Hello There Big Boy!

Recording and composition

In comparison with Kirwan's other albums, few of the tracks on the album were written by Kirwan himself, though Randy Edelman's "You" was the only song written by an artist not involved with the recording of this album. Backing vocalist Tony Rivers provided one song; guitarist Kirby Gregory another, and Dana Gillespie co-wrote one with manager / producer Clifford Davis (under his usual pseudonym of Clifford Adams) as well as singing a duet on one of Kirwan's own songs.

"Only You" was an old Fleetwood Mac song given an update, and was released as a single. Fleetwood Mac's version had not yet been released at that point, though it can now be found on the Volume 1 of the triple Live in Boston set and the Live at the BBC 2-CD set released in 1995. "Caroline" was the single's B-side, written by Kirwan about his ex-wife (although her name was not Caroline), and a sad insight into his state of mind at the time.

It is not clear how much of the guitar on the album was played by Kirwan, with Gregory and Bob Weston playing on several tracks, although a press release for the album states that Kirwan took the acoustic guitar solo on "Summer Days and Summer Nights". Producer Davis added the work of 87 outside musicians to the recording, after Kirwan had laid down the basic tracks. On hearing the finished album, Kirwan told Davis that he thought it was "the best thing" he had done. Davis said of the album some years later that it was "so bad...he had to finish it for contractual reasons. I even picked the songs."

Reception

Allmusic critic Joe Viglione described the album as "light pop on a mission", and "perfectly produced" by Davis. Comparing "End Up Crying" to the "soft rock" Fleetwood Mac, he also highlights "California" and "Spaceman" as "more accessible than some of the popular versions of Fleetwood Mac". He also singled out the "intricate guitar lines" and "sterling vocals" of "Summer Days and Summer Nights".

Track listing

Side One

1. "Wings of a Dove" (Danny Kirwan) – 2:52
2. "Gettin' the Feelin'" (Tony Rivers) – 3:46
3. "End Up Crying" (Kirby Gregory) – 3:51
4. "Caroline" (Kirwan, Clifford Adams) – 3:08
5. "You" (Randy Edelman) – 3:42

Side Two

1. "Only You" (Kirwan) – 3:52
2. "California" (Adams, Dana Gillespie) – 2:35
3. "Spaceman" (Kirwan) – 3:18
4. "Summer Days and Summer Nights" (Kirwan) – 3:32

Personnel

Production

Release Information

The Japanese CD release came in a cardboard sleeve.