Starting And Ending the album

Is there an album in which you feel a different song should have been played at the beginning or at the end? I can't say I have any problems with the way they begin, but on the 'Sundown' album, 'Too Late For Prayin' should've been Track#9 and 'The List' or another song should've been Track#10. Ending off with a sad song is just not my type.

[Rob1956]

I dont know...these days with music downloads, most of the younger folks dont seem to care much about song sequencing on albums...but back 10, 20 years ago it was important. For many people who record 10-15 songs to put out on an album, the sequence of those songs is just about as important at the songs themselves. I think Gord wanted "Too Late for Prayin'" to close the album in order to make us leave that listening experience with a final thought, a coda, if you will. The message of that song speaks for itself.

[BILLW]

Good topic Doug and Rob you're exactly right. An album was just what the name implied, a collection of songs, where the placement of each song in relation to the one before and after it was very important and also what side of the album it was on. The artist and his producers wanted you to listen to the ALBUM from 1st song to last, particularly when concept albums came in. But times have changed, I guess. I still cannot listen to Don Quixote without at least what used to be the first side, but I'm as old as dirt, LOL. Good topic.

Bill

That explains why on a lot of albums, you'll get a sad song and then a happy(ier) song. I've noticed this on Songbook and Gords Golds 1 & 2.