Talking with the Taxman About Poetry is the third album by Billy Bragg, released in September 1986. With production by John Porter and Kenny Jones, Talking with the Taxman About Poetry featured more musicians than Bragg's previous works, which were generally little more than Bragg himself and a guitar. There were two singles released from the album. While "Levi Stubbs' Tears" peaked at No. 29 in the UK, the follow-up "Greetings to the New Brunette" fell short, only managing No. 58 a few months later.

Background

The album's title is also the title of a Vladimir Mayakovsky poem, which appears as part of the liner notes. The song "There Is Power in a Union" is based on the song "Battle Cry of Freedom". "Levi Stubbs' Tears" refers to songwriter Barrett Strong, producer Norman Whitfield, the members of the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting and production team as well as Levi Stubbs and the Four Tops. The original album cover has the subtitle "The Difficult Third Album".

Critical reception

Reviewing Talking with the Taxman About Poetry for Rolling Stone, David Handelman called the album "a winning mesh, by turns as political as the Clash, as clever as Elvis Costello, as melodic as Ray Davies and as rocking as Chuck Berry." Ira Robbins of Trouser Press praised it as "a great leap forward, the deft application of understated instrumental accompaniment on some of Bragg's best-ever songs." Talking with the Taxman About Poetry was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Track listing

All tracks written by Billy Bragg, except where noted.

Disc one

Disc two (2006 reissue)

Personnel

Musicians

Production