Mermaid Avenue is a collaborative album by Billy Bragg and American alternative rock band Wilco, released in 1998. The album is a unique and ambitious project, as it sets to music previously unreleased lyrics written by the legendary American folk musician Woody Guthrie. Guthrie, known for his iconic songs like "This Land Is Your Land," had a treasure trove of unrecorded lyrics that had remained unpublished for decades, and Mermaid Avenue is the result of Bragg and Wilco working together to bring these words to life.

The album's title refers to Mermaid Avenue in Coney Island, New York, where Guthrie lived during the 1940s. The collaboration was initiated by Bragg, who had already worked with Guthrie's daughter, Nora Guthrie, to sift through her father’s archives and select lyrics that had never been paired with music. Bragg then brought the lyrics to Wilco, and the band’s members, particularly Jeff Tweedy, played a crucial role in composing the music that would accompany Guthrie's words.

Musically, Mermaid Avenue blends the distinct styles of both Bragg and Wilco. While Bragg brings his folk-punk sensibilities and politically charged lyrics, Wilco’s contributions bring a more polished, alt-country and Americana vibe. The combination of Bragg's raw, impassioned vocals and Wilco’s varied instrumentation creates a distinctive sound, with elements of folk, rock, country, and even pop.

The album’s combination of Guthrie’s timeless, socially aware lyrics and the modern sensibilities of Bragg and Wilco creates a compelling and emotionally resonant work that both honors Guthrie’s legacy and brings his words to a new audience. Mermaid Avenue was a critical success and was followed by a second volume, Mermaid Avenue Vol. II, in 2000, which continued the collaboration between Bragg and Wilco.

Overall, Mermaid Avenue is a beautiful blend of history, artistry, and social commentary, and it remains a significant and influential album in both Billy Bragg’s and Wilco’s discographies.

Tracklist:

Side A
A1. Walt Whitman's Niece
A2. California Stars
A3. Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key

Side B
B1. Birds And Ships
B2. Hoodoo Voodoo
B3. She Came Along To Me
B4. At My Window Sad And Lonely

Side C
C1. Ingrid Bergman
C2. Christ For President
C3. I Guess I Planted
C4. One By One

Side D
D1. Eisler On The Go
D2. Hesitating Beauty
D3. Another Man's Done Gone
D4. The Unwelcome Guest