''Two Steps Forward, One Step Back'' is the sixth album by

Patrick Sky Patrick Sky (born Patrick Linch; October 2, 1940May 26, 2021) was an American musician, folk singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was noted for his album ''Songs That Made America Famous'' (1973). He was of Irish and Native American anc ...

, released as SLIF 2000 on Leviathan Records, identified as " division of Innisfree Inc." on the back sleeve. The sleeve notes and front cover title are a reproduction of Sky's own handwriting, notable especially for his misspelling the word ''forward'' as ''foreward'' ic though the standard spelling is found on the two sticker labels of the LP itself. The record is noteworthy also because it includes a piano-driven re-recording of Sky's signature song, "Many a Mile," and because of "My Friend Robert," later recorded by

George Thorogood George Lawrence Thorogood (born February 24, 1950) is an American musician, singer and songwriter from Wilmington, Delaware. His "high-energy boogie-blues" sound became a staple of 1980s rock radio, with hits like his original songs "Bad to the ...

. Dedicated " the loving memory of

Mississippi John Hurt John Smith Hurt (March 8, 1893 – November 2, 1966), better known as Mississippi John Hurt, was an American country blues singer and guitarist. Raised in Avalon, Mississippi, Hurt taught himself to play the guitar around the age of nine. He wo ...

," the album features not only a cover photo of the fingerpicking legend with Sky (who produced Hurt's

Vanguard The vanguard (also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force. History The vanguard derives fr ...

albums), but also covers of three John Hurt songs. Other highlights include a cover of

Bascom Lamar Lunsford Bascom Lamar Lunsford (March 21, 1882 – September 4, 1973) was a folklorist, performer of traditional Appalachian music, and lawyer from western North Carolina. He was often known by the nickname "Minstrel of the Appalachians." Biography ...

's " I Wish I Was a Mole In the Ground" (Lunsford's version is included in Harry Smith's ''

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)'' and lighthearted rhinological commentary about

David Bromberg David Bromberg (born September 19, 1945) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. David Bromberg biographyat Billboard.com An eclectic artist, Bromberg plays bluegrass, blues, folk, jazz, country and western, and rock a ...

in the Sky original "Lucky Me." The album also includes a performance of Sky playing "Lost James Whalen," featuring Sky's vocals as well as his playing of the

uilleann pipes The uilleann pipes ( or , ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland. Earlier known in English as "union pipes", their current name is a partial translation of the Irish language terms (literally, "pipes of the elbow"), from their ...

. The cover bears a distinct similarity to

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...

Still Crazy After All These Years ''Still Crazy After All These Years'' is the fourth solo studio album by Paul Simon. Recorded and released in 1975, the album produced four U.S. Top 40 hits: " 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" (No. 1), "Gone at Last" (No. 23), "My Little Town" (No. 9 ...

album cover, with the wide buff matting, the hand-written heading of the artist's name and album title, the re-touched and colorized low-rez photo in the center. Both were released in 1975, although Sky's album was released a few months earlier than Simon's.

Track listing

Side one

#"Many a Mile" #"Lucky Me" #"Perryville Reel, Rhode Island Reel" #"My Friend Robert" #"Frankie and Albert" #"Mole in the Ground"

Side two

#"Payday" #"Candy Man" #"To Find a Way" #"Danville Girl" #"Moanin' Blues" #"Lost James Whalen"

Personnel

* Eddie Wright - bass * Bud Morrissoe - Fiddle *

Gordon Titcomb Gordon Titcomb is an American multi-instrumentalist, studio musician and composer, Titcomb tours with Arlo Guthrie playing banjo, mandolin and pedal steel guitar. he has also toured and performed with Hank Williams, Paul Simon, Judy Collins, Willie ...

- Bars, piano * Lar Anderson - Drums * Buzz Kuhar - Drums * Patrick Sky - Guitar, 12 String Uilleann Pipes, Banjo, Dulcimer, Moans and Vocal Incantations Production notes: * Executive Producer - Lisa Null * Produced & Arranged - Patrick Sky * Engineered by - Pitt Kinsolving * Cover photo - Bob Campbell * Layout & Design - Joe Szarek, Patrick Sky, Butch Lockwood

References

1975 albums Patrick Sky albums {{1970s-folk-album-stub