Guess Who – Share the Land

Share the Land is the seventh album by the Guess Who and their first after the departure of Randy Bachman, founding member and lead guitarist. Three singles were released from the album: "Hand Me Down World" (#10 in Canada, #17 in US), "Hang on to Your Life" (#5 in Canda, #43 in the US) and "Share the Land" (#2 in Canada, #10 in US), whose B-side track, "Bus Rider," also received extensive airplay. "Share the Land" also made this list of Great Canadian Songs.

Share the Land sold more copies than any other original Guess Who album, reaching #7 on the RPM album chart in Canada and #14 on the Billboard Top 200 in the US, and placed 78th in The Top 100 Canadian Albums book, though it didn't fare as well with the critics at the time of its release:

• AllMusic gave it 3.5 stars out of 5, calling it "a better album than anyone could rightfully have expected"
• Robert Christgau graded it a C+, complaining about the cliched playing of new guitarists Kurt Winter and Greg Leskiw
• Rolling Stone Record Guide gave it 3 starts out of 5

Tracy and I were too young to see the Guess Who in their original existence, but we did see them at the Kitchener Auditorium on a "running back through Canada" tour. We were surprised at all the recognizable hit songs they had, so I bought a Guess Who hockey sweater, which I still wear occasionally for pick-up games.

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Track Listing

1. "Bus Rider" (Kurt Winter) – 2:57
2. "Do You Miss Me Darlin'" (Burton Cummings, Kurt Winter) – 3:55
3. "Hand Me Down World" (Kurt Winter) – 3:26
4. "Moan for You Joe" (Burton Cummings, Greg Leskiw) – 2:39
5. "Share the Land" (Burton Cummings) – 3:53
6. "Hang On to Your Life" (Burton Cummings, Kurt Winter) – 4:09
7. 1. "Coming Down Off the Money Bag" (Greg Leskiw)
   2. "Song of the Dog" (Burton Cummings) – 3:54
8. "Three More Days" (Burton Cummings, Kurt Winter) – 8:55

Personnel

• Burton Cummings – lead vocals (except 7a), piano (on 1, 5), grand piano (on 2, 4), electric piano (on 3, 8), organ (on 6), harmonica (on 7a), flute (on 8)
• Kurt Winter – lead guitar (on 1, 3, 5, 6, 8), rhythm guitar (on 2, 7a), lead vocals (on 1), music box guitar (on 2), acoustic guitar (on 7b)
• Greg Leskiw – lead guitar (on 2, 3, 5, 6, 7a), rhythm guitar (on 1, 8), guitar (on 4), lead vocals (7a), acoustic guitar (on 7b)
• Jim Kale – bass
• Garry Peterson – drums, Glockenspiel (on 2), chimes (on 5), congas (on 6)

• Guess Who – American Woman (album)
• Guess Who – Wheatfield Soul (album)
• Guess Who – American Woman (song)
• Guess Who – Share the Land (song)
• Guess Who – Runnin' Back to Saskatoon (song)