The Real Thing (Taj Mahal album)

The Real Thing
Live album by
Taj Mahal
Released1971 (CD in 2000)
RecordedFebruary 13, 1971
VenueFillmore East, New York City
GenreBlues
Length66:51
LabelColumbia/Legacy
ProducerDavid Rubinson (original recording), Bob Irwin (CD reissue)
Taj Mahal chronology
Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home
(1969) 		The Real Thing
(1971) 		Happy Just to Be Like I Am
(1972)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideB[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[3]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings[5]
Rolling Stone(not rated)[4]

The Real Thing is a double live album by Taj Mahal, released in 1971. It was recorded on February 13, 1971, at the Fillmore East in New York City and features Taj Mahal backed by a band that includes four tuba players.

Track listing

All tracks by Taj Mahal except where noted.

  1. "Fishin' Blues" (Henry Thomas) – 2:58
  2. "Ain't Gwine to Whistle Dixie (Any Mo')" (Chuck Blackwell, Jesse Ed Davis, Gary Gilmore, Taj Mahal) – 9:11
  3. "Sweet Mama Janisse" – 3:32
  4. "Going Up to the Country and Paint My Mailbox Blue" – 3:24
  5. "Big Kneed Gal" – 5:34
  6. "You're Going to Need Somebody on Your Bond" (Blind Willie Johnson) – 6:13
  7. "Tom and Sally Drake" – 3:39
  8. "Diving Duck Blues" (Sleepy John Estes) – 3:46
  9. "John, Ain' It Hard" – 5:30
  10. "She Caught the Katy (And Left Me a Mule to Ride)" (Taj Mahal, Yank Rachell) – 4:08
    • Omitted from the vinyl issue, added to 2000 CD issue. Studio recording appears on The Natch'l Blues (1968).
  11. "You Ain't No Street Walker Mama, Honey but I Do Love the Way You Strut Your Stuff" – 18:56

Personnel

Technical

  • Tim Geelan, Glen Kolotkin, Frank Abbey, Jerry Smith – engineer
  • Anna Hornisher – cover, artwork, design
  • Irene Harris – cover photography

References

  1. ^ Planer, Lindsay. The Real Thing at AllMusic. Retrieved April 5, 2012.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: M". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 2, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. ^ "Music Review: 'Taj Mahal'". EW.com. September 8, 2000. Archived from the original on April 1, 2007. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  4. ^ Gerson, Ben (September 16, 1971). "Taj Mahal The Real Thing Review". RollingStone. Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  5. ^ Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. p. 623. ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.