Liner Notes
"I WAS HONORED WHEN BELL RECORDS' LARRY UTTAL CALLED AND COMMISSIONED ME TO SAY SOMETHING IN PRINT ON THE BACK OF THE JACKET OF THIS ALBUM. I TOOK IT HOME. ONE RAINY AFTERNOON IN THE SHADOWS OF MY QUEENS, N.Y. APARTMENT, I LISTENED, TURNING ON ALL MY SENSITIVITIES TO THE SHADINGS OF BLUE COMING FROM THE MOODS OF ELMORE JAMES. IT IS AT SUCH TIMES THAT A MAN WHO FEELS HIS BLUES CAN, EVEN IF EVER SO BRIEFLY, FIND HIMSELF.
ELMORE JAMES IS A NAME QUICKLY RECOGNIZED BY EVERY LIVING GENERATION, EXCEPT MAYBE THE TEENY BOPPERS. SO BE IT. ALTHOUGH I CHERISH ELMORE JAMES' MUSIC AND HIS MEMORY, I DON'T PITY FOR ONE MOMENT THOSE WHOSE DAY HAS COME TOO LATE FOR THEM TO APPRECIATE ELMORE JAMES. YOU SEE, WHEN ELMORE WAS PICKING OUT AND WAILING THIS VERY RUDIMENTARY KIND OF BLUES, THERE WAS A LOT MORE LIFE AROUND US PARALLEL WITH THE KIND OF MUSIC ELMORE CREATED. THE TEENY BOPPER OF TODAY HAS A LIFE SO DEVOID OF THE BITTERNESS THIS KIND OF BLUES WAS MADE TO SWEETEN, SO EMPTY OF THE KIND OF HURT THIS KIND OF BLUES WAS MADE TO HEAL, TOO FULL OF FULLNESS, AS IT WERE, FOR THIS KIND OF MUSIC TO CAUSE LITTLE MORE THAN A SIGH.
THIS MUSIC HAS ROOTS THAT REACH BACK DEEP INTO THE DAYS WHEN THE CORN AND COTTON FIELDS WERE A REALITY, WHEN A DRESS THAT LOOKED LIKE A BAG OFTEN WAS A BAG AND NOT A MODERATE LY-PRI CED "CREATION" MADE TO LOOK LIKE A SACK. IT'S MUSIC THAT GOES BACK TO THE DAY WHEN A DOLLAR WAS A DOLLAR AND CAME PAINFULLY SLOW ... AND WENT TOO FAST, WHEN COLLARD GREENS WERE NOT A SOUL FOOD DELICACY BUT SOMETHING YOU STUFFED YOUR GULLET WITH BECAUSE THE STREAK-O-LEAN-STREAK-O-FAT WAS PITIFULLY SCARCE. IT WAS THE PREDOMINANT SOUND THAT CAME OUT OF THE JUKE JOINT JUKE BOXES BEFORE THEY MADE THEM STEREO AND ENLARGED THE COIN-SLOT TO TAKE YOUR HALF-DOLLAR. IT'S A SOUND THAT GOES BACK TO A TIME WHEN MEN WORKED FROM SUN UP TO SUNDOWN - AND HUNG ONTO THEIR JOBS FOR DEAR LIFE, EVEN IF THE MONEY "DIDN'T HARDLY EVER SEEM TO COME OUT RIGHT." IT IS FROM A TIME WHEN ONE LIVED ON THE WEEKENDS FOR ALL HE WAS WORTH, BECAUSE HIS LABORIOUS EXISTENCE TILL NEXT SATURDAY NIGHT SHAPED UP LIKE SO MUCH HELL.
B.A.P. BEFORE ANTI-POVERTY. B.G.S. BEFORE THE GREAT SOCIETY. THIS IS MUSIC MEANT FOR THE EARS OF MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE ALMA MATERS INCLUDE THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS.
LET THE TEENY BOPPERS STICK AROUND LONG ENOUGH. THERE WILL BE A MESSAGE AND A MEANING HERE FOR THEM TOO. GIVE 'EM TIME.
--ENOCH GREGORY THE DIXIE DRIFTER WWRL RADIO, NEW YORK
SPHERE SOUND RECORDS-A PRODUCT OF BELL RECORDS, INC., 1776 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10019
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