Webb's career as a singer-songwriter got off to a rough start with the "counterfeit" album "Jim Webb Sings Jim Webb", released by Epic Records in 1968. According to Webb, the album was produced "by a bunch of ruffians from some old demos of mine and tarted up to sound like 'MacArthur Park'". Beginning in 1970, Webb released six original albums of his own songs: "Words and Music" (1970), "" (1971), "Letters" (1972), "Land's End" (1974), "El Mirage" (1977), and "Angel Heart" (1982). Despite the critical reception that followed each of these projects, Webb has never been as successful as a performer as he has been as a songwriter and arranger. Each album was noted for its inventive music and memorable lyrics.