We continue our look at the music of 50 years ago……
There were three distinct eras for the band Blood, Sweat & Tears…Pre David Clayton Thomas…With David Clayton Thomas…and Post David Clayton Thomas.
After replacing Al Kooper as the front man for the band in 1969, Clayton Thomas and the band immediately struck gold with the group’s 2nd LP in 1969. It spawned three singles that climbed to # 2 on the charts and won the Grammy for LP of the Year, beating out Abbey Road in the process. The next record didn’t do as well, made up mostly of cover songs, some good, some not.
So in 1971 the band flew in from their homes all over the country to San Francisco to record BST 4. and they decided to bring mostly original material to the table. It’s a mixed bag. The album starts with the rockiest jazz-rock song the band ever did. Go Down Gamblin, written by Clayton-Thomas kicks ass and features the singer himself turning his amps up to 10 and blasting out the lead guitar that drives the tune.
From there the record gives you horn drenched songs and pretty melodies. “Lisa, Listen To Me” is a nice pop song and the band really cuts loose with some religious overtones on “Redemption” and “John The Baptist” (written by original member Al Kooper). Guitarist Steve Katz offers up “High on a Mountain”, For My Lady” and “Valentines Day”… and trombonist Dick Halligan brought in a song called Cowboys & Indians with some actual political viewpoints. There’s also a nice cover (although not as nice as the Doobie Brothers a few years later) of the Holland-Dozier-Holland classic “Take Me in Your Arms (and Rock Me)” and a fun little Dixieland style tune called “Mama Gets High” .
This album was the last for David Clayton-Thomas before he went solo and a number of other band members, some who had been there from the start left as well. And though the band would continue for years with various musicians coming and going (Clayton-Thomas even returned for a spell), it would never again achieve the heights they reached at their peak in 1969-71.
Although compared alot to Chicago at the time…they were a much different band. Better in some aspects…not as good in others….but they did show that various musical styles could meld and deliver a pleasing product. That’s nothing to sneeze at. Enjoy (and expect “Mama Get’s High” to become an ear-worm for awhile).
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