Several standout songs include the two Willie Dixon penned cuts, "Seventh Son" and "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover"; as well as the Dixie Cups song "Iko Iko". This album along with his previous offering It Ain't Easy were the beginning of Baldry's return to the blues after his pop years in the late 1960s. Several songs were released as singles by Warner Bros. including "Mother Ain't Dead", "Iko Iko" and "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover".
Like its companion It Ain't Easy, the second half of Long John Baldry's early-'70s comeback Everything Stops for Tea initially attracted the most attention via its producers, former Baldry sidemen Elton John and Rod Stewart.
The two superstars each handled one side apiece and, though neither shines with the same generous idiosyncrasies that saw the earlier LP sparkle, still they power Baldry to some marvelous heights -- most notably the should-have-been-a-hit cover of "Iko Iko," and a glorious "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover."
With Baldry's musical tastes now drawing folkier textures into his blues (and eschewing the big ballad pop altogether), it's a varied and oft-times eclectic collection.
But the strength of Baldry's performance smooths over any rough edges that might have tripped other singers and, though It Ain't Easy remains the superior of these two albums, this one really isn't that far behind it.
Ronnie Wood drew the cover art which portrays Baldry as the Mad Hatter.
The album peaked at No.189 on the Billboard 200.
Track listing
- "Intro: Come Back Again" (Ross Wilson) – 4:05
- "Seventh Son" (Willie Dixon) – 3:07
- "Wild Mountain Thyme" (Traditional; arranged by John Baldry and Davey Johnstone) – 3:49
- "Iko Iko" (Sharon Jones, Jesse Thomas, Joe Jones, Mary Lynn Jones) – 3:10
- "Jubilee Cloud" (John Kongos, Peter Leroy) – 4:16
- "Everything Stops for Tea" (Al Goodhart, Al Hoffman, Maurice Sigler) – 3:09 (from the 1935 musical film Come Out of the Pantry)
- "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover" (Dixon) – 4:21
- "Mother Ain't Dead" (Traditional) – 2:55
- "Hambone" (Sam Mitchell) – 3:48
- "Lord Remember Me" (Myrtle Jackson) – 4:08
- "Armit's Trousers" (Ian Armit) – 1:45
Additionally the following tracks were added as bonus tracks on the re-release of the album in 2005:
- "Radio Spot #1" – 1:06
- "Bring My Baby Back to Me" (Live) – 6:26
- "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (Featuring Joyce Everson) (Neil Young) – 3:13
- "I'm Just a Rake and Ramblin' Boy" (Featuring Joyce Everson) – 3:27
- "Radio Spot #2" – 0:57
Personnel
- John Baldry - vocals, guitar
- Elton John - piano, backing vocals (tracks 1, 3-5)
- Rod Stewart - banjo and backing vocals on "Mother Ain't Dead"
- Madeline Bell - backing vocals on "You Can't Judge a Book"
- Jimmy Horowitz - organ on "You Can't Judge a Book"
- Davey Johnstone - guitar, mandolin, piano (tracks 1-5)
- Sam Mitchell - steel guitar on "Hambone"
- Doris Troy - backing vocals on "You Can't Judge a Book" and "Lord Remember Me"
- Ian Armit - piano (tracks 5, 6, 9, 11)
- Ray Cooper - percussion (tracks 1, 4, 5)
- Stefan Delft - viola on "Wild Mountain Thyme"
- John Dentith - drums on "You Can't Judge a Book" and "Lord Remember Me"
- James Litherland - guitar on "You Can't Judge a Book" and "Lord Remember Me"
- Nigel Olsson - drums
- John Porter - bass guitar on "Hambone"
- Klaus Voormann - bass guitar
- Barry St. John - backing vocals on "Lord Remember Me"
- Terry Stannard - drums on "Hambone"
- Liza Strike - vocals, backing vocals (tracks 6, 7, 10)
- Micky Waller - percussion on "You Can't Judge a Book"
- Bob Weston - guitar on "You Can't Judge a Book" and "Lord Remember Me"
- Bill Smith - bass guitar on "You Can't Judge a Book" and "Lord Remember Me"
Notes
Released: May 1972
Recorded: January–February 1972 I.B.C. and Morgan Studios, London
Genre: Blues-rock, folk rock
Length: 54:21
Label - Warner Bros.
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