Back to the Roots (John Mayall album)

Back to the Roots is a 1971 double album by John Mayall released on Polydor.[3] Recording sessions took place both in California and London where Mayall invited some former members of his band, notably guitarists Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor. At the end of the 1980s Mayall remixed some tracks and issued them along with some of the older material as Archives to Eighties. An expanded two-CD version of Back to the Roots now includes both the original and later remixed versions of the tracks.

Back to the Roots
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 1971
Recorded15–25 November 1970
StudioLarrabee Sound Studios; IBC Studios, London
GenreBlues
LabelPolydor
ProducerJohn Mayall
John Mayall chronology
USA Union
(1970)
Back to the Roots
(1971)
Memories
(1971)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings[2]

Besides Mayall, who sang and played piano, harmonica and guitar, the musicians who recorded the original tracks were:

For Archives to Eighties Mayall recorded new bass and drums tracks played by Bobby Haynes and Joe Yuele.

Track listing

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All tracks written by John Mayall.

Original LP release

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Side A
  1. "Prisons on the Road" – 4:18
  2. "My Children" – 5:10
  3. "Accidental Suicide" – 6:17
  4. "Groupie Girl" – 3:53
  5. "Blue Fox" (instrumental) – 3:43
Side B
  1. "Home Again" – 4:56
  2. "Television Eye" – 7:32
  3. "Marriage Madness" – 3:36
  4. "Looking at Tomorrow" – 6:57
Side C
  1. "Dream with Me" – 5:21
  2. "Full Speed Ahead" – 5:21
  3. "Mr. Censor Man" – 4:44
  4. "Force of Nature" – 6:34
  5. "Boogie Albert" (instrumental) – 2:15
Side D
  1. "Goodbye, December" – 5:24
  2. "Unanswered Questions" – 4:42
  3. "Devil's Tricks" – 7:45
  4. "Travelling" – 4:42

2001 2-CD re-release track listing

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CD 1
  1. "Prisons on the Road" - 4:18
  2. "My Children" - 5:10
  3. "Accidental Suicide" - 6:17
  4. "Groupie Girl" - 3:54
  5. "Blue Fox" - 3:43
  6. "Home Again" - 4:57
  7. "Television Eye" - 7:32
  8. "Marriage Madness" - 3:37
  9. "Looking at Tomorrow" - 6:57
  10. "Accidental Suicide" (remix) - 6:25
  11. "Force of Nature" (remix) - 5:34
  12. "Boogie Albert" (remix) - 2:16
  13. "Television Eye" (remix) - 6:09
CD 2
  1. "Dream with Me" - 5:22
  2. "Full Speed Ahead" - 5:22
  3. "Mr Censor Man" - 4:45
  4. "Force of Nature" - 6:34
  5. "Boogie Albert" - 2:16
  6. "Goodbye December" - 5:25
  7. "Unanswered Questions" - 4:42
  8. "Devil's Trick" - 7:46
  9. "Travelling" - 4:43
  10. "Prisons on the Road" (remix) - 4:20
  11. "Home Again" (remix) - 4:59
  12. "Mr Censor Man" (remix) - 4:45
  13. "Looking at Tomorrow" (remix) - 6:56

Tracks 10, 11, 12 & 13 on each CD are the Archives to Eighties overdubbed versions

All track listings taken from the album's liner notes and sleeves

Charts

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Chart (1971) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 44
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company)[5] 31

Personnel

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Technical
  • Damon Lee-Shaw, John Judnich - engineer
  • Barrie Wentzell, Dominique Tarlé, Gered Mankowitz, Nancy Throckmorton - photography

References

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  1. ^ "Back to the Roots: Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  2. ^ Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. p. 429. ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.
  3. ^ "discography". Johnmayall.com. Archived from the original on 21 January 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 195. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ^ "JOHN MAYALL | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Back to the Roots - John Mayall | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
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