Couldn't Love You More

Title

Couldn't Love You More

Release Date

28 September 1992

Notes

Couldn’t Love You More comprises re-recorded versions of classic tracks with guest appearances including Phil Collins, David Gilmour and Gerry Conway. Permanent asked for John’s permission to release this album whilst John and Jim Tullio were working on the No Little Boy album. Couldn’t Love You More is in fact the session tapes for No Little Boy. John refused permission, but Permanent released the album anyway! John and Jim Tullio were furious. The mixes were clean, sweet and sometimes dull and boring. There is no sign of the spontaneity that John still craves today. Saxophone is overpowering in places and the backing vocals make the album super smooth – not the John Martyn sound that fans know and love. The songs are ‘John Martyn’, but the ‘sound’ is not. The album that John wanted to release was No Little Boy which was released in 1993.

“This album could, quite safely, be considered The Best of John Martyn”, read Permanent Records press release. John disagreed as did most of his established fan base.

A small number of the Permanent Records LP version has an incorrect track listing. The sleeve back lists 15 songs as the CD release. However the correct tracklisting for the LP is below.

“Hopefully this will get a whole new audience to check out one of the most impressive back catalogues around; and for those who have most of that back catalogue, here’s an indispensable addition from a man who can do no wrong – trust him!” Review

Sweet Little Mystery was released as a 7 inch single and a CD single. Lonely Love was also released as a CD single.

Track Listing

  1. Lonely Love
  2. Couldn’t Love You More
  3. Sweet Little Mystery
  4. Head And Heart
  5. Could’ve Been Me
  6. One Day Without You
  7. Over The Hill
  8. Fine Lines
  9. May You Never
  10. One World
  11. Ways To Cry
  12. Angeline
  13. Man In The Station
  14. Solid Air
  15. Never Let Me Go

Permanent Records LP9

  1. Lonely Love
  2. Couldn’t Love You More
  3. Sweet Little Mystery
  4. Head And Heart
  5. Could’ve Been Me
  6. May You Never
  7. Ways To Cry
  8. Angeline
  9. Man In The Station
  10. Solid Air

Catalogue/Matrix Number

Catalogue Number: PERM CD9 and PERM LP9 Permanent Records
Matrix / Runout: Side A -PERMLP 9 A -03-1-1 and Side B -PERMLP 9 B -02-1-1

Credits

All Songs Written by – John Martyn (except track 15 written by Joe Scott)
Vocals – John Martyn
Piano and Keyboards – Spencer Cozens
Guitars – John Martyn
Drums – Gerry Conway
Bass – Alan Thomson
Saxophone – Jerry Underwood and Andy Sheppard
Percussion – Miles Bould
Additional Guitars – Dave Gilmour and Alan Darby
Backing Vocals – Phil Collins (tracks 3, 5 and 11)
Background Vocals – Jordan Bailey, Samantha Smith and Bazil Meade
Solo Voice – Jordan Bailey
Produced by – Matt Butler
Additional Engineer – Geoff Foster
Second Engineers – Lachlan Mitchell and Greg Sangster
Mastered by – Steve Rooke
Cover Art, Layout and Design – Steven D Schwachter

Reissues/Rereleases

Cassette: PERM MC9 Permanent Records
CD: RHI 79057 CD Rhino (USA)
CD: INDELCD13 Indelible (USA) (18 May 1998)
CD: GLA 20862 Gala Records (Italy)
CD: D31020 Permanent Records (Australia)
Vinyl: GLLP 91047 Gala Records (Italy)
Vinyl: 33.472 Dusty Road (Spain)
Cassette: MC-77. 472 Dusty Road (Spain)
CD: CDSP 99893 Universe
CD: OW126CD One World (Remastered and expanded) (2 April 2007)

Highlights