Rude Awakening[1]isAndy Irvine's second solo album, recorded in December 1990 and January 1991 at Westland and Ringsend Studios, Dublin and Frank MacNamara's Park Studio, County Meath, and released in 1991 on Green Linnet Records.[2]
It was produced by Bill Whelan with a line-up that included Whelan himself (keyboards, percussion), Rens van der Zalm (fiddle, mandolin, guitar), Carl Geraghty (soprano saxophone), Arty McGlynn (guitars), Davy Spillane (whistle) and Fionnuala Sherry (fiddle).[2]
This album features Irvine's tribute song to Woody Guthrie ("Never Tire of the Road"), alongside mainly self-penned material celebrating some of his many other heroes:
The only other traditional song is "Allan McLean", for which Irvine wrote new music also.[2]
The sleeve notes of "Love To Be With You"[2]—a poignant song of longing—show a faded, black & white photo of Vida, the heroine of "Rainy Sundays",[3]: 72–76 the song Irvine released ten years earlier on Rainy Sundays... Windy Dreams.
