Roots
The second solo album, full of hopeful songs about peace, and a top ten R&B record.
Curtis Mayfield, 1971
- Released
- October 1971
- Label
- Curtom
Roots peaked at number 6 on Billboard's Top R&B Albums chart. It has seven songs and was arranged by Johnny Pate and Riley Hampton. Stevie Chick of the Guardian wrote that it was awash with hopeful songs about peace, and picked Keep On Keeping On and We Got to Have Peace as its highlights. He described the production of the first as maximalist, with harps, horns, talking drums, clarinets, strings and saxophone. Bruce Eder of AllMusic wrote that it soars on some of the sweetest and most eloquent soul sounds heard up to that time.
The 1999 Rhino reissue added four bonus tracks, including a demo of Underground and single edits of three other songs.
Track listing
- Get Down5:45
- Keep On Keeping On5:08
- Underground5:15
- We Got to Have Peace4:44
- Beautiful Brother of Mine7:23
- Now You're Gone6:50
- Love to Keep You in My Mind3:48
Personnel
- Curtis Mayfield vocals, guitar
- Craig McMullen guitar
- Joseph "Lucky" Scott bass
- Tyrone McCullen drums
- Henry Gibson percussion
- Leroy Hutson background vocals
- Michael Hawkins background vocals
- Johnny Pate arrangements
- Riley Hampton arrangements
More from Curtis Mayfield
Curtis (1970), Super Fly (1972), Back to the World (1973), There's No Place Like America Today (1975)
Sources
- Roots (Curtis Mayfield album), Wikipedia
- Curtis Mayfield: 10 of the best, The Guardian (2015-08-05)