Safe Upon the Shore

{{Infobox album

| name = Safe Upon The Shore

| type = studio

| cover = Safe Upon The Shore Great Big Sea.jpg

| alt =

| released = July 13, 2010

| recorded = 2009–2010 at Great Big Studio in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Various Tour Buses, dressing rooms and The Music Shed, New Orleans, Humber Valley Resort

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Folk rock

| length = 45:28

| label = Warner Music Canada

| producer = Steve Berlin

| prev_title = Fortune's Favour

| prev_year = 2008

| next_title = XX

| next_year = 2012

}}

Safe Upon the Shore is the ninth and final studio album released by Canadian folk rock band Great Big Sea. The album was released on July 13, 2010.

Track listing

{{track listing

| title1 = Long Life (Where Did You Go)

| writer1 = Séan McCann, Jeen O'Brien, Joel Plaskett

| length1 = 3:12

| title2 = Nothing But a Song

| writer2 = Alan Doyle, Séan McCann

| length2 = 3:04

| title3 = Yankee Sailor

| writer3 = Alan Doyle, Bob Hallett, Paul Lamb, Joel Plaskett

| length3 = 4:10

| title4 = Good People

| writer4 = Séan McCann, Paul Lamb

| length4 = 2:35

| title5 = Dear Home Town

| writer5 = Alan Doyle, Randy Bachman

| length5 = 3:58

| title6 = Over the Hills

| writer6 = Traditional, Arr. Bob Hallett

| length6 = 3:09

| title7 = Hit the Ground and Run

| writer7 = Alan Doyle, Russell Crowe

| length7 = 3:02

| title8 = Safe Upon the Shore

| writer8 = Séan McCann, Murray Foster

| length8 = 3:28

| title9 = Have a Cuppa Tea

| writer9 = Ray Davies

| length9 = 3:12

| title10 = Wandering Ways

| writer10 = Séan McCann, Greg Browne

| length10 = 3:19

| title11 = Follow Me Back

| writer11 = Bob Hallett, Jeremy Fisher, Jeen O'Brien

| length11 = 3:21

| title12 = Road to Ruin

| writer12 = Alan Doyle, Paul Lamb, Joel Plaskett

| length12 = 2:23

| title13 = Gallows Pole

| writer13 = Traditional, arranged by Robert Plant, Jimmy Page

| length13 = 2:58

| title14 = Don't Wanna Go Home

| writer14 = Alan Doyle

| length14 = 3:46

}}

{{track listing

| headline = iTunes Canada Deluxe Version {{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/ca/preorder/safe-upon-the-shore-deluxe/id377846746 |title=iTunes - Music - Safe Upon the Shore by Great Big Sea |publisher=iTunes |date=2010-07-13 |access-date=2012-03-08}}

| title15 = Protest Song

| writer15 = Sean McCann, Jeremy Fisher

| length15 = 3:12

| title16 = Nothing But A Song (Video)

| writer16 = Alan Doyle, Séan McCann

| length16 = 3:14

| title17 = Nothing But A Song (Demo) [Pre-Order Only]

| writer17 = Alan Doyle, Séan McCann

| length17 = 3:44

}}

{{track listing

| headline = iTunes US Bonus Track Version {{Cite web |url=https://itunes.apple.com/preorder/safe-upon-shore-bonus-track/id377444889%26partnerId%3D30%26partnerId%3D30%26siteID%3DuwiT_2jXo_0-9s7COb7_uZEfn..DzRhA6A |title=Archived copy |website=iTunes |access-date=2022-07-16 |archive-date=2021-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222202058/https://itunes.apple.com/preorder/safe-upon-shore-bonus-track/id377444889%26partnerId%3D30%26partnerId%3D30%26siteID%3DuwiT_2jXo_0-9s7COb7_uZEfn..DzRhA6A |url-status=dead }}

| title15 = Nothing But A Song (Demo) [Bonus Track]

| writer15 = Alan Doyle, Séan McCann

| length15 = 3:44

| title16 = Protest Song (Bonus Track) [Pre-Order Only]

| writer16 = Sean McCann, Jeremy Fisher

| length16 = 3:12

}}

Tracks 2, 3, 4, 7, and the bonus tracks were road tested before they recorded it in the studio.

{{Cite web |url=https://itunes.apple.com/preorder/safe-upon-shore-bonus-track/id377444889%26partnerId%3D30%26partnerId%3D30%26siteID%3DuwiT_2jXo_0-9s7COb7_uZEfn..DzRhA6A |title=Archived copy |website=iTunes |access-date=2022-07-16 |archive-date=2021-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222202058/https://itunes.apple.com/preorder/safe-upon-shore-bonus-track/id377444889%26partnerId%3D30%26partnerId%3D30%26siteID%3DuwiT_2jXo_0-9s7COb7_uZEfn..DzRhA6A |url-status=dead }}

Reception

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = Allmusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}} {{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1814428}}

| rev2 =

| rev2Score =

}}

=Commercial performance=

The album debuted at No. 2 on the Canadian Albums Chart, falling short to Eminem's Recovery. The album sold 7,000 copies in its first week, while Eminem placed first with 30,000 copies.{{cite web|author=John Williams |url=http://www.winnipegsun.com/entertainment/music/2010/07/21/14781486.html |title=GBS can't beat Eminem on charts | Music | Entertainment |publisher=Winnipeg Sun |date=2010-07-21 |accessdate=2012-03-08}}

=Critical reception=

Greg Prato of allmusic gave the album mainly positive reviews, saying "there is more than meets the eye (or more fittingly, the ear) to this Canadian outfit. Great Big Sea has created a pure 'heartland sound' all its own."

Personnel

Alan Doyle – Vocals, Guitars, Bouzouki, Mandolin, Banjo, Piano
Bob Hallett – Vocals, Accordion, Concertina, Whistle, Harmonica, Bouzouki, Mandolin, Fiddle, Banjo, Pipes
Séan McCann – Vocals, Guitar, Bodhran, Percussion

With

Murray Foster - Vocals, Bass, Guitar
Kris MacFarlane - Vocals, Drums, Percussion, Guitar, Keyboards, Piano Accordion

Guest Musicians

Sonny Landreth - Slide Guitar
Jeen O'Brien - Vocals
Steve Berlin - Keyboards, Melodica, Percussion
Washboard Hank - Washboard
Mark Mullins - Trombone, Arrangements
Craig Klein - Trombone
Greg Hicks - Trombone
J.P. Cormier - Mandolin, Guitar, Banjo, Fiddle
Shannon Powell - Tambourine
Jeremy Fisher - Guitar

Charts

=Chart positions=

class="wikitable sortable"
Chart (2010) !Peak position
US Billboard 200 \| style="text-align:center;"\|159
US Billboard Top Heatseekers \| style="text-align:center;"\|4
US Billboard Top Folk Albums \| style="text-align:center;"\|3
Canadian Albums Chart \| style="text-align:center;"\|2

class="wikitable sortable"

Chart (2010)

!Peak
position

US Billboard 200

| style="text-align:center;"|159

US Billboard Top Heatseekers

| style="text-align:center;"|4

US Billboard Top Folk Albums

| style="text-align:center;"|3

Canadian Albums Chart

| style="text-align:center;"|2