Wikipedia

Looking Back (John Mayall album)

Looking Back is the seventh album released by John Mayall in August 1969 by Decca Records. The album features songs by both John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and John Mayall solo work. The album reached No. 79 on the Billboard 200.[3] Confusingly, there are two different albums with the title "Looking Back": a Decca UK release as a single album (SKL 5010)[1] and a Decca Germany (issued by TELDEC) release as a double album (DS 3104/1-2).[4] Later issues on CD would use the Deram label.

Looking Back
Compilation album by
John Mayall
ReleasedAugust 1969[1]
RecordedFebruary 1963 – May 1969[1]
GenreBlues
Length37:54
LabelDecca (UK)
(Single L.P.)
Decca (TELDEC) (GER)
(Double L.P.)
ProducerJohn Mayall, Mike Vernon[1]
John Mayall chronology
Blues from Laurel Canyon
(1968) 		Looking Back
(1969) 		Thru the Years
(1969)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings[2]

Album description

edit

The German Decca release was a double album, whilst the UK Decca release only featured Eric Clapton on one track. However, the German release did not have the title track in its track listing, and the songs are not as rare, with several songs ("Parchman Farm", "Double Crossing Time", "The Super-Natural", "Steppin' Out", "Ramblin' on my Mind", "The Death of J. B. Lenoir", "Checking Up on my Baby", and "I Can't Quit You Baby") already released on The Bluesbreakers' studio albums (Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton, A Hard Road, and Crusade).

Track listings

edit

Decca UK release

edit
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Original release[5]Length
1."Mr. James"John MayallB-side of Decca F119002:55
2."Blues City Shakedown"MayallB-side of Decca F121202:23
3."Stormy Monday (live)"T-Bone WalkerPreviously unreleased4:36
4."So Many Roads"Paul Marshall, P. WilliamsB-side of Decca F125064:46
5."Looking Back"Johnny "Guitar" WatsonA-side of Decca F125062:37
6."Sitting in the Rain"MayallA-side of Decca F125452:59
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Original releaseLength
1."It Hurts Me Too"Mel London, Hudson WhittakerB-side of Decca F126212:57
2."Double Trouble"Otis Rush, M. MelkaA-side of Decca F126213:22
3."Suspicions (Part Two)"MayallB-side of Decca F126845:29
4."Jenny"MayallB-side of Decca F127324:38
5."Picture on the Wall"MayallA-side of Decca F127323:02

Decca Germany release

edit
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Third Degree"Eddie Boyd3:17
2."Stormy Monday"T-Bone Walker4:34
3."Jenny"Mayall4:33
4."Picture on the Wall"Mayall3:03
5."Chicago Line"Mayall4:39
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Steppin' Out"Memphis Slim, James Bracken2:29
2."Have You Heard"Mayall5:54
3."Ramblin' on My Mind"Robert Johnson3:11
4."The Super-Natural"Peter Green2:54
5."Double Crossing Time"Mayall, Eric Clapton3:06
6."Parchman Farm"Mose Allison2:24
Side three
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Dust My Blues"Elmore James2:47
2."You Don't Love Me"Willie Cobbs2:47
3."Don't Kick Me"Mayall3:09
4."Brown Sugar"Mayall3:41
5."The Death of J. B. Lenoir"Mayall4:17
6."Stand Back Baby"Mayall1:48
Side four
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Checkin' Up on My Baby"Sonny Boy Williamson3:49
2."I Can't Quit You Baby"Willie Dixon4:28
3."Sandy"Mayall3:46
4."Blood on the Night"Mayall8:59

Personnel

edit

John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers

  • Bernie Watson – Guitar on "Mr. James"[6]
  • Roger Dean – Guitar on "Blues City Shakedown"
  • Eric Clapton – Lead guitar on "Stormy Monday"
  • Peter Green – Lead guitar on tracks 4 to 8, 10, and steel guitar on "Picture on the Wall"
  • Mick Taylor – Lead guitar on "Suspicions (Part Two)"
  • John McVie – Bass guitar on tracks 1, 2, and 4 to 8.
  • Jack Bruce – Bass guitar on "Stormy Monday"
  • Paul Williams – Bass guitar on "Suspicions (Part Two)"
  • Martin Hart – Drums on "Mr. James"[6]
  • Hughie Flint – Drums on "Blues City Shakedown" and "Stormy Monday"
  • Aynsley Dunbar – Drums on "So Many Roads", Looking Back", and "Sitting in the Rain"
  • Mick Fleetwood – Drums on "It Hurts Me Too" and "Double Trouble"
  • Keef Hartley – Drums on "Suspicions (Part Two)" and "Picture on the Wall"
  • Dick Heckstall-Smith – Tenor and soprano saxophones on "Suspicions (Part Two)"
  • Chris Mercer – Tenor saxophone on "Suspicions (Part Two)"

Additional musicians

Production

  • John Mayall – Producer
  • Mike Vernon – Producer
  • Tony Clarke – Producer on "Blues City Shakedown"[7]
  • Bob Gordon – Photography

Charts

edit
Album
Year Chart Position
1969 Billboard 200 79[3]
UK Top 40 Albums 14[8]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e Unterberger, Richie. "Looking Back". Allmusic. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  2. ^ Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. p. 428. ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.
  3. ^ a b "Billboard 200 - 3 October 1969". Billboard. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  4. ^ "John Mayall – Looking Back (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  5. ^ "Artists: J". 45-rpm.org.uk. 10 February 1910. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  6. ^ a b Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 134. CN 5585.
  7. ^ "John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers – Blues City Shakedown". YouTube. 23 August 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2012.[dead YouTube link]
  8. ^ "Search the UK Top 40 Hit Database". everyHit. Type in "John Mayall" under "Name of Artist" and change Format to Albums
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Looking_Back_(John_Mayall_album)&oldid=1236660843"