History is the twelfth studio album by American singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, released on September 21, 1992 on Charisma Records. The album was recorded following the death of Wainwright's father, Loudon Wainwright Jr. Regarding his father's death and its influence on History, Wainwright said:

“The whole record is about him and me, and his death, and the struggle with my own son — and so as far as reconciliation goes, I think when one or both of your parents dies, you realize you're in the batter's box. That's it: You're going to die. You get a taste of your own mortality, and you also are not as angry at them, at least after a while, and so maybe you do try to start to reconcile some things.”

The album featured deeply personal compositions, with a musical style that ranges from talking blues ("Talking New Bob Dylan") to almost pure country rock ("So Many Songs") and modern folk ("The Picture", "Men").

History is often regarded as a breakthrough in Wainwright's career. Allmusic call the album "his masterpiece," and both Bruce Springsteen and Bob Geldof cited it as their favorite album of the year.

RELEASE DATE:
November 21, 1992

COPYRIGHT:
1992 Virgin Records Ltd

PRODUCED BY:
Loudon Wainwright III, Jeffrey Lesser