Album Notes

Originally released on a small German label in 1983 and reissued with two bonus tracks by Appleseed, "A Different Kind of Love Song" is a coveted favorite among fans of Dick Gaughan, the singer-songwriter-guitarist sometimes called "the Scottish Woody Guthrie." The material is mostly topical in nature, as usual, and the title song directly responds to uninitiated listeners' complaints that "all I sing of is trouble" with the reply, "For me to help make the most people happy/I must make you even more sad and angry now...If you listen again, you might even find/All the songs I sing are love songs/But their love is a different kind."

The love of which Gaughan sings on most of the CD's songs is a love of independence and human rights, a freedom from fear, whether the songs are his own ("Revolution," "Think Again," "By the People," and the title track) or by friends and mentors such as Ewan MacColl ("The Father's Song"), Peggy Seeger ("Song of Choice") and Leon Rosselson ("Stand Up for Judas," "The World Turned Upside Down"). Perhaps the most surprising cover version is a Celticized take on Joe South's "Games People Play."

Among Gaughan's accompanists on this CD are bassist Dave Pegg (of Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull), Scottish vocalist/actress Judy Sweeney, and keyboardist Bob Lenox.

Bio:
Born in Leith, Scotland, in 1948, Dick Gaughan was brought up immersed in the musical traditions and culture of the Gaels, both Scots and Irish, which provide the foundation for everything he does. Playing guitar since the age of seven, Gaughan recorded his first of many solo albums in 1971. He was also an early member of the Boys of the Lough, served with the Scottish folk-rock group Five Hand Reel and, in the early '90s, founded the short-lived but extraordinary Clan Alba.

Gaughan is deeply committed to fighting social injustice and standing up for the common man in the face of oppression. As an indefatigable worker among workers, Dick was often found collecting on street corners for the miners during their last strike and has supported workers throughout his career through fund-raising concerts. His unwavering belief in the strength of the human spirit to conquer seemingly insurmountable obstacles has fueled Dick's commitment to singing new songs and reworking old ones to point out the essential optimism and belief in humanity's ability to stand up and be free. In this, he has become a leading voice in the topical song movement and has inspired an entire generation of songwriters, such as Billy Bragg, who has recorded and sung with Dick. His 1980 masterpiece album, "Handful of Earth," was voted by a Folk Roots critic's poll as "the album of the decade."