"Boogie Woogie: The Warner Bros. Recordings" by (LONG) JOHN BALDRY - Includes Two Albums "It Ain't Easy" (June 1971) and "Everything Stops For Tea" (May 1972) on Warner Brothers Records (US and UK) Plus Thirteen Rarities (10 Previously Unreleased Outtakes and Three Radio Spots). His band featured Rod Stewart, Elton John, Members of Hookfoot (Caleb Quaye and Joshua M'bopo) and Elton John's Band (Davey Johnstone, Ray Cooper and Nigel Olsson), Klaus Voorman of Beatles fame, Mick Waller of Steampacket, Ian Armit of Argent, Ray Jackson of Lindisfarne, Maggie Bell of Stone The Crows with Singers Leslie Duncan, Doris Troy, Barry St. John, Madeline Bell, Liza Strike and more (December 2005 USA-Only Rhino Handmade 2CD Compilation with Thirteen Bonus Tracks and Dan Hersch Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 The Rhino Handmade 2005 Original (Top Two) 

"Boogie Woogie: The Warner Bros. Recordings"

- The 2013 Wounded Bird Reissue (third Photo)

The Two Albums Issued as Stand-Alone Expanded CD Remasters 

"It Ain't Easy" (1971) and "Everything Stops For Tea" (1972)

CD Re-issued August 2005 by Warner Brothers in the UK

This Review and 317 Others Like It 

Are Available in My Amazon e-Book

GOODY TWO SHOES

2CD Deluxe Editions (Occasional Threesome), Expanded Reissues and Compilations 

All Info From The Discs Themselves 

No Cut and Paste Crap

Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer 6 Times

 

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"…It Ain't Easy...When You're Going Down…"

 

Timing is the thing here. After mid-60ts stints with United Artists and Pye Records in the UK where Baldry tried to go for the Pop Star market (and succeeded in many ways – he had a UK No.1 hit with "Let The Heartaches Begin" in October 1967), beloved British singer Long John Baldry went back to his Blues-Rock first love (combined with R&B and Soul influences) and promptly pumped out two affectionately remembered albums as just plain John Baldry for his new signing to Warner Brothers.

 

"It Ain't Easy" and "Everything Stops For Tea" hit record shops in June 1971 and May 1972 (John hit the touring road) – both with heavy personal/band involvement from Elton John and Rod Stewart – the pair literally on the cusp of international album stardom with "Every Picture Tells A Story" from Rodders in May 1971 (USA) and July 1971 (UK) and "Madman Across The Water" from our Reggie Dwight in November 1971 (neither no longer tiny dancers thereafter).

 

Both John and Stewart were simply repaying an old mucker for his belief in them in the early years and trying to help launch a new phase in his piecemeal recording career that had stalled as he entered the Seventies. And that is where this 2005 2CD roundup doozy from the US's Rhino Handmade comes a rollicking in (later reissued by Wounded Bird as is in 2013). A lot to discuss and splinters off it too – to the details...

 

US released December 2005 (reissued February 2007) - "Boogie Woogie: The Warner Bros. Recordings" by JOHN BALDRY on Rhino Handmade RHM2 7896 (Barcode 603497789627) is a 2CD 34-Track Compilation where initial copies were limited to 2,500 copies worldwide.

 

"Boogie Woogie: The Warner Bros. Recordings" was not given a UK release, but both the albums it contained - "It Ain't Easy" (CD1) and "Everything Stops For Tea" (CD2) - were reissued 27 August 2005 in the UK as individual Expanded Edition Remastered CDs on Warner Brothers (no mention of Rhino on either disc) – track lists exactly the same (CD1 with 18 tracks, CD2 with 16 tracks). However, the original Rhino Handmade December 2005 configuration (using the same artwork and Remasters) was reissued 16 Nov 2013 in the USA as a 2CD set on Wounded Bird WOU 1921 (Barcode 664140192126). Details...

 

CD1 "It Ain't Easy" (69:11 minutes):

1. Intro: Conditional Discharge – Side 1

2. Don't Try To Lay No Boogie-Woogie On The King Of Rock And Roll [Jeff Thomas song]

3. Black Girl [Huddie Ledbetter aka Leadbelly cover]

4. It Ain't Easy [Ron Davies song]

5. Morning, Morning [Fugs cover]

6. I'm Ready [Willie Dixon song/Muddy Waters cover]

7. Let's Burn Down The Cornfield [Randy Newman cover] – Side 2

8. Mr. Robin [Leslie Duncan cover]

9. Rock Me When He's Gone [Elton John/Bernie Taupin song - Exclusive Track]

10. Flying [Ronnie Lane-Rod Stewart-Ronnie Wood song/Faces cover]

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut album for Warner Brothers "It Ain't Easy" – released June 1971 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1921 and Warner Brothers K 46088 in the UK.

 

CD1 BONUS TRACKS

11. Going Down Slow [a St. Louis Jimmy cover - 1941 Blues track - real name Jimmy Burke Oden]

12. Blues (Cornbread, Meat And Molasses) [Sonny Terry/Brownie McGhee cover]

13. Love In Vain [Robert Johnson cover]

14. Midnight Hour Blues [Leroy Carr cover]

15. Black Girl [Alternate Take]

16. It Ain't Easy [Alternate Take]

17. I'm Ready [Alternate Take]

18. Radio Spot [30-Second Spoken Advert for the US Market made in 1971 - it talks about LBJ and Fleetwood Mac leaving the UK to tour and "...storm America"]

 

The Band for the ROD STEWART sessions was:

Lead Vocals - LONG JOHN BALDRY (12-String Guitar on "Black Girl")

Guitars - RON WOOD (of Faces, Rolling Stones) [Tracks 2, 4, 5, 6, 16 and 17]

Guitars and Pedal Steel Guitar - SAM MITCHELL [Tracks 1 to 5, 15 and 16]

Piano - IAN ARMIT (of Argent)

Mandolin - RAY JACKSON (of Lindisfarne) on "Black Girl" and "Morning Morning"

Tenor Sax Solo - ALAN SKIDMORE on "Don't Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie..."

Bass - RICK BROWN

Drums - MICKIE WALLER (of Steampacket)

Backing Vocals - MAGGIE BELL (of Stone The Crows) on "Black Girl" and "It Ain't Easy"

 

The band for the ELTON JOHN sessions was:

Guitars - CALEB QUAYE and JOSHUA M'BOPO (of Hookfoot)

Piano - ELTON JOHN

Bass - DAVE GLOVER

Drums - ROGER POPE

Backing Vocals - Leslie Duncan, Madelene Bell, Doris Troy, Kay Garner, Liza Strike, Tony Burrows, Tony Hazzard & Roger Cook

 

CD2 "Everything Stops For Tea" (54:19 minutes):

1. Intro: Come Back Again [Ross Wilson cover] – Side 1

2. Seventh Son [Willie Dixon song – Willie Mabon cover]

3. Wild Mountain Thyme [Traditional Air, McPeake Family]

4. Iko Iko [The Dixie Cups cover]

5. Jubilee Cloud [John Kongos cover]

6. Everything Stops For Tea [Jack Buchanan cover of a 1935 song] - Side 2

7. You Can't Judge A Book [Willie Dixon Song – Muddy Waters cover]

8. Mother Ain't Dead [Traditional]

9. Hambone [Sam Mitchell cover]

10. Lord Remember Me

11. Armit's Trousers [Ian Armit of The Hoochie Coochie Men song]

Tracks 1 to 11 are his album "Everything Stops For Tea" – released May 1972 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46160 and Warner Brothers BS-2614 in the USA. Tracks 1 to 5 (Side 1) produced by ELTON JOHN in February 1972 with Tracks 6 to 11 (Side 2) produced by ROD STEWART between January and February 1972.

 

CD2 BONUS TRACKS:

12. Radio Spot No. 1 (advertising the album)

13. Bring My Baby Back To Me (Live Mar-Y Sol Festival, Puerto Rico, April 1972) – first appeared on the 2LP set "Mar Y Sol" in 1972 on Atco SD 2-705 – Previously Unreleased on CD

14. Only Love Can Break Your Heart (album outtake, duet vocals with Joyce Eversion, a Neil Young cover) – Previously Unreleased

15. I'm Just A Rake & Ramblin' Boy (album outtake, duet vocals with Joyce Eversion, a Ron Davies cover) – Previously Unreleased

16. Radio Spot No. 2 (advertising Joyce Everson's "Crazy Lady" album, 1972)

 

The band for the ELTON JOHN sessions was (Side 1 – Track 1 to 5):

Lead Vocals - JOHN BALDRY

Vocal Accompaniment - ELTON JOHN (Tracks 1, 3, 4 and 5)

Guitars – DAVEY JOHNSTONE

Bass – KLAUS VOORMAN

Percussion – RAY COOPER

Drums – NIGEL OLSSON

Piano – IAN ARMIT of Argent (on "Jubilee Cloud")

Viola – STEFAN DELFT (on "Wild Mountain Thyme")

 

The band for the ROD STEWART sessions was (Side 2 – Tracks 6 to 11):

Lead Vocals - JOHN BALDRY (Guitar on "Mother Ain't Dead")

Duet Vocals – ROD STEWART (on "Mother Ain't Dead", Rod also plays Banjo)

Guitars – JAMES LITHERLAND and ROBERT WESTON (on "You Can't Judge A Book" and "Lord Remember Me")

Guitars – SAM MITCHELL (on "Hambone")

Piano - IAN ARMIT of Argent (on "You Can't Judge A Book", "Lord Remember Me" and "Armit's Trousers")

Bass – BILL SMITH (on "You Can't Judge A Book" and "Lord Remember Me")

Bass – JOHN PORTER (on "Hambone")

Drums – JOHN DENTITH (on "You Can't Judge A Book" and "Lord Remember Me")

Drums – JOHN PORTER (on "Hambone")

Percussion - MICKIE WALLER of Steampacket (on "You Can't Judge A Book")

Backing Vocals – MADELINE BELL, LIZA STRIKE and DORIS TROY (on "You Can't Judge A Book")

Backing Vocals – MADELINE BELL, LIZA STRIKE and BARRY ST. JOHN (on "Lord Remember Me")

 

The great news here is expert remastering carried out by Rhino's long-time tape associate DAN HERSCH; these CDs sounds just brilliant - analogue warm and in your face for all the right reasons. At times in fact it feels like the FACES unleashed - both acoustically and in full-on band mode. Music wise - this is pre "Every Picture Tells A Story" and "Madman Across The Water" - I mention these albums again because proceedings come on like "Picture" (produced by Rod and featuring his backing band), while Side 2 sounds like a more rockier version of "Madman" (produced by Elton etc). Couple this with great song selections (fast and folky alike) and Baldry's British toff speaking voice sounding like a guttural fired-up Eric Burden when he sings and the effect is magical. Let's do each...

 

The "It Ain't Easy" album...

 

When Nashville songwriter Ron Davies wrote "It Ain't Easy" for his 1970 LP "Silent Song Through The Land" (A&M SP-4264) - he probably had no idea that huge rock acts would then take his unknown song and name TWO entire albums after it – THREE DOG NIGHT in 1970 and (LONG) JOHN BALDRY in 1971.

 

Many will also be aware of the song through David Bowie's cover on Side 1 of 1972's "Ziggy Stardust". Even Dave Edmunds had a go at the tune for his debut album "Rockpile" on Regal Zonophone also in 1972 (see separate review). "It Ain't Easy" was just one of those cool rock tracks that lent itself to other artists who then somehow made it 'their' song. Baldry (who loved bluesy based acoustic tunes) was also clearly partial to its charms (lyrics from it title this review).

 

After a witty introduction, we get the first Side 1 song "Don't Try To Lay No Boogie-Woogie On The King Of Rock And Roll" (Ron Wood on Guitar) which Warner Bros tried as a US 45-single in July 1971 with the album cut "Mr. Rubin" on the flipside (penned by the lovely female singer Lesley Duncan) – but Warner Brothers 7506 did little chart business. In England, WB waited until 20 August 1971 for a British 45-single and used "Rock Me When He's Gone" on the A-side with the Faces tune "Flying" on the B-side. The thinking was probably that "Rock Me When He's Gone" was an exclusive Elton John and Bernie Taupin song not on any of Elt's LPs at the time and would therefore be a collector's draw – but again it stalled. Other corkers include a fab cover of the Randy Newman menace-inducing "Let's Burn Down The Cornfield" and the so cool near seven-minutes of "Flying" (they put the full album cut on the British 45 and not an edit). The stunning pipes of Maggie Bell bring huge bellows to both "Black Girl" (don't you lie to me - where did you sleep last night) and the aforementioned "It Ain't Easy". She seemed like the perfect foil for Baldry who call-and-responses with her as they both let rip with those Bluesy - just check out on Spotify how they belt it out on "It Ain't Easy" - fab!

 

But the real fireworks for me come in the blistering bonus tracks. Faces and Mercury-years Rod Stewart fans will flip for these - 4 are acoustic (11, 12, 14 and 15), while the other 2 are band orientated (16 and 17). In fact it almost sounds like these tracks represent the true spirit of the sessions - an unplugged pure blues album trying desperately to get out - get past all that production.

 

Infuriatingly, it doesn't say who plays the harmonica and acoustic guitar on the fabulous version of "Going Down Slow" or the weird cello intro on the Alternate "Black Girl" There is also the Robert Johnson classic "Love In Vain" which will be of interest to those who want their Baldry all Bluesy and how. By way of splinters, Warners decided to issue both albums as individual CDs in the UK - "It Ain't Easy" being released 29 August 2005 on Warner Brothers 8122784642 (Barcode 081227846428) complete with the 7 bonus outtakes and 1 Radio Spot.

 

The "Everything Stops For Tea" album...

 

"Everything Stops For Tea" opens well with an R&B one-two of "Come Back Again" and "Seventh Son" where the album feels like "It Ain't Easy" Part 2 (the LP that preceded it in 1971). But then Baldry attempts a Scottish air – the McPeake Family's beautiful traditional "Wild Mountain Thyme" and along with a wishy-washy take on the Dixie Cups classic "Iko Iko" kills any real momentum the side might have had. In fact, Warner Bros. UK tried what they presumed was the catchy "Iko Iko" as a pre-LP British 45-single - 27 April 1972 on Warner Brothers K 16175 with the Bluesy Traditional song "Mother Ain't Dead" on the B-side (presumably to catch both sides of his core audience) – but it did not take.

 

Things recover big time with his rocking cover of "Jubilee Cloud" – a track from the 1971 "Kongos" album on Fly Records by South African John Kongos. With the band rocking it out – you really wish the whole side was filled with these smart choices. But Side 2 makes the same mistake of including too many styles when really it would have been better to Rock or even Funk.

 

Pre-ambled by some very silly dialogue about fans seeking signatures as he types a reluctant letter of apology – a hassled Baldry plays up his terribly aristocratic British accent on the intro to "Everything Stops For Tea". Written by Al Goodhart, Al Hoffman and Maurice Sigler – this ode to England's favourite tipple was first a witty vocal vehicle for Jack Buchanan alongside Fay Wray in the 1935 movie "Come Out Of The Pantry". Baldry keeps his version firmly in the music hall shuffle tradition – "...you remember Cleopatra...she had a date to meet Mark Anthony at three...but he came an hour late...she said you'll have to wait...because everything stops for tea..." – you get the audio picture.

 

There are tongue-in-cheek jabs at the outlandish garbs of Rod Stewart and Elton John in the lyrics of the superb cover of Willie Dixon's "You Can't Judge A Book" where the band finally rocks out – Jimmy Horowitz giving in some chunky Hammond chords while Madeline Bell, Liza Strike and Doris Troy give it some Soulful backing vocals. Baldry opens "Mother Ain't Dead" with a spoken intro about how he hadn't sung with Rod sing the Steampacket days back in 1965. They then duet on this rather lovely version of the Blues Traditional with Baldry playing Guitar and Rod doing an impressive Banjo backing. "Hambone" – a very funky drum-shuffler - turned up on a Warner Brothers CD compilation called "Right On! Volume 4" in 2002 - Soul Boys and Rock-Soul Funksters alike digging its sexy groove. Written by guitarist Sam Mitchell – he also plays all guitars on the fantastically catchy "Hambone" (definitely one of the album's highlights). 

 

Written by Myrtle Jackson in the Forties and famously covered by Country Music star Hank Snow in 1966 - "But This I Pray, Oh Lord Remember Me" is reduced to "Lord Remember Me" - a slow Soulful Gospel rap that builds into a frantic preacher 'piano and ladies' chant. The album then fizzles out with Ian Armit's "Armit's Trousers" – a two-minute instrumental ditty with him on a lone piano (he was one of The Hoochie Coochie Men back in the 60ts day with Baldry).

 

The Bonus Tracks on "Everything..." are a mixed bag. After a one-minute Radio Spot (No. 1) that uses the dialogue/typewriter gag at the beginning of "Everything Stops For Tea" (not a very convincing sales pitch I'd have to say) – we get something worth celebrating in a hard-hitting Blues Boogie similar to Muddy Waters/Johnny Winter. The self-penned Slow-Blues of "Bring My Baby Back To Me" was first released by Baldry as a British 45 on United Artists UP 1158 in 1966 – the B-side of "Cuckoo". The fantastic 6:25 minute live version of "Bring My Baby Back To Me" presented on this CD first appeared on Side 4 of the vinyl double-album "Mar Y Sol – The First International Puerto Rico Pop Festival" in 1972 on Atco SD 2-705. I don't know who's playing guitar – but it's a barnstormer (and first time on CD here too). This is followed by two album outtakes – covers of Neil Young's sorrowful "After The Gold Rush" classic "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" and Ron Davies' lesser-known "I'm Just A Rake & Ramblin' Boy". Both feature the vocals of Joyce Everson whose album "Crazy Lady" appeared in 1972 on Warner Brothers BS 2604 (the Radio Spot No. 2 advertises it using Baldry's voice). Although she's a good voice – her high pitch doesn't suit him and the Neil Young track comes across as mawkish rather than tuneful. The largely acoustic "I'm Just A Rake & Ramblin' Boy" is far better - but in truth you can see why both were left off an already confusing album.

 

Although the 2nd LP isn't as good as the first (too many conflicting styles and a couple of choices that simmered rather than sizzled) – I still see "Everything Stops For Tea" as a must have for me. Warner Brothers UK and Europe released it 29 August 2005 as a single CD on Warner Brothers 8122784652 (Barcode 081227846527) complete with bonus tracks and new liner notes from Sid Griffin that were clearly written before Baldry passed in June 2005. That "Everything Stops For Tea" and its "It Ain't Easy" companion release are also unfortunately deleted, but available (at a price) on auction sites and second hand hubs.

 

In June 1964, Long John Baldry & The Hoochie Coochie Men released an obscure UK 7" single on United Artists UP 1056. Its B-side - a raucous cover of Sister Rosetta Tharpe's gospel tune "Up Above My Head" - featured an uncredited duet vocal with a sensational new singer (it was Rod Stewart's first vinyl appearance). You have to say that Rod The Mod and Elton certainly repaid the gallant Englishman for that launching pad, when they put together this wicked twosome at the behest of Joe Smith - President of Warners.

 

With Baldry lost to us since July 2005 after a long battle with cancer (aged 64 and living in Canada), this and/or its splinter releases is a lovely way to remember that most Blighty of male singers.

 

And well done to all those involved for finally seeing the whole kit and caboodle reissued in such stomping audio. Rest in Peace you British beauty...