John Barleycorn Must Die
John Barleycorn Must Die | ||||
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Island and Olympic, London | ||||
Genre |
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Length | 35:06 | |||
Label |
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Producer | Chris Blackwell, Steve Winwood, Guy Stevens | |||
Traffic chronology | ||||
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Singles from John Barleycorn Must Die | ||||
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John Barleycorn Must Die is the fourth studio album by English rock band
Background and content
In late 1968, Traffic disbanded, with guitarist Dave Mason leaving the group for the second time prior to the completion of the Traffic album. In 1969, Steve Winwood joined the supergroup Blind Faith, while drummer and lyricist Jim Capaldi and woodwinds player Chris Wood turned to session work. Wood and Winwood also joined Blind Faith's drummer Ginger Baker in his post-Blind Faith group Ginger Baker's Air Force for their first album, Ginger Baker's Air Force (1970).[5]
At the beginning of 1970, after the demise of Blind Faith, Winwood returned to the studio ostensibly to make his first solo album, originally to be titled Mad Shadows. He recorded two tracks with producer Guy Stevens, "Stranger to Himself" and "Every Mother's Son", but yearned for like-minded musicians to accompany, inviting Wood and Capaldi to join him. Thus Winwood's erstwhile solo album became the reunion of Traffic (minus Dave Mason), and a re-launch of the band's career.[6] Mad Shadows would go on to be the title of Mott the Hoople's second album, also produced by Guy Stevens, and the new Winwood/Traffic album took its title from one of its tracks and became John Barleycorn Must Die.
The album featured influences from jazz and blues, but the version of the traditional English folk tune that provided the album's title, "John Barleycorn", also showed the musicians attending to a modern interpretation of traditional folk music in the vein of contemporary British bands Pentangle and Fairport Convention. Whereas previous Traffic albums had been dominated by more concise song structures, John Barleycorn saw the group develop into a looser, jam-oriented progressive rock and jazz fusion style, setting the tone for their subsequent output in the 1970s.
The album was reissued for compact disc in the UK on 1 November 1999, with five bonus tracks, including three recorded in concert from the
Steve Winwood oversaw a deluxe edition that was released on 15 March 2011,[7] featuring the original studio album, digitally remastered on disc one, plus a second disc of bonus material, including more of the Fillmore East concert, with alternate mixes and versions of album tracks.
Cover
The original
Reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
The Great Rock Discography | 7/10[12] |
MusicHound | 4.5/5[13] |
PopMatters | 9/10[14] |
Record Collector | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Uncut | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Retrospective reviews of the album have been mixed.
However, John Barleycorn Must Die was voted number 369 in
Track listing and personnel
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Personnel | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Glad" | Steve Winwood | Personnel:
| 6:59 |
2. | "Freedom Rider" | Winwood, Jim Capaldi | Personnel:
| 6:20 |
3. | "Empty Pages" | Winwood, Capaldi[nb 1] | Personnel:
| 4:47 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Personnel | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
4. | "Stranger to Himself" | Winwood, Capaldi | Personnel:
| 4:02 |
5. | "John Barleycorn (Must Die)" | traditional; arranged by Winwood | Personnel:
| 6:20 |
6. | "Every Mother's Son" | Winwood, Capaldi | Personnel:
| 7:05 |
Total length: | 35:06 |
Previously unreleased studio bonus tracks 4. ("I Just Want You To Know") and 8. ("Sittin' Here Thinkin' of My Love") are solo demos by Winwood. The live tracks, recorded on 18/19 November at the Fillmore East, comprise what was to have been side one of Live Traffic (ILPS 9142), presumably shelved in favor of Welcome to the Canteen.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Personnel | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Glad" | Winwood | 6:59 | |
2. | "Freedom Rider" | Winwood, Capaldi | 5:30 | |
3. | "Empty Pages" | Winwood, Capaldi | 4:34 | |
4. | "I Just Want You to Know" | Winwood, Capaldi | Personnel:
| 1:30 |
5. | "Stranger to Himself" | Winwood, Capaldi | 3:57 | |
6. | "John Barleycorn" | traditional; arranged by Winwood | 6:27 | |
7. | "Every Mother's Son" | Winwood, Capaldi | 7:08 | |
8. | "Sittin' Here Thinkin' of My Love" | Winwood, Capaldi | Personnel:
| 3:33 |
9. | "Backstage and Introduction" (live; introduction by Bill Graham) | Winwood, Capaldi | 1:50 | |
10. | "Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring" (live) | Capaldi, Winwood, Chris Wood | Personnel:
| 6:56 |
11. | "Glad" (live) | Winwood | Personnel:
| 11:29 |
Island Records 314 548 541-2, also includes the previously unreleased tracks "I Just Want You to Know" and "Sittin' Here Thinkin' of My Love".
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Glad" | 6:57 |
2. | "Freedom Rider" | 5:29 |
3. | "Empty Pages" | 4:38 |
4. | "I Just Want You to Know" | 1:33 |
5. | "Stranger to Himself" | 3:57 |
6. | "John Barleycorn" | 6:26 |
7. | "Every Mother's Son" | 7:08 |
8. | "Sittin' Here Thinkin' of My Love" | 3:24 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Stranger to Himself" (alternative mix) | Winwood, Capaldi | 4:09 |
2. | "John Barleycorn Must Die" (first version) | traditional; arranged by Winwood | 5:05 |
3. | "Every Mother's Son" (alternative mix) | Winwood, Capaldi | 7:03 |
4. | "Back Stage and Introduction" | 1:44 | |
5. | "Medicated Goo" (live) | Winwood, Jimmy Miller | 4:17 |
6. | "Empty Pages" (live) | Winwood, Capaldi | 4:47 |
7. | "Forty Thousand Headmen" (live) | Winwood, Capaldi | 4:30 |
8. | "Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring?" (live) | Winwood, Capaldi, Wood | 5:16 |
9. | "Every Mother's Song" (live) | Winwood, Capaldi | 7:00 |
10. | "Glad" / "Freedom Rider" (live) | Winwood / Winwood, Capaldi | 14:30 |
Tracks 4–10 recorded on 18–19 November 1970 at the Fillmore East.
Personnel
Traffic
- Steve Winwood – acoustic piano (1, 2, 5), organ (1, 2, 3), percussion (1, 2), vocals (2-6), electric piano (3), bass guitar (3), all instruments (4), acoustic guitar (5), all other instruments (6)
- Jim Capaldi – drums (1, 2, 3, 5, 6), percussion (1, 2, 3), backing vocals (4, 5), tambourine (5)
- Chris Wood – percussion (1, 2, 5), saxophone (1, 2), electric saxophone (1, 2), flute (1, 2, 5), organ (3)
Production
- Chris Blackwell – producer (1, 2, 3, 5)
- Steve Winwood – producer (1, 2, 3, 5)
- Guy Stevens – producer (4, 6)
- Brian Humphries – engineer
- Andy Johns – engineer
- Lee Hulko – mastering
- Mike Sida – album design
- Richard Polak – photography
Charts
Chart (1970-1971) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[21] | 14 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[22] | 6 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[23] | 5 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[24] | 15 |
UK Albums (OCC)[25] | 11 |
US Billboard 200[26] | 5 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[27] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ Murphy, Sean (29 March 2017). "The 100 Best Classic Progressive Rock Songs: Part 4, 40–21". PopMatters. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
... and a more jam-based jazz-rock on the masterful (but not-proggy) John Barleycorn Must Die
- ^ "Billboard 200 – Traffic". Billboard. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
- ^ "Empty Pages" Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
- ^ Traffic in the UK Charts Archived 20 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Official Charts. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
- ^ Nick Logan and Bob Woffinden, editors. The Illustrated New Musical Express Encyclopedia of Rock. New York: Harmony Books, 1977, p. 234.
- ^ John Barleycorn Must Die, 1999 reissue Island Records IMCD 266 546499-2, liner notes p. 3.
- ^ Progressive Rock with a Capital P. – PopMatters.
- ^ a b AllMusic: Traffic – John Barleycorn Must Die (1970) album review by William Ruhlmann
- ^ Horowitz, Hal (30 March 2011). "Traffic: John Barleycorn Must Die: Deluxe Edition". American Songwriter. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 16 March 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ISBN 978-0857125958.
- ISBN 1-84195-615-5.
- ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
- ^ Murphy, Sean (6 May 2011). "Progressive rock with a capital P: Traffic's John Barleycorn Must Die". PopMatters. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ Needs, Kris (20 March 2011). "John Barleycorn Must Die: Deluxe Edition". Record Collector. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ Young, Rob (April 2011). "Traffic: John Barleycorn Must Die: Deluxe Edition". Uncut (167): 94.
- ISBN 0-7535-0493-6.
- ISBN 978-1841950679.
- ISBN 978-0-7893-1371-3.
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4196". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Traffic – John Barleycorn Must Die" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Traffic – John Barleycorn Must Die". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "Traffic Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "American album certifications – Traffic – John Barleycorn Must Die". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
Notes
- ^ The 2011 reissue credits both the studio and live versions of this song to Winwood alone.