It Ain't Easy [Import, Original recording remastered]

Long John Baldry | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 5, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Rhino/Wea UK
• ASIN: B000A3OWS8
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,652 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #31 in Music > Imports > Country

Track Listings

1. Conditional Discharge

2. Don't Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie

3. Black Girl

4. It Ain't Easy

5. Morning Morning

6. I'm Ready

7. Lets Burn Down The Cornfield

8. Mr Rubin

9. Rock Me When He's Gone

10. Flying

11. Going Down Slow

12. Blues

13. Black Girl (Alt Version) (Bonus Track)

14. It Ain't Easy (Alt) (Bonus Track)

15. I'm Ready (Alt) (Bonus Track)

16. Love In Vain (Unreleased) (Bonus Track)

17. Midnight Hour Blues (Unreleased) (Bonus Track)

Editorial Reviews

With the death last month of the legendary British bluesman, it is fitting that some of his many fine albums are reissued. It Ain't Easy (1971) features a British blues/rock line-up befitting the man behind the Long John Baldry moniker. This album returns Baldry to a decidedly edgier and hipper audience, with a cast of all-stars on some of the more adventurous material he had covered to date. This is no doubt due, at least in part, to the involvement of superstars Rod Stewart and Elton John. Among their contributions to the project, Stewart and Elton divided the production tasks -- each taking a side of the original album. Immediately, Baldry sheds the MOR blue-eyed pop soul image. The backing band on Stewart's side include fellow Face and future Rolling Stone, Ron Wood, on electric guitar and acoustic guitarist and Sam Mitchell, who appeared on many of Stewart's early '70s solo albums. Features Baldry's biggest hit 'Don’t Try to Lay No Boogie-Woogie on the King of Rock n Roll'. Highlights from Elton John's side include Randy Newman's 'Let's Burn Down the Cornfield', which would have fit perfectly on John's Tumbleweed Connection album. Remastered and expanded. Warner. 2005.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a reissue of this fabulous album, November 13, 2005

By 

Martin Screech (Nanaimo, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: It Ain't Easy (Audio CD)

It's a little sad that the long overdue reissue of this album coincided almost exactly with Long John's death, but as one who grew up on the vinyl copy, I am delighted to have it. This may even be the first time that it has been released on CD in North America. I'm not sure about that, but it certainly hasn't been available for a long time.

In my view, this is one of the best blues-rock albums to come out of the 1970's. The involvement of Elton John and Rod Stewart was a thank you to Long John for his earlier support, and a recognition of his importance in London blues scene in the 1960's. The result is a killer selection of songs perfectly suited to Long John's bluesy rasp, and played with incredible energy. Many of these tunes are familiar, but these are the definitive renditions.

Adding bonus tracks to classic albums is sometimes a dreadful idea if the additional tracks are not up to snuff and diminish the original work. In this case, however, Stony Plain records have added some great tracks, all of which are well worth a listen. I just wished they hadn't waited so long.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Contravening a breach of the Peace, March 20, 2006

By 

Terry Goldman "Bluesjew4847" (Kents Store, VA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: It Ain't Easy (Audio CD)

Sadly coinciding with the death of LJB, this is as good as it gets.
I've had the vinyl for some 25 years and played it until it screamed "no more!"
Eclectic Baldry...sort of a Dave Van Ronk of the English scene jumps from Blues to Folk without a hitch.
The infamous "Don't Lay No Boogie Woogie" has a splendid Piano
track but for my money there is simply nothing like Willie Dixon's "I'm Ready." Ron Wood on Guitar and Sam Mitchell on slide
make this a signature piece copied by everyone from Aerosmith to George Thoroughgood and neither delivers the swagger and punch that Baldry does here.
Simply put. Worth every shilling.Rest gently, John.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Long John's best, August 28, 2006

By 

John D. Muir "oldies and pies lover" (Oglesby, Illinois) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: It Ain't Easy (Audio CD)

I first saw LJB in a local club in West London in 1964. In those days he was the main man and a moody young guy with a big nose sang when Long John wanted to take a break. His name was Rod Stewart- I wonder what happened to him?. Another of John's sidekicks, Reg Dwight, changed his name to Elton John (the John was in honor of Baldry) and I believe had some success in later years.

This album dates from the early 70s, after LJB had been to the big time singing MOR and come back down to earth with a bump. It was produced by Rod and Elton (one side each in the days when discs had two sides) and contains some of John's best singing. 'The King of Rock & Roll' is an obvious highlight, but 'Black Girl' is great and 'I'm Ready' and 'It Ain't Easy' are my favorites on a CD which is all good. After this, he made some albums in England which weren't big sellers. He had a breakdown and moved to Canada, where he made good albums regularly but without much commercial success.

The CD isn't quite as the album was originally issued (the duet with Rod on a song called 'Mother Ain't Dead' is omitted for some reason), but the bonus tracks make up for it. If you like John Baldry, or good blues and rock singing, then this is an album to savor.

Note: Commenters have pointed out that my memory was at fault and 'Mother Ain't Dead' is on the 'Everything Stops For Tea' album, now also released on CD. I thank them and am glad to say that I now have that CD, too.