
On August 28, 2001, “Capitol” label released “It’s a Wonderful Life”, the third Sparklehorse studio album. It was recorded 2000 – 2001, and was produced by Mark Linkous, Dave Fridmann and John Parish.
Personnel:
- Mark Linkous – voice, backwards high pitched voice, optigan, chamberlin, sampler, Wurlitzer piano, guitar, acoustic guitar, baritone guitar, e-bow guitar, Casio keyboard, mellotron, drum machine, Prophet 5 synthesizer, drums, percussion, Magic Genie organ, Moog synthesizer, wire recorder
- Dave Fridmann – bass, Wurlitzer piano, mellotro, piano, chamberlin, glockenspiel, vibraphone
- Polly Jean Harvey – voice, electric guitar, piano, guitar,
- Sophie Michalitsianos – voice, bass
- Bob Rupe – bass
- Scott Minor – drums, orchestron, electronic birds, electronics, Russian satellite, chamberlin, filtered drums, percussion, Korg MS-20 keyboard, harmonium
- John Parish – bass, Casio keyboard, piano
- Margaret White – bass, violin
- Rex L. White—pedal-steel guitar
- Nina Persson – voice
- Miguel Rodriguez – drums
- Adrian Utley – Dictaphone, bass, Kitty-Cat guitar, fuzzy-ending bass
- Tom Waits – voice, big seed pod, metal things, train, piano
- Joan Wasser – violin, Wurlitzer piano
- Jane Scarpantoni – cello
- Alan Weatherhead – orchestron, mellotron, chamberlin, lap steel guitar
- Joel Hamilton – engineer
Track listing:
All tracks by Mark Linkous, except where noted.
- It’s a Wonderful Life
- Gold Day
- Piano Fire
- Sea of Teeth
- Apple Bed
- King of Nails
- Eyepennies
- Dog Door – Mark Linkous, Kathleen Brennan, Tom Waits
- More Yellow Birds
- Little Fat Baby – Mark Linkous, Vic Chesnutt
- Devil’s New
- Comfort Me
- Babies on the Sun (The track Babies on the Sun ends at 4:37. After 3 minutes of silence, at 7:37 begins the hidden song Morning Hollow.)


