addressed in such a poetic way, and with such unique insight. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • My favourite song on Tapestry is Three flights up. For me its a 5 star song with verry strong lyrics. (Rated 5 out of 5)

  • “Not only one of my favorite records ,but a real source of creative inspiration.I wrote a play because of the song “”General Store”” (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • A strong debut! I know the companies who rejected it feel real good about themselves. Everything on here is great. (Rated 4 out of 5)

  • Hey I&#39m Tim and I&#39m 19. I was introduced to Don Mclean by my dad who&#39s an avid fan. It&#39s almost impossible to find a flaw in the album. A perfect 5 from me. The lyrical content is phenomenal and even the guitarring fits just right. It&#39s a classic!! (Rated 5 out of 5)

  • “This is certainly Don&#39s second best album. It would rank as a greatest album for many songwriters and would be Don&#39s best if it wasn&#39t for American Pie. The folkie songs like Three Flights Up, Orhpans of Wealth & Tapestry are just as great as the popular classics And I Love You So and Castles in the Air. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “The title song “”Tapestry”” is still as apt & moving as the first time I heard it in 1970. It is my all time favorite protest song – proving you don&#39t have to shout to be heard & remembered. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “omg i love this album – – -cant believe it was rejected like that… i absolutely ADORE castles in the air – thats the song that turned me on to don mcLean…

    .:.jamon.:. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “Don was always best heard live, but I think Tapestry is his best album overall. It&#39s among my favorite five recordings. I cannot fathom why they would have changed anything about the original LP release, but that is what I am looking for on CD (so if you have it PLEASE email me), and if I can&#39t find it I will simply create my own turntable-to-computer recording interface.

    quisten@pacbell.net
    kristenl@sbc.com (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • Since 71 I have listened to all of Don&#39s music having 24 of his albums but one of the two I never get tired of is Tapestry. It is masterful. (Rated 5 out of 5)

  • “Most albums usually contain 1-2 years worth of songs, but an artists first album often has so much more since, in some ways they&#39ve been working on it since they were born. This is certainly the feeling I get with this album. A great album (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “My mom gave me this album one year, and I have been listening to it ever since. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • It&#39s hard to find thias sort of honesty these days. A commendable record. (Rated 5 out of 5)

  • It was amazing to see some of these songs in concert. Thanks Don (Rated 5 out of 5)

  • “Hi Don. I have been one of your biggest fans since American Pie burst onto my eardrums in or around 1971/72. I was working as a filiong clerk at the time an, as a direct result of your wonderful musical influence on me, I am now a full-time singer/song nwriter/musician in my own right. I have often sung and been ask to sing some of your great songs, however, the regular guys seem to see no further than American Pie, Vincent and, to a lesser degree, Crying. All great songs for sure but, I feel thjat you have always had so much more to offer. When I discovered Tapestry, it simply blew my mind to hear songs of such feeling and quality. The trio of Respectable, Corner Store and the tremendous Orphan´s of Wealth simply made me sit up big time and take REAL notice!!!
    To this day I still sing those songs at gigs, busking on the streets or even at simple party type get-togethers.

    Thank you so, so much for all the great memories at all the concerts that I went with my cousin, Will Meates, tzo see you in Dublin and elsewhere in Ireland. The last gig I saw you at was a live outdoot gig in the midlands in a G.A.A. football and hurling ground when you played “”support”” to the impressive Beach Boys but I vcame to see YOU and what a show you gave all of us ardant fans!!!!! Simply superb and THE BEST!!!!!!

    I used to love so much taking part in the three-part rendition of Babylon when you split up the audience and told them just how great they can be!!! And GREWAT we ALLO and always were with your very good instruction.

    With the name McClean, I am tempted to think that your roots are, indeed, in Ireland or, more likely Scotland – which the mIrish discovered anyway. They could see this other land across the sea on a clear day and, eventually, headed there. the first crew came back, apparently with the famous message, “” Hey, we found a place that´s EVEN COLDER!!! Just follow the big grey cloud – it f…ing BRILLIANT!!!!!!

    My first solo CD will be released October 26th 2006. It will be Mick Metalman and the Shadow Hunters and the name of the Cd is “”Time To Go””. – A timely reminder to the feckin´Brits to get the Hell out of MY country once and for all. Imean to say, 825 years of foreign enslavement is about as much as anyone can take – EVEN ME!!!!!!

    Thanks again for your art. X (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • This is an album that never gets to the back of my collection. Whenever I haven&#39t listened to it for a little while I have to get it out again. (Rated 5 out of 5)

  • Surely Don&#39s finest album to date!? It&#39s had a profound effect on my life and I would supsect on everyone who considers themself a fan of &#39thought provoking&#39 music! Grossly underrated (Rated 5 out of 5)

  • “I have a copy of Tapestry without Three Flights Up. (Trust me, I&#39ve listened to the whole thing several times, disbelieving.) What&#39s going on? Was it re-released at some point without that particular song? How do I get a copy of the album with Three Flights Up on it? It&#39s really bummed me out, that was one of my favorite songs when I listened to my mother&#39s copy of the album. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “In many respects McLean&#39s finest hour, if only for “”Orphans of Wealth”” which, sadly, still holds true today. If this song can&#39t bring tears to your eyes, then you&#39ve got to be a dyed-in-the-wool political reactionary, i.e. modern day Republican circa 2007. “”Respectable,”” sadly, is so true today as well. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “Hey, I just found out that this was released…and I played on it! I remember doing the tunes as demos for Vanguard, and somehow I never knew that it came out. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • Why call it Tapestry 10 months after Carol King’s ginormous album Tapestry comes out? I’m eager to get a copy, though.

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