Looking Back (John Mayall album)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Released August 1969
Recorded February 1963 – May 1969
Genre Blues
Length 37:54
Label Decca (UK)
(Single L.P.)
Decca (TELDEC) (GER)
(Double L.P.)
Producer John Mayall, Mike Vernon
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. Confusingly, there are two different albums with the title “Looking Back”: a Decca UK release as a single album (SKL 5010) and a Decca Germany (issued by TELDEC) release as a double album (DS 3104/1-2). Later issues on CD would use the Deram label.
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).
Album description
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
Decca UK release
Side one
No. Title Writer(s) Original release[4] Length
1. “Mr. James” John Mayall B-side of Decca F11900 2:55
2. “Blues City Shakedown” Mayall B-side of Decca F12120 2:23
3. “Stormy Monday” T-Bone Walker Previously unreleased 4:36
4. “So Many Roads” Paul Marshall, Paul Williams B-side of Decca F12506 4:46
5. “Looking Back” Johnny “Guitar” Watson A-side of Decca F12506 2:37
6. “Sitting in the Rain” Mayall A-side of Decca F12545 2:59
Side two
No. Title Writer(s) Original release Length
1. “It Hurts Me Too” Mel London, Hudson Whittaker B-side of Decca F12621 2:57
2. “Double Trouble” Otis Rush, M. Melka A-side of Decca F12621 3:22
3. “Suspicions (Part Two)” Mayall B-side of Decca F12684 5:29
4. “Jenny” Mayall B-side of Decca F12732 4:38
5. “Picture on the Wall” Mayall A-side of Decca F12732 3:02
Decca Germany release
Side one
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. “Third Degree” Boyd 3:17
2. “Stormy Monday” T-Bone Walker 4:34
3. “Jenny” Mayall 4:33
4. “Picture on the Wall” Mayall 3:03
5. “Chicago Line” Mayall 4:39
Side two
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. “Steppin’ Out” James Bracken 2:29
2. “Have You Heard” Mayall 5:54
3. “Ramblin’ on My Mind” Robert Johnson 3:11
4. “The Super-Natural” Peter Green 2:54
5. “Double Crossing Time” Mayall, Eric Clapton 3:06
6. “Parchman Farm” Mose Allison 2:24
Side three
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. “Dust My Blues” Elmore James 2:47
2. “You Don’t Love Me” Willie Cobbs 2:47
3. “Don’t Kick Me” Mayall 3:09
4. “Brown Sugar” Mayall 3:41
5. “The Death of J. B. Lenoir” Mayall 4:17
6. “Stand Back Baby” Mayall 1:48
Side four
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. “Checkin’ Up on My Baby” Sonny Boy Williamson 3:49
2. “I Can’t Quit You Baby” Willie Dixon 4:28
3. “Sandy” Mayall 3:46
4. “Blood on the Night” Mayall 8:59
Personnel
John Mayall – Lead vocals, piano, organ, guitar, harmonica
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
Bernie Watson – Guitar on “Mr. James”
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”
Hughie Flint – Drums on “Blues City Sakedown” 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
Malcolm Poole – Bass guitar
Colin Allen – Drums
John Almond – Flute, saxophone
Production
John Mayall – Producer
Mike Vernon – Producer
Tony Clarke – Producer on “Blues City Shakedown”
Bob Gordon – Photography