Tag Archives: May 1972

Bill Withers: Still Bill

In May 1972, “Sussex” label released “Still Bill”, the second Bill Withers studio album. It was recorded in 1972, at “The Record Plant” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Benorce Blackmon, Bill Withers, James Gadson, Melvin Dunlap and Ray Jackson. The album includes the single “Lean on Me”, which is number 205 on “Rolling Stone’s” list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Personnel:

  • Bill Withers – vocals, guitar, piano
  • Benorce Blackmon – guitar
  • Raymond Jackson – piano, clavinet, electric piano, horn and string arrangements
  • Melvin Dunlap – bass
  • James Gadson- drums, percussion
  • Bobbye Hall- percussion

Track listing:

All tracks by Bill Withers, except where noted.

  1. Lonely Town, Lonely Street
  2. Let Me in Your Life
  3. Who Is He (And What Is He to You)? – Bill Withers, Stanley McKenny
  4. Use Me
  5. Lean On Me
  6. Kissing My Love
  7. I Don’t Know
  8. Another day to Run – Bill Withers, Benorce Blackmon
  9. I Don’t Want You on My Mind
  10. Take It All In and Check It All Out

Joan Baez: Come from the Shadows

In May 1972, “A&M” label released “Come from the Shadows”, the fourteen Joan Baez album. It was recorded in 1972, at “Quadrophonic Sound Studios” in Nashville, and was produced by Joan Baez.

Personnel:

  • Joan Baez – vocals, guitar
  • Stuart Basore – steel guitar
  • Weldon Myrick – steel guitar
  • Pete Wade – guitar
  • Grady Martin– guitar
  • John “Bucky” Wilkin – guitar
  • David Briggs– keyboard
  • Glen Spreen – keyboards, string arrangements
  • Charlie McCoy– harp, guitar
  • Norbert Putnam– bass
  • Kenneth Buttrey– drums
  • Farrell Morris – percussion

Track listing:

  1. Prison Trilogy (Billy Rose) – Joan Baez
  2. Rainbow Road – Donnie Fritts, Dan Penn
  3. Love Song to a Stranger – Joan Baez
  4. Myths – Joan Baez
  5. In the Quiet Morning – Mimi Fariña
  6. All the Weary Mothers of the Earth (People’s Union #1) – Joan Baez
  7. To Bobby – Joan Baez
  8. Song of Bangladesh – Joan Baez
  9. A Stranger in My Place – Kenny Rogers, Kin Vassy
  10. Tumbleweed – Douglas Van Arsdale
  11. The Partisan – Anna Marly, Hy Zaret
  12. Imagine – John Lennon

Randy Newman: Sail Away

In May 1972, “Reprise” label released “Sail Away”, the third Randy Newman studio album. It was recorded in 1972, at “Amigo Studios”, “Western Studios”, “Poppi Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Lenny Waronker and Russ Titelman. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Sail Away” at number 321 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Randy Newman- vocals, piano, arranger
  • Ry Cooder- slide guitar
  • Russ Titelman- guitars
  • Chris Ethridge- bass
  • Wilton Felder- bass
  • Jimmy Bond- bass
  • Jim Keltner- drums
  • Gene Parsons- drums
  • Earl Palmer- drums
  • Milt Holland- percussion
  • Abe Most- alto saxophone

Track listing:

All tracks by Randy Newman.

  1. Sail Away
  2. Lonely at the Top
  3. He Gives Us All His Love
  4. Last Night I Had a Dream
  5. Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear
  6. Old man
  7. Political Science
  8. Burn On
  9. Memo to My Son
  10. Dayton Ohio-1903
  11. You Can Leave Your Hat On
  12. God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind)

Ornette Coleman: Skies of America

In May 1972, “Columbia” label released “Skies of America”, the 17th Ornette Coleman album. It was recorded in April 1972, at “Abbey Road Studios” in London, and was produced by Paul Myers.

Personnel:

  • Ornette Coleman— alto saxophone
  • London Symphony Orchestra
  • David Measham— conductor
  • Anthony Clark, Mike FitzHenry —engineer
  • Ed Lee — design
  • Michael Gross — cover art

Track listing:

All tracks by Ornette Coleman.

  1. Skies of America
  2. Native Americans
  3. The Good Life
  4. Birthdays and Funerals
  5. Dreams
  6. Sounds of Sculpture
  7. Holiday for Heroes
  8. All of My Life
  9. Dancers
  10. The Soul Within Woman
  11. The Artists in America
  12. The New Anthem
  13. Place in Space
  14. Foreigner in A Free Land
  15. Silver Screen
  16. Poetry
  17. The Men Who Live in the White House
  18. Love Life
  19. The Military
  20. Jam Session
  21. Sunday in America

Supremes: Floy Joy

In May 1972, “Motown” label released “Floy Joy”, the twenty-fifth Supremes album.  It was recorded 1971-1972, and was produced by Smokey Robinson.

Personnel:

  • Jean Terrell- lead and backing vocals
  • Mary Wilson- lead and backing vocals
  • Cindy Birdsong- lead and backing vocals
  • The Andantes(Louvain Demps, Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow) – additional backing vocals
  • Instrumentation byThe Funk Brothers:
    • Dennis Coffey- guitar
    • Robert White- guitar
    • Eddie Willis- guitar
    • Marvin Tarplin- guitar
    • Earl Van Dyke- piano, keyboards
    • Johnny Griffith- piano, keyboards
    • James Jamerson- bass
    • Zachary Slater – drums
    • Andrew Smith – drums
    • Jack Ashford- percussion
    • Jack Brokensha- percussion
    • Eddie “Bongo” Brown- percussion
  • Paul Riser- arranger
  • Jim Britt – photography
  • Berry Gordy- executive producer

Track listing:

  1. Your Wonderful, Sweet Sweet Love – Smokey Robinson
  2. Floy Joy – SmokeyRobinson
  3. A Heart Like Mine – Smokey Robinson,Ronald White
  4. Over and Over – Smokey Robinson
  5. Precious Little Things – Smokey Robinson,Marvin Tarplin, Pam Moffett
  6. Now the Bitter, Now the Sweet – Smokey Robinson, Cecil Franklin
  7. Automatically Sunshine – Smokey Robinson
  8. The Wisdom of Time – Smokey Robinson, Pam Moffett, Clifford Burston
  9. Oh Be My Love – Smokey Robinson,Warren Moore

Bob Weir: Ace

In May 1972, “Warner Bros” label released “Ace” the first Bob Weir solo album. It was recorded January-March 1972, and was produced by Donna Jean Godchaux.

Personnel:

  • Bob Weir– lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars
  • Jerry Garcia– lead guitar, pedal steel guitar, backing vocals
  • Keith Godchaux– piano, organ
  • Phil Lesh– bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Dave Torbert– bass guitar
  • Bill Kreutzmann– drums, percussion
  • Ed Bogus – string arrangement
  • Snooky Flowers, Luis Gasca and The Space Rangers – horns
  • Donna Jean Godchaux– backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Greatest Story Ever Told – Bob Weir, Robert Hunter
  2. Black-Throated Wind – Bob Weir, John Perry Barlow
  3. Walk in the Sunshine – Bob Weir, John Perry Barlow
  4. Playing in the Band – Bob Weir, Robert Hunter
  5. Looks Like Rain – Bob Weir, John Perry Barlow
  6. Mexicali Blues – Bob Weir, John Perry Barlow
  7. One More Saturday Night – Bob Weir
  8. Cassidy – Bob Weir, John Perry Barlow