Songbird: Rare Tracks & Forgotten Gems is a 2007 box set of songs personally selected by Emmylou Harris: "I've selected not greatest hits, but personal favorites that, with a few exceptions, have never appeared on any other compilations, but were important gems in the string of pearls that each album strives to become. Also included are special collaborations, unreleased live and demo tracks, as well as contributions to tribute projects, which I may now gather into this fold.” Product Page at rhino.com;retrieved on 2007-09-18
Discs one and two serve as a retrospective of Emmylou's solo career, including at least one song from each of her previous studio and live albums, and two cuts from her time with Gram Parsons. Discs three and four consist of collaborations with other performers, tribute album tracks, and unreleased material. Overall, 13 of the 78 tracks were previously unreleased. The DVD collects 9 videos filmed between 1975 and 2005, plus a public service announcement for Animal Rescue.
Packaging The 5-disc set (4 CDs & 1 DVD) is packaged in a multi-fold cardboard sleeve bound to mimic a photographic album. A 200-page liner-notes and biography booklet, liberally graced with photos, is also bound to mimic a photographic album. Both faux miniature photo albums are housed in a CD-sized cardboard slipcase.
Track listing Source:Emmylou Harris: Songbird: Rare Tracks and Forgotten Gems booklet and liner notes.
previously unreleased material
Disc One # Title Songwriter Length Producer Guests Source Date Notes 1 "Clocks"* Emmylou Harris 2:48 Ray Ellis Gliding Bird 1970 Alternate Version 2 "The Angels Rejoiced Last Night" Charlie Louvin, Ira Louvin 2:23 Gram Parsons, Jim Dickson Gram Parsons Sleepless Nights by Gram Parsons 1973 3 "The Old Country Baptizing" Carl Story 4:02 John M. Delgatto, Marley Brant Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels Live 1973 by Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels March 13, 1973 Live 4 "Coat of Many Colors" Dolly Parton 3:42 Brian Ahern Pieces of the Sky 1975 Emmylou Harris: Pieces of the Sky booklet and liner notes. 5 "For No One" John Lennon, Paul McCartney 3:42 Brian Ahern Pieces of the Sky 1975 6 "Ooh Las Vegas" Ric Grech, Gram Parsons 3:43 Brian Ahern Elite Hotel 1975 Emmylou Harris: Elite Hotel booklet and liner notes. 7 "Satan's Jewel Crown" Traditional 3:13 Brian Ahern Elite Hotel 1975 8 "Tulsa Queen" Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris 4:47 Brian Ahern Luxury Liner 1977 Emmylou Harris: Luxury Liner booklet and liner notes. 9 "My Songbird" Jesse Winchester 3:09 Brian Ahern Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town 1978 Emmylou Harris: Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town booklet and liner notes. 10 "Green Rolling Hills" Utah Phillips 3:38 Brian Ahern Fayssoux Starling McLean Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town 1978 11 "One Paper Kid" Walter Martin Cowart 2:57 Brian Ahern Willie Nelson Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town 1978 12 "Sorrow In The Wind" Jean Ritchie 3:30 Brian Ahern Cheryl White, Sharon White Blue Kentucky Girl 1979 Emmylou Harris: Blue Kentucky Girl booklet and liner notes. 13 "Rough And Rocky" Charles Justice, Shoji Tabuchi 3:52 Brian Ahern Blue Kentucky Girl 1979 14 "Jordan" Traditional 2:10 Brian Ahern Johnny Cash Roses in the Snow 1980 Emmylou Harris: Roses in the Snow booklet and liner notes. 15 "The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn" Ralph Stanley 3:24 Brian Ahern Ricky Skaggs Roses in the Snow 1980 16 "Ashes by Now" Rodney Crowell 4:31 Brian Ahern Dr. John Evangeline 1981 17 "How High the Moon" Nancy Hamilton, Morgan Lewis 3:23 Brian Ahern Evangeline 1981 18 "Spanish Johnny" Paul Siebel 3:50 Brian Ahern Waylon Jennings Evangeline 1981 19 "Last Cheater's Waltz" Sonny Throckmorton 5:35 Brian Ahern Cimarron 1981 20 "Racing In The Streets" Bruce Springsteen 5:32 Brian Ahern Last Date 1982 21 "Like an Old Fashioned Waltz" Sandy Denny 3:20 Brian Ahern White Shoes 1983 Emmylou Harris: White Shoes booklet and liner notes.
Disc Two # Title Songwriter Length Producer Guests Source Date Notes 1 "The Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" Emmylou Harris, Paul Kennerley 3:40 Emmylou Harris, Paul Kennerley Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Vince Gill, Gail Davies The Ballad of Sally Rose 1985 Emmylou Harris: The Ballad of Sally Rose booklet and liner notes. 2 "When I Was Yours" Emmylou Harris, Paul Kennerley 2:45 Emmylou Harris, Paul Kennerley Thirteen 1985 3 "My Father's House" Bruce Springsteen 4:48 Emmylou Harris, Paul Kennerley Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt Thirteen 1986 4 "Bright Morning Star" Traditional 2:33 Emory Gordy, Jr., Emmylou Harris Angel Band 1987 Emmylou Harris: Angel Band booklet and liner notes. 5 "When He Calls" Paul Kennerley 2:44 Emory Gordy Jr., Emmylou Harris Angel Band 1987 6 "Lonely Street" Carl Belew, W.S. Stevenson, Kenny Sowder 3:12 Richard Bennett, Emmylou Harris Bluebird 1988 Emmylou Harris: Bluebird booklet and liner notes. 7 "Brand New Dance" Paul Kennerley 3:27 Richard Bennett, Allen Reynolds Brand New Dance 1990 Emmylou Harris: Brand New Dance booklet and liner notes. 8 "Get Up John" Bill Monroe, Marty Stuart, Jerry Sullivan 3:14 Richard Bennett, Allen Reynolds At the Ryman 1992 Live Emmylou Harris: At the Ryman booklet and liner notes. 9 "If I Could Be There" Kieran Kane, Jamie O'Hara 3:46 Richard Bennett, Allen Reynolds At the Ryman 1992 Live 10 "Ballad Of A Runaway Horse" Leonard Cohen 5:39 Richard Bennett, Allen Reynolds Cowgirl's Prayer 1993 Emmylou Harris: Cowgirl's Prayer booklet and liner notes. 11 "Going Back To Harlan" Anna McGarrigle 4:55 Daniel Lanois Wrecking Ball 1995 Emmylou Harris: Wrecking Ball booklet and liner notes. 12 "Sweet Old World" Lucinda Williams 5:06 Daniel Lanois Wrecking Ball 1995 13 "All My Tears" Julie Miller 5:08 Buddy Miller, Emmylou Harris Spyboy 1998 Live Emmylou Harris: Spyboy booklet and liner notes. 14 "Prayer In Open D" Emmylou Harris 3:59 Buddy Miller, Emmylou Harris Spyboy 1998 Live 15 "Bang The Drum Slowly" Emmylou Harris, Guy Clark 4:53 Malcolm Burn Red Dirt Girl 2000 Emmylou Harris: Red Dirt Girl booklet and liner notes. 16 "Boy From Tupelo" Emmylou Harris 3:49 Malcolm Burn Red Dirt Girl 2000 17 "Lost Unto This World" Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois 4:35 Malcolm Burn Stumble into Grace 2003 Emmylou Harris: Stumble into Grace booklet and liner notes. 18 "Man Is An Island" Kate McGarrigle, Anna McGarrigle, Jane McGarrigle 4:45 Brian Ahern Light of the Stable reissue 2004 Emmylou Harris: Light of the Stable booklet and liner notes. 19 "Cup Of Kindness" Emmylou Harris 3:54 Malcolm Burn Stumble into Grace 2003
Disc Three # Title Songwriter Length Producer Guests Source Date Notes 1 "Falling In A Deep Hole"* Bill Danoff, Taffy Danoff 2:38 unissued 2 "1917" David Olney 5:22 Glyn Johns Linda Ronstadt Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions 1999 3 "Palms of Victory"* John B. Matthias 3:07 Brian Ahern Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt Trio sessions outtake 1978 4 "Softly and Tenderly"* Traditional 5:29 George Massenburg Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt Trio II sessions outtake 1998 5 "My Dear Companion" Jean Ritchie 2:56 George Massenburg Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt Trio 1987 6 "Mary Danced With Soldiers" Paul Kennerley 3:06 Randy Scruggs, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two 1989 7 "I Don't Love You Much Do I" Guy Clark, Richard Leigh 2:37 Guy Clark, Miles Wilkinson Guy Clark Boats to Build 1992 8 "All I Left Behind"* Emmylou Harris, Anna McGarrigle, Kate McGarrigle 3:17 Anna McGarrigle, Kate McGarrigle, Michele Pepin unissued demo 9 "I Remember You" Steve Earle 2:51 Twangtrust Steve Earle Jerusalem 2002 10 "Golden Ring" Bobby Braddock, Rafe Van Hoy 3:59 Emmylou Harris, Michele Pepin Linda Ronstadt, Anna McGarrigle, Kate McGarrigle Tammy Wynette Remembered 1998 11 "Sonny" Ron Hynes 4:18 Donal Lunny Dolores Keane, Mary Black Bringing It All Back Home 1991 12 "In the Garden"* Traditional 2:49 Daniel Lanois All the Pretty Horses project, not issued 1996 13 "Love Still Remains" Kate Wolf 4:35 Nina Gerber Treasures Left Behind: Remembering Kate Wolf 1998 14 "Snake Song" Townes Van Zandt 2:32 Freddy Fletcher, Eric Paul Poet: A Tribute to Townes Van Zandt 2001 15 "Hobo's Lullaby" Goebel Reeves 2:43 Emmylou Harris Folkways: A Vision Shared 1988 16 "Wondering" Joe Werner 3:03 Gail Davies Caught in the Webb: A Tribute to the Legendary Webb Pierce 2002 17 "Immigrant Eyes"* Guy Clark, Roger Murrah 3:40 Paul Kennerley unissued 2001 18 "Juanita" Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons 2:40 Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris Sheryl Crow Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons 1999 19 "She" Chris Ethridge, Gram Parsons 4:49 Stephen Street Chrissie Hynde/The Pretenders Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons 1999 20 "Sin City" Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons 4:00 Emmylou Harris, Paul Kremen Beck Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons 1999 21 "Wheels" Chris Hillman, Gram Parsons 3:27 John Starling, Bill Wolf, The Seldom Scene Lou Reid/The Seldom Scene 15th Anniversary Celebration 1988
Disc Four # Title Songwriter Length Producer Guests Source Date Notes 1 "Beyond The Blue" Beth Nielsen Chapman, Gary Nicholson 4:33 Buddy Miller, Steve Fishell Patty Griffin Where the Heart Is: Original Soundtrack 2000 2 "First In Line"* Paul Kennerley 3:34 John Starling Spring Training 1990 3 "Highway Of Heartache"* Carl Jackson 3:04 Carl Jackson Carl Jackson Spring Training 1990 4 "Alone and Forsaken" Hank Williams Sr 3:31 Mark Knopfler Mark Knopfler & His Band Hank Williams: Timeless 2001 5 "Child Of Mine" Carole King, Gerry Goffin 3:27 Emmylou Harris Til Their Eyes Shine ... The Lullaby Album 1992 6 "Heaven Ain't Ready For You Yet" Paul Kennerley 3:56 Glyn Johns The Legend of Jesse James 1980 7 "Wish We Were Back In Missouri" Guy Humphreys, Paul Kennerley 4:03 Glyn Johns The Legend of Jesse James 1980 8 "Mama's Hungry Eyes" Merle Haggard 3:41 Brian Ahern Mama's Hungry Eyes: A Tribute to Merle Haggard 1994 9 "Here We Are" Rodney Crowell 2:53 Billy Sherrill George Jones My Very Special Guests 1979 10 "Waltz Across Texas Tonight"* Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris 3:43 Allen Reynolds, Richard Bennett Cowgirl's Prayer sessions 1993 11 "Snowin' On Raton"* Townes Van Zandt 3:42 Allen Reynolds, Richard Bennett Brand New Dance sessions 1990 12 "Gone"* Liz Meyer 3:37 Allen Reynolds, Richard Bennett Cowgirl's Prayer sessions 1993 13 "Don't Let Our Love Die"* Michael Dowling, Alan O'Bryant 3:18 Carl Jackson Carl Jackson Spring Training sessions 14 "The Pearl" Emmylou Harris 5:19 Julia Olin Concerts for a Landmine-Free World 2000 Live 15 "Wildwood Flower" Traditional 3:47 Randy Scruggs Randy Scruggs, Iris DeMent Crown of Jewels 1998 16 "Love And Happiness" Emmylou Harris, Kimmie Rhodes 4:21 Mark Knopfler, Chuck Ainlay Mark Knopfler All the Roadrunning 2006 17 "When We're Gone, Long Gone" Kieran Kane, Jamie O'Hara 4:01 George Massenburg Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton Trio II 1998
DVD "Together Again" – with The Hot Band, featuring James Burton (1975) "Making Believe" – with The Hot Band, featuring Albert Lee, from the BBC's The Old Grey Whistle Test (April 11, 1977) "Blue Kentucky Girl" – from PBS' Soundstage (1978) "Satan's Jewel Crown" – from PBS' Soundstage (1978) "Mr. Sandman" – Promotional video (1981) "I Don't Have to Crawl" – Promotional video (1981) "I Ain't Living Long Like This" – with Spyboy (1998) "Love Hurts" – at The Grand Ole Opry, with Elvis Costello (February 17, 2006) "Imagine" – from CMT's Crossroads (January 4, 2004) "PSA: Emmylou Harris on Animal Rescue"
Personnel Disc 1 Vocals: Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, Fayssoux Starling McLean, Willie Nelson, Gram Parsons, Ricky Skaggs, Barry Tashian Guitar: Brian Ahern, Mike Auldridge, Jock Bartley, James Burton, Rodney Crowell, Rick Cunha, Jerry Douglas, Amos Garrett, Emmylou Harris, Bernie Leadon, Albert Lee, Gram Parsons, Herb Pedersen, Frank Reckard, Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs, John Starling, Barry Tashian Pedal Steel: Hank DeVito, Steve Fishell, Neil Flanz, Ben Keith, Al Perkins