He introduced the song by noting, "The Clancy Brothers changed my life," because through them he discovered a love for Irish folk music.

Even though the reviewer noted that the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem were only starting to get prominent live gigs at that point, he said already "the group was built along solid pro lines.

[15] In a more specialized review of folk albums, D. K. Wilgus argued that this record "demonstrates that general respect for tradition may survive in a stage concert for a major label."

He also expressed the opinion that A Spontaneous Performance was at about the same level as the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem's self-titled album on Tradition Records that was released earlier the same year.

All songs are traditional and were adapted and arranged by The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, except "A Jug of Punch" and The Whistling Gypsy, written by Leo Maguire