Don't Lose This is a 2015 posthumous album by American gospel and R&B musician Pops Staples. The album was put together with various musicians, using unfinished tracks from 1998 that were intended for a "lost" album by The Staple Singers.[1] The album was produced by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. The album reached #16 on the Independent Albums chart.[2]
| Don't Lose This | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2015 | |||
| Studio | Hinge Sound, Chicago, Illinois; The Loft | |||
| Label | dBpm Records | |||
| Producer | Jeff Tweedy, Mavis Staples, Pops Staples | |||
| Roebuck "Pops" Staples chronology | ||||
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History edit
The title of the album comes from words that Staples spoke to his daughter Mavis Staples just prior to his death.[3] He told her, "don't lose this, here," referring to 10 recordings that he made in 1998.[3] Mavis teamed up with Jeff Tweedy in 2014 to produce the tracks and finish the album. Tweedy had previously produced Mavis' albums You Are Not Alone and One True Vine.[4] Tweedy played bass on the album and his son Spencer played drums.[4]
Track listing edit
All tracks composed by Pops Staples; except where indicated
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Somebody Was Watching" | Brenda Burns | 4:07 |
| 2. | "Sweet Home" | Margaret Allison | 4:14 |
| 3. | "No News is Good News" | 4:36 | |
| 4. | "Love on My Side" | 4:03 | |
| 5. | "Friendship" | Homer Banks, Lester Snell | 4:06 |
| 6. | "Nobody's Fault but Mine" | 3:07 | |
| 7. | "The Lady's Letter" | 2:19 | |
| 8. | "Better Home" | 4:49 | |
| 9. | "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" | 4:05 | |
| 10. | "Gotta Serve Somebody" | Bob Dylan | 3:31 |
Personnel edit
- Pops Staples - guitar, vocals
- Mavis Staples - vocals on "Sweet Home", "Love on My Side" and "Better Home"
- Jeff Tweedy - guitar on "Sweet Home", "Love on My Side" and "Will the Circle Be Unbroken"; bass
- Tom Grady - bass
- Scott Ligon - piano
- Spencer Tweedy, Tim Austin - drums
- Cleotha Staples, Mavis Staples, Yvonne Staples - backing vocals
References edit
- ^ Hermes, Will (23 March 2015). "Don't Lose This". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
- ^ "Don't Lose This". Billboard. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
- ^ a b Mokoena, Tshepo (5 March 2015). "Pops Staples: Don't Lose This review - a gorgeous, gravelly swansong". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
- ^ a b Minsker, Evan (12 January 2015). "Pops Staples Posthumous Album Don't Lose This, Finished by Mavis Staples and Jeff Tweedy, to Be Released". Pitchfork. Retrieved 4 October 2015.