The Amazing Charlatans

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The Amazing Charlatans
Compilation album by
ReleasedSeptember 1996
RecordedAugust 1965 – early 1968
GenreFolk rock, psychedelic rock
Length67:29
LabelBig Beat

The Amazing Charlatans is a compilation album by the American psychedelic rock band the Charlatans that was released in 1996 by Big Beat Records.[1] The album is a collection of demos, tracks that appeared on singles, and previously unreleased sessions that the band recorded between August 1965 and early 1968, at a variety of different San Francisco studios.[2]

All but three of the tracks featured on the album were previously unreleased, although a number of them had appeared on unofficial or bootleg albums over the years.[1][2] The tracks on the album that had been officially released before were "The Shadow Knows" and "32–20", which had both been issued on a 1966 single,[2] "Codine Blues", which had first appeared as "Codine" on the 1985 Rhino Records' compilation, Nuggets, Volume 7: Early San Francisco,[3] and "Number One", which had appeared on the 1986 compilation, The Autumn Records Story.

The tracks on the album originate from four recording dates: an August 1965 demo session for Autumn Records, a recording session for Kama Sutra Records in early 1966, a July 1967 demo session, and an early 1968 studio session.[2] The final track on the album is a radio commercial for Groom N' Clean hair preparation, recorded in November 1966.[2] It features the band playing their signature song, "Alabama Bound", with alternate lyrics outlining the merits of Groom N' Clean.[2]

Track listing[edit]

  1. "Codine Blues" (Buffy Sainte-Marie) – 2:22
  2. "Alabama Bound" (traditional, arranged Mike Ferguson, Dan Hicks, George Hunter, Richard Olsen, Mike Wilhelm) – 6:24
  3. "I Always Wanted a Girl Like You" (George Hunter, Richard Olsen) – 1:31
  4. "I Saw Her" (traditional, arranged Mike Ferguson, Dan Hicks, George Hunter, Richard Olsen, Mike Wilhelm) – 2:06
  5. "How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away" (Dan Hicks) – 2:22
  6. "32–20" (Robert Johnson) – 2:27
  7. "We're Not on the Same Trip" (Dan Hicks) – 3:12
  8. "Walkin'" (George Hunter, Richard Olsen) – 3:08
  9. "Sweet Sue, Just You" (Will Harris, Victor Young) – 3:40
  10. "East Virginia" (traditional, arranged Patrick Gogerty, Dan Hicks, George Hunter, Richard Olsen, Mike Wilhelm, Terry Wilson) – 1:40
  11. "The Shadow Knows" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) – 2:14
  12. "I Got Mine" (Dan Hicks) – 2:27
  13. "Steppin' in Society" (Alex Gerber, Harry Akst) – 1:14
  14. "Devil Got My Man" (Skip James) – 2:46
  15. "By Hook or by Crook" (Dan Hicks) – 2:24
  16. "'Long Come a Viper" (Dan Hicks) – 2:41
  17. "Sidetrack" (traditional, arranged Mike Ferguson, Dan Hicks, Lynne Hughes, George Hunter, Richard Olsen, Mike Wilhelm) – 2:26
  18. "Alabama Bound" (traditional, arranged Mike Ferguson, Dan Hicks, George Hunter, Richard Olsen, Mike Wilhelm) – 2:45
  19. "Number One" (Mike Wilhelm) – 4:15
  20. "Baby Won't You Tell Me" (John Hammond) – 3:41
  21. "Jack of Diamonds" (traditional, arranged Mike Ferguson, Dan Hicks, George Hunter, Richard Olsen, Mike Wilhelm) – 4:49
  22. "The Blues Ain't Nothin'" (Mike Wilhelm) – 4:58
  23. "Groom N' Clean Ad" (traditional, arranged Mike Ferguson, Dan Hicks, George Hunter, Richard Olsen, Mike Wilhelm) – 0:40

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "The Amazing Charlatans review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2009-06-02.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Palao, Alec (1996). The Amazing Charlatans (CD booklet). The Charlatans. Big Beat Records.
  3. ^ "Nuggets Volume 7: Early San Francisco album information". Deaddisc.com. Retrieved 2009-06-02.