B

Genre: rock

Rating: 4 stars ****

Title: Songs for a Yaylor

Company: ATCO

Catalog: SD 33-206
Year: 1974

Country/State: Lanarkshire, Scotland

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG+

Comments: minor ring wear

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 833

Price: $15.00

With cream history, singer/multi-instrumentalist Jack Bruce jumped into a solo career with the release of 1969's "Songs for a Tailor". Produced by Felxi Pappaladi,

"Songs for a Taylor" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune (Jack Bruce - Pete Brown) - 3:39

In spite of the complex jazzy vibe and unusual timings (the horns literally richoet throughout the arrangement),, the opener 'Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune' was surprisingly catchy. YoouTube has a live performance of the song taken for a Bruce documentary "Rope Ladder To the Moon": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W30kJuwTORw rating: **** stars

2.) Theme For An Imaginary Western (Jack Bruce - Pete Brown) - 3:27

As much as I like the Mountain version, backed by Jon Hiseman and Chris Spedding, Bruce's take is even better. Simply one of the prettiest things he's ever done. YouTube has an even more stunning rendition of the tune - just Bruce on piano, dedicated to the late Felix Pappalardi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eszCRHkI9zA rating: **** stars

3.) Tickets To Water Fall (Jack Bruce - Pete Brown)s - 2:59

4.) Weird of Hermiston (Jack Bruce - Pete Brown) - 2:20

Another enigmatic track from Bruce and Brown. The track was actually written during the "Disraeli Gears" sessions, but seemingly never completed. A version of the song appeared on the delux reissue of "Disraeli Gears". About the only thing I can make out of the tune is the fact Hermiston is a Scottish village and the song may have taken some inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson's final unfinished novel "The Weir of Hermiston". The tune itself was quite catchy; for some reason fading out just as it really started to take off. Showing Bruce is still capable of fantastic work, recorded some four decades later, YouTube has a wonderful 2012 live performance of the tune. Bet several of the young string players didn't have a clue who Bruce was ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQUT-wf1LQI rating: **** stars

5.) Rope Ladder To the Moon (Jack Bruce - Pete Brown) - 2:51

YouTube has a live performance of the song; just Bruce on acoustic guitar, giving the tune kind of a John Martyn vibe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvedFighsRA rating: *** stars

(side 2)

1.) The Ministry of Bag   (Jack Bruce - Pete Brown)
2.) He the Richmond   (Jack Bruce - Pete Brown)
3.) Boston Ball Game 1967   (Jack Bruce - Pete Brown)
4.) To Isengard   (Jack Bruce - Pete Brown)
5.) The Clearout   (Jack Bruce - Pete Brown)

With a live version of "Crossroads" going Top 30 for Cream, Songs for a Tailor was released in 1969, showing many more sides of Jack Bruce. George Harrison (again using his L'Angelo Misterioso moniker) appears on the first track, "Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune," though his guitar is not as prominent as the performance on "Badge." The song is bass heavy with Colosseum members Dick Heckstall-Smith and Jon Hiseman providing a different flavor to what Bruce fans had become accustomed to. Hiseman drums on eight of the ten compositions, including "Theme From an Imaginary Western," the second track, and Jack Bruce's greatest hit that never charted. With "just" Chris Spedding on guitar and Jon Hiseman on drums, Bruce paints a masterpiece performing the bass, piano, organ, and vocals. The song is so significant it was covered by Mountain, Colosseum, and a Colosseum spin-off, Greenslade. One has to keep in mind that the influential Blind Faith album was being recorded this same year (and according to the late Jimmy Miller, producer of that disc, Jack Bruce filled in for Rick Grech on some of the Blind Faith material). Bruce's omnipresence on the charts and in the studio gives the diversity on Songs for a Tailor that much more intrigue. "Tickets to Water Falls" and "Weird of Hermiston" feature the Hiseman/Spedding/Bruce trio, and though the wild abandon of Ginger Baker is replaced by Hiseman's jazz undercurrents, these are still basically two- to three-and-a-half-minute songs, not as extended as the material on Bruce's work on his John McLaughlin/Heckstall-Smith/Hiseman disc Things We Like recorded a year before this, but released two years after Songs for a Tailor in 1971. The history is important because this album is one of the most unique fusions of jazz with pop and contains less emphasis on the blues, a genre so essential to Bruce's career. Indeed, "Theme From an Imaginary Western" is total pop. It is to Jack Bruce what "Midnight Rider" is to Greg Allman, a real defining moment. "Rope Ladder to the Moon" has that refreshing sparkle found on "Tickets to Water Falls" and "Weird of Hermiston," but Bruce has only John Marshall on drums and producer Felix Pappalardi adding some vocals while he provides cellos, vocals, guitar, piano, and bass. Side two goes back to the thick progressive sound of the first track on side one, and has a lot in common with another important album from this year, Janis Joplin's I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! Jack Bruce and Janis Joplin were two of the most familiar superstar voices on radio performing hard blues-pop. Joplin added horns to augment her expression the same time Jack Bruce was mixing saxes and trumpets to three tracks of this jazz/pop exploration. "He the Richmond" deviates from that, throwing a curve with Bruce on acoustic guitar, Pappalardi on percussion, and Marshall slipping in again on drums. But the short one minute and 44 second "Boston Ball Game, 1967" proves the point about the pop/jazz fusion succinctly and is a nice little burst of creativity. "To Isengard" has Chris Spedding, Felix Pappalardi, and Jack Bruce on acoustic guitars, a dreamy folk tune until Hiseman's drums kick in on some freeform journey, Spedding's guitar sounding more like the group Roxy Music, which he would eventually join as a sideman, over the total jazz of the bass and drums. "The Clearout" has Spedding, Hiseman, and Bruce end the album with progressive pop slightly different from the other recordings here. As with 1971's Harmony Row, Peter Brown composed all the lyrics on Songs for a Tailor with Jack Bruce writing the music. A lyric sheet is enclosed and displays the serious nature of this project. It is picture perfect in construction, performance, and presentation.

Anyone who dug recorded Cream--Disraeli Gears especially--will dig this latest Bruce-Pappalardi collaboration. I think it is skillful and empty. Even with all that stuff going on behind him Bruce doesn't make it as a solo vocalist. B MINUS

Bruce's first solo release, Songs for a Tailor, was issued in September 1969, and also featured Heckstall-Smith and Hiseman.^[3] It was a worldwide hit, but, after a brief supporting tour backed by Larry Coryell and Mitch Mitchell, Bruce joined the jazz fusion group Lifetime. With drummer Tony Williams, guitarist John McLaughlin, and organist Larry Young, the group recorded two albums. Bruce joined on the second album, Turn It Over. However, Lifetime did not receive much critical or commercial acclaim at the time, and the band broke up in 1971. Bruce then recorded his third solo album Harmony Row, but this was not as commercially successful as Songs for a Tailor.^[3]

Songs for a Tailor is the 1969 solo studio album debut of musician, composer and singer Jack Bruce, who was already famous at the time of its release for his work with the supergroup Cream. Originally released on the Polydor label in Europe and on Atco Records in the U.S., Songs for a Tailor was the second solo album that Bruce recorded, though he did not release the first, Things We Like, for another year.

The album, which was titled in tribute to Cream's recently deceased clothing designer, displayed more of the musician's diverse influences than his compositions for Cream, though it did not chart as highly as his work with that band. Nevertheless, it was successful, reaching #6 on the UK Albums Chart and #55 on the Billboard "Pop Albums" chart.

While it has not been universally critically well-received, with a negative review by Rolling Stone on its first release, it is generally acclaimed and is considered by many writers to be among Bruce's best albums. The literary lyrics by poet and songwriter Pete Brown have been particularly divisive, with one critic singling them out for praise while others have been more generally critical. Songs on the album include "Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune", and "Theme for an Imaginary Western", which was covered famously by Leslie West's Mountain, and is featured in 2006's 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time and the Artists, Stories and Secrets Behind Them.

[hide]

Background[edit]

After performing with various blues bands in his youth, Bruce rose to prominence in the rock world as a member of influential rock band Cream.^[1]^[2] After the group disbanded in 1969, Bruce began releasing solo material. Songs for a Tailor, released in September 1969, was Bruce's debut solo release, but chronologically his second solo album; Things We Like, his first solo recording, was released a year later.^[3]

The album was titled in tribute to Jeannie Franklyn ("Genie the Tailor"), a clothing designer who designed wardrobes for Cream and was also the girlfriend of Fairport Convention guitarist Richard Thompson^[4] (and, according to Bruce's 2010 biography Composing Himself, an ex-lover of Bruce's). In 1969, Franklyn wrote Bruce a letter requesting that he "[s]ing some high notes for me," a letter that reached him on May 14, 1969, the day she was killed in a motor vehicle accident in Fairport Convention's touring van.^[4] Franklyn died—and Bruce received the letter from her—on his 26th birthday.^[5]

A blues and jazz musician by background who had studied Bach and Scottish folk music as a child, Bruce produced a debut effort that was musically diverse.^[1]^[6]^[7] Songs for a Tailor was described in Music Week on its 2003 reissue as "an impressive effort defying musical categorisation".^[8] Two of the songs—"Weird of Hermiston" and "The Clearout"—had originally been penned for possible inclusion on the 1967 Cream album Disraeli Gears.^[9] However, the album was not simply a continuation of Bruce's material for Cream, but displayed more of the musician's diversity.^[10]

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[11]
Rolling Stone	(unfavorable) ^[12]
Robert Christgau	B–^[13]
Piero Scaruffi	(7/10)^[14]

The album was generally successful, reaching #6 on the UK Albums Chart and #55 on the Billboard "Pop Albums" chart.^[15]^[16] It did not reach the sales levels of Bruce's work with Cream,^[6] the later albums of which consistently broke the top 10 of the Billboard "Pop Albums" charts before their dissolution,^[17] but, as of 2002, it was the most successful album of his solo career.^[18] Largely acclaimed,^[6] particularly in England,^[19] the album proved influential, described in 2001 by BBC as a "seminal" work.^[20] However, reviews were not universally positive, with critical opinion particularly divided on the album's lyrics, penned by long-term Bruce collaborator Pete Brown.

Ed Leimbacher, reviewing the album in 1969 for Rolling Stone, called Songs for a Tailor a "disappointment", panning it overall as "a patchwork affair lacking in any unifying thread, a baggy misfit made up of a shopworn miscellany of jazz riffs, rock underpinnings, chamber music strings, boringly baroque lyrics and a Bruce bass that [leaves] ... everything distinctly bottom heavy."^[21] However, later writings in the same magazine characterized it very differently. In 1971, Loyd Grossman termed it "[a] stunning recording with more than an ample amount of beautiful songs and excellent singing and playing".^[3] In 1975, he opined that "Bruce's first album, Songs for a Tailor, was so outstanding that his other albums almost always suffer by comparison."^[22] In 1989, Rolling Stone writer David Fricke, though noting that Bruce could "flirt with self-indulgence in the pursuit of the unconventional", described the artist's solo output as "highly underrated".^[23] In its review, Allmusic summarizes the album as "picture perfect in construction, performance, and presentation."^[10]

Lyrics[edit]

Pete Brown's lyrics have been particularly divisive. Brown, a successful poet in the early 1960s,^[24] had been collaborating with Bruce for some time, writing lyrics for such Cream hits as "White Room" and "Sunshine of Your Love". The lyrics he wrote for Songs for a Tailor are typically poetic and heavily inspired by literary themes, with the Shakespeareean "He the Richmond" and the horror-infused "Weird of Hermiston".^[21]

The first Rolling Stone review judged the lyrics as unsuccessful, dismissing them as "silly" and primarily burdened by an overabundance of literary references.^[21] 2006's 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time and the Artists, Stories and Secrets Behind Them also disparaged the lyricist, stating that his "pretentious lyrics fail to connect", an inaccessibility that the book suggests combined with the lack of "instrumental fireworks" to prevent the album from reaching better commercial success.^[4] "The musicianship," that work says, particularly referencing "Bruce's soulful vocals", "remains timeless."^[4] But in later review of Bruce's work, Fricke regarded the songwriting more highly, questioning whether "anybody, beside Bruce and Brown, write songs like that anymore" and suggesting the cd version of the Bruce compilation Willpower specifically so that the lyrics could be read.^[23]

Notable songs[edit]

"Theme for an Imaginary Western," which Allmusic describes as "Bruce's greatest hit that never charted,"^[10] is perhaps the album's best-known song. According to Allmusic, "Theme" has a "fresh, rootsy sound" reminiscent of The Band's Music from Big Pink, derived from the combination of "Bruce's overdubbed piano and organ parts" and "the country-tinged lope of the rhythm section".^[25]1001 Songs profiles the number, describing it as an "elegant, masterfully-constructed piece of jazz-rock", though it suggests that Brown's lyrics for the song are "opaque at best".^[4] Leimbacher, though generally dismissive of the lyrics, found an exception for this song and "To Isengard",^[21] while The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music finds the song "evocative", indicating that the album contains "[s]ome of" Bruce's "finest lyrics".^[26] The song was famously covered by Mountain, whose bassist-singer Felix Pappalardi had previously worked with Bruce as Cream's record producer, and also produced and appeared on Tailor. (One of Mountain's earliest performances of "Theme," at the August 1969 Woodstock Festival, predated the song's release on Songs for a Tailor by several weeks.) Colosseum (whose drummer Jon Hiseman played on Tailor's rendition of the song), and the progressive rock group Greenslade^[10] also recorded cover versions.

"Weird of Hermiston" and "The Clearout" were candidates for inclusion on Cream's 1967 landmark album Disraeli Gears, but deemed too uncommercial by Cream's then-U.S. label Atlantic/Atco Records for release on that record. Bruce's dissatisfaction at this is noted in the liner notes for Cream's box set Those Were the Days: "I played them for Ahmet (Atlantic executive Ahmet Ertegun), Tommy (producer/engineer Tom Dowd), and whoever else was around ... they thought it was rubbish, just psychedelic hogwash." Demo versions of the two songs, recorded by Cream in early 1967, are included on Those Were the Days.

In 1989 Fricke described "Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune" as a "wacky, brassy" "enigmatic Bruce-Brown [delight]".^[23]

Bruce has continued to refine and re-record the tracks from Songs for a Tailor throughout his career, both in live and studio albums. Only "To Isengard" has not been revisited.

Track listing[edit]

All lyrics written by Peter Brown, music by Jack Bruce.^[10]

"Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune" – 3:41
"Theme for an Imaginary Western" – 3:30
"Tickets to Water Falls" – 3:00
"Weird of Hermiston" – 2:24
"Rope Ladder to the Moon" – 2:54
"The Ministry of Bag" – 2:49
"He the Richmond" – 3:36
"Boston Ball Game 1967" – 1:45
"To Isengard" – 5:28
"The Clearout" – 2:35

2003 Polydor/Universal CD bonus tracks[edit]

"The Ministry of Bag" (demo version) – 3:47
"Weird of Hermiston" (alternate mix) – 2:33
"The Clearout" (alternate mix) – 3:02
"The Ministry of Bag" (alternate mix) – 2:54

Personnel[edit]

Performance[edit]

Harry Beckett – trumpet
Jack Bruce – organ, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, cello, vocals
Dick Heckstall-Smith – soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
Jon Hiseman – drums
Henry Lowther (incorrectly identified as "Henry Lather" on early editions of the album) – trumpet
John Marshall – drums
George Harrison – guitar on "Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune" (credited as L'Angelo Misterioso)^[27]
John Mumford – trombone
Felix Pappalardi – percussion, vocals, acoustic guitar
Chris Spedding – electric guitar
Art Themen – soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone

In addition to the fact that this is a perfect set of tunes, I need to stress a few other points about this album. The first is that it is impeccably arranged, recorded, and produced. It is truly one of the warmest sounding albums I have heard, with just the right balance of foreground and background instruments giving it incredible depth. Second, these songs have some of the most interesting structures and chord sequences you are likely to hear, but the listener is never hit over the head with this fact: everything in the songs is there to make them just that - songs. Even the very "out" ending to "To Isengard" seems perfectly natural in context. Finally, this is probably the best recording of Bruce's bass from the standpoint of tone. Throughout the album, his bass has a thick, distorted, almost tuba like quality, with just the right amount of midrange to let it sit perfectly amongst the other instruments, at times sounding like part of the horn section. Overall, this is simply an excellent and moving collection of songs.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth a listen to anyone "Into Music" during the 60's & 70's, September 24, 1998

yooblo@aol.com (Fort Wayne,IN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

I owned this recording as an 8-track and played it over-and-over in my first vehicle: A 1965 Dodge Panel Van. I have never forgotten the songs, but of course, my 8-track is long gone. I am thrilled that it is available now in CD and anyone into Cream etc. should obtain it. It is a true CLASSIC!!!

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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Unique Album That Sounds Just as Fresh 30 Years Later, April 29, 1999

Joe Rubino (dekr303@aol.com) (Ft. Lauderdale, Fl.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

This CD is a rarity. An absolutey perfect album! I purchased it upon release shortly after the breakup of Cream. Everybody knew that Clapton and Bruce didn't get along. In the track, "Never Tell Your Mother (Clapton?) She's Out of Tune", Bruce refers to a "bizarre guitarman". All the tracks are original and inspired; the vocals are otherwordly. Not only was this album ahead of its time, but it has aged rather well. Sit back, close your eyes, and listen to "Theme Fom An Imaginary Western" and you'll hear Bruce's voice painting on a canvas in your brain. As a rock singer, this man is a god. His voice is legendary, preceding and obviously, influencing icons like Robert Plant, Paul Rodgers, Lou Graham, and other "signature" rock voices. Furthermore, in my opinion, he is far and away the best rock bassist of all time. ( If you want proof, listen sometime to what he's doing under Clapton's famous solo on Crossroads) I really wish that he had been more prolific and that more people realized his genius. Buy this CD and you will experience something rare and priceless!

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Songs for YOU., September 20, 2009

OLD GUY. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

Songs for a Tailor and Harmony Row are two of my eternal favorites of those old days. Days that are still here for me. Anyone who thinks they know everything about song-craft needs these albums. Each tune a different dynamic, a different place. Not an herbal essence poured from the same plastic bottle--this is the real stuff from a master. Time travel this way is good for you. Kind of like going back and hearing old jazz guys or Beethoven. New kids need to know about this music to attain possible future sophistication. Thank you for your time and attention.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic, August 4, 2009

Bill Your 'Free Form FM Print DJ "bill nicholas" (Mahwah, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

Fusion is a stupid term. Any marketing label that describes both In A Silent Way and Donald Byrds 70s funk encompesses almost anything and says absolutely nothing. In 1969, when rock and jazz were intersecting, there was no brand name, and we were better off.

Songs For A Tailor is Jack Bruce's perfect example of how powerful albums can be when you stop thinking in boxes and just make great music. Maraculous music.

Bruce released this not long after Cream broke up. Truth is, he had been a jazz bassist since the early 60s, and applied his chops in the power trio of all power trios. Here, he took it to the next level.

The songs here are not longer than the average rock song, and the structures are also rock based. But the numbers boast hairpin chord progressions, Bruce's absolutely athletic fuzz bass playing, and his second to none singing. None of the peices go in perdictable directions, although the chord movements are inceadibly melodic.

Most of this work is soaked in the blues, but an increadibly advanced take on the genre. Listen to how the bass is almost the lead instrument on the opening track, or how "Rope Ladder To The Moon" uses a cello as its flagship instrument. Despite Bruce's genius at creating new textures through dozens of small alterations, the music remains as accessible as it is sophisticated, rocking as it is cerebral.

Now to make fantistc music, even Jack Bruce needs a fantastic band. We have Chris Spedding on guitar, and English jazz pros like Dick Haskell-Smith. Smith was about to make a big noise of his own, baptizing the brand new great Vertigo label with his own band, Colliseum, who supply Bruce's horns here.

Music just does not get better than this.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "My heart is hung down with the saddest of rain that I'm feeling", October 1, 2007

William Timothy Lukeman - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE) (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

Who suspected that the end of Cream would give us such a superb solo album from Jack Bruce? With his perfectly-matched lyricist Pete Brown, he created a thoughtful, energetic, emotionally evocative collection of songs. There's an eerie, melancholy strain through many of these, such as "Tickets to Waterfalls," "Rope Ladder to the Moon," and my particular favorite, "Weird of Hermiston." That song always gives me chills! By drawing on jazz & blues, his deepest roots & always his greatest strength, he fused art & pop seamlessly. There's no good reason some of these songs shouldn't have been Top 40 hits; but at the same time, there's no compromising of his artistic vision. The surreal insight of the British poetry underground, as expressed by Pete Brown's mysterious & delightful lyrics, only adds to the power & beauty of the album. Certainly not for everyone, but if you're willing to listen with an open heart, you'll be amply rewarded. Most highly recommended!

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Mighty Bruce, May 22, 2006

Paradise Lost "Joshmotron" (Poland, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

I'm not quite sure what is about this album. No two songs sound the same, there's no consistent sound throughout any of it, and to me, a kid who grew up in the 90s, none of it makes any damn sense; but holy cow is it a delicious album.

I first got a hold of it in April after seeing it on Murray the Cat's top 400 rock album list (its in his top 100), and it definitely deserves that spot. It's hard to hold back the smile that comes across my face everytime I hear "Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune", and teh question mark that forms over my head while I ponder why this particular song has that title. But no matter, while probably the most accessible song on the album, it still screams complex, fun-going, almost jazz-rock, good-going music.

And that's the key to this album. It's not just mere rock, but a formulation of some great music, in the jazz/rock/blues form. It never gets pretentious, it is allowed to be "progressive" without going on too long. It knows when to stop and when to move on. And it knows when to be dramatic and when to be deep, insightful, and, in the case of the first track, loud and fun.

I also wish to highlight some of the great tracks that, even in this great album, stand out amongst the rest of the songs:

Ticket to Water Falls, Weird of Hermiston, and, of course, Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must-Have" GEM, July 2, 2002

Gerald Ellis (INDIANA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

This is the finest set of rock-jazz tunes from the late 60's into the 70's that you will find. There is passion heard on every tune- and though it is only some 32 minutes long- it will sound fresh every time that you hear it...over and over and over...again. The liner notes from the CD were written in 1997 by John Tobler. The reference to the "tailor" is for Jeannie Franklyn, an American clothes designer, who was killed in a van accident involving members of Fairport Convention in England. The reason why Jack Bruce dedicated this album to Jeannie is not known.
Please do yourself a favor- buy it!!

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5.0 out of 5 stars Standout, January 28, 2002

jumpy1 (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

Psychedelic weirdness of the best sort. Songs for a Tailor demonstrates that Jack Bruce is the one who gave Cream it's creative, kick-butt outrageous side. Of the three, he seems to be the one who takes stylistic risks. Not putting down Clapton or Baker in the least, it's just that this album is still innovative and fresh, the work of a thoughtful, unique musician with real imagination. He doesn't just experiment with styles, he integrates them into his classic-rock-creating ear. If you buy this because you like Cream, the first time might be a shock. Listen to it a couple times before you decide (because Cream ain't coming back). But if you hear this one more than once, you'll be hooked.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Perfection! Still sounds great., August 5, 2001

R. dolce (evanston, illinois United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

When I first bought this on vinyl, in 1969 it was a revelation and now is still sounds fresh, even though I've heard it hundreds of times. Bruce synthesized elements of rock, funk, jazz, folk and chamber music to create an album that's eclectic without clutter, progressive without bombast and virtuoso without self absorption. Dark lyrics, challenging but accessible melodies and interesting arrangements make for unforgettable songs. The high point for me is "Rope Ladder to the Moon", a brooding number built around Bruce's acoustic guitar and droning cellos, ending with a surprisingly lightly strummed figure on the guitar. "The Ministry of Bag" has a feel reminiscent of an old Stax-Volt session, with drummer Jon Hiseman managing to sound both heavy and funky and guitarist Chris Spedding picking like a regular good old Memphis boy. The album is full of surprises like this. The CD release only improves the clarity of the sound (eliminating the notorious Atco surface hiss that marred so many recordings). This is a perfect work and it still puzzles me that it (or Bruce, for that matter) never caught on.

This is quite simply one of the best reissues I've heard in recent years. A remastering job that is faithful to the original, but at the same time showcases the subtleties and nuances of a performance that was both masterful and highly innovative.

In short - if you've ever heard "Songs For A Tailor", you've *never* heard it like this! Kick Drums thump, the bass is upfront, wailing, and Jack's voice, well, it's as pristine as it ever was.

The true beauty of this remastered edition can be showcased in three major areas:

1) Vocal clarity and space. The voices and reverbs are pristine, defined, and you hear every echo.

2) Bass without BOOM. The problem with many remasters is that they squash the heck out of it to make it sound modern, ignoring dynamics and essentially destroying the original. Not the case here, as *every* simple crescendo has been preserved, albeit a little louder at the finish, and a little more present. Check out the drums on 'He The Richmond' and 'Weird of Hermiston' - brilliantly analog, digitally restored.

3) Nice bonus tracks. The demo of "Ministry" is by far the best of four, but the 'aborted' mixes are very cool, and sound great.

Without a doubt, a beautiful reissue of a timeless classic. They're 'Songs for' you and me - 'Songs', forever.

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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This one deserves six stars, March 25, 2005

C. Caney "cyncane" (New York, ny United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

Take away the soaring vocals, upfront melodic bass lines and that penchant for unusual, catchy songs and Cream is just another power trio with a wailing guitarist. Jack Bruce added all those elements that made Cream one of the all time great bands and they're here in abundance on his first solo album. For anyone who wore out the grooves in their 1969 vinyl the remix on this CD is superb. Jack's bass is carefully mixed to be upfront like the original without that obnoxious thudding that plagues most bass-centric recordings today. For anyone who never heard Jack's solo efforts, check this out. There's an incredibly broad musical range here from blusey romps like 'Ministry of Bag' and 'Never Tell your Mother..'to soundscapes like 'Theme for an Imaginary Western' and 'To Isengard' to remarkable oddities like 'Boston Ball Game' and 'Rope Ladder to the Moon'. The songs are superb, the arrangements perfect, the performances of virtuoso sidemen like Chris Speeding, Jon Hiseman and Dick Heckstall Smith are memorable and the remix itself is magnificent. Maybe Songs For a Tailor will finally take it's place among the most important rock albums ever made.

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34 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars FORGET CREAM , LISTEN TO THIS INSTEAD, April 28, 2004

A C SHIELDS (melbourne , australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

A lot of us enjoyed Jack's fine playing and singing with Cream , but for a truer idea of what he was capable of , this album is the place to start . It has the weird lyrics because it's the same lyricist , Pete Brown , but although you may not be singing along , you have to admit it must have been hard to write musical settings that fitted those words . Jack did that very well and got other great players to help him put it across . An interesting and fine record - it will take you somewhere else entirely . For all the full price rubbish we have pushed in our faces , these records are even sweeter to discover and/or rediscover .

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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly lively - AND has held up well, September 8, 2005

Robert J. Salo (Anaheim Hills , Ca United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

Released in 1969 and almost immediatley faded into obscurity - the first "solo" album by the guy that wrote most of Cream's hits. This is a great album that sounds good today. Like most teenagers back in 1969, I didn't like this album when it came out. Now in retrospect I can see that it was simply too artistic and mature for a kid like me who only wanted to hear 20 minute jams with Clapton and Baker. Now I listen to it and am amazed that the world passed on this the first time around. A great album!

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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars can you imagine this happening now?, October 20, 2004

. (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

Member of Superstar group makes solo recording. In 2004, this means: Call the tabloids, the tv hollywood pseudo-news shows, work up some gossip and some dance steps, some wardrobe, a new haircut, get a movie star girlfriend, do a Coke ad, and, oh yeah, some tunes. In Jack Bruce's time, it meant woodshed until you have some great music.

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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars top ten UK in 1969, October 27, 2003

G. Wallace (Hilliard, OH USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

but such an eccentric set of songs that the more accessible 1971 followup 'Harmony Row' got precious little attention. All the strange harmonies hinted at in Cream numbers like 'As You Said' are here in full glory. The funniest story in the new liner notes is Jack's claim that Cream turned down 'Theme from an Imaginary Western' because Clapton thought it sounded too much like The Band (which was what he purportedly wanted to sound more like)! A great bluesy demo of 'Ministry of Bag' is included. Except for 'Theme' this record is something completely different from anything Bruce did before or since. He may have approached its spirit on the title cut to his out-of-print 'A Question of Time' (Epic please get on the ball and re-release that, wouldja?). Stellar instrumental support from drummer Jon Hiseman and guitarist Chris Spedding and supposedly Beatle George played on one song (but he's hard to hear). Bruce is at his vocal peak and handles bass, acoustic guitar, cello, and keyboards. Highly recommended!

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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Jack Bruce- Song for a Taylor, March 31, 2003

Wandering Brain (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

One of the best albums very few ever heard. How did this one drop off the radar. Fabulously tight band performances, a wide variety of styles served up, and just all around terrific songwriting. Of course, some great singing from one of the most talented , but forgotten vocalists of England or anywhere else for that matter. His bass playing always astonishes. This first solo album of the legendary lead vocalist/ bassist of Cream should have been an instant classic, but alas...Now we can all rediscover this jem released FINALLY on CD. I wore out my vinyl copy so long ago. Bruce never again attained such heights.

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Iconoclastic masterwork, May 23, 2003

Craig Weatherby (Waltham, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

Surpassed only by Harmony Row, and equalled only by Jack's albums with Kip Hanrahan, SFAT is plain brilliant--dark, moving, and utterly unique. In my book, Clapton is good but Bruce (at his best) is God.

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars IT'S ALL IN YOUR MIND EVEN AFTER 30 YEARS, April 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

This bizzare 1968 masterpiece from the famed bass player and "operatic" blues singer is better than "Fresh Cream" and as good as both "Disraeli Gears" and "Wheels of Fire." The rock records of today are pathetically mediocre in comparison. The musicianship is first rate, the gonzo lyrics by Pete Brown, pure "attitude poetry," and the bass playing, well, beyond excellent. This is where all the great bass players of the '70s from Chris Squire and Geddy Lee to Jaco Patorious and Jeff Berlin got their inspiration. Each song is a densely packed crystal, both a time capsule of its era and essentially timeless, and each pulls you into a world of its own: the funky, high adrenaline, R & B workouts of "Never tell Your Mother She's out of Tune" and "The Ministry Bag;" the famous surreal impressionism of "Theme For An Imaginary Western," sung to peerless perfection; "He the Richmond" and "Rope Ladder to the Moon," the two greatest psychedelic songs ever; the fantastically groovy "Tickets to WaterFalls;" the antiromantic "Weird of Hermiston;" the fuzz driven bass mayhem of "Clearout;" the downright baffling, floating mirage of "Boston Ball Game 1967;" and of course, "To Isengard," a sort of dreamy, mellow, psychedelic "love song" of sorts that turns into a wild 6/8 jazz-fusion. That song was recorded, at least 4 years before fusion groups started popping-up all over the place. Rock music today is so derivative, that it makes you appreciate anew the spirit of an era when truly original records like "Freak Out," "Forever Changes," "Axis: Bold as Love" and "Songs for a Tailor" would come out every other month.

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Innovative, Bubbling with Power, October 1, 2001

loce_the_wizard "loce_the_wizard" (Lilburn, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

Though Jack Bruce made a name for himself as the core element that powered Cream, his legacy really lies more in blues and jazz in many ways. This album---really a "Jack out of the box" recording---draws more on the jazz-pop aspects of his work and less on the blues. Jack and his super supporting cast of Jon Heisman and Dick Heckstall-Smith from Colosseum and guitar guru Chris Spedding rip up the studio, but Jack, free from the straitjacket of Cream, plays bass, cellos, guitar, and piano while supplying his trademark vocals. As always, the lyrics of Pete Brown and music of Jack Bruce are a seamless pairing. And Felix Pappalardi's production hits the right tone throughout.

After you have this recording, try to also find Harmony Row, the next-best Bruce-Brown colloration in my opinion. I would caution prospective buyers that this music is not for top-40 types. If you like the Counting Crows or Clapton Unplugged and other tripe of that sort, you will be miserable listening to real music such as that found on Songs for a Tailor.

After the break up of Cream Jack Bruce dove right into his second solo album (his first was an instrumental album that was released after this one). "Songs for a Tailor" features a couple of tracks written for Cream (but unrecorded or rejected)along with a strong group of new originals that Bruce wrote with his lyricist Pete Brown.

"Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune" shows Bruce's love of jazz with its unusual time signature and interesting horn arrangement. It features exceptional guitar playing by George Harrison. "Theme From an Imaginary Western" with its dominating sound of piano sounds unlike anything that Cream recorded. Although it sounds a bit like The Band, the music was actually written BEFORE The Band had recorded their first album back in 1963. "Tickets to Waterfalls" features nice piano and bass playing by Bruce along with a terrific vocal. "Weird of Hermiston" with its opening descending piano riff sounds nothing what you might expect from the title. This song was originally written for Cream (and there is a demo of it on the Cream box set "Those Were The Days").

The strangest song is the closer "The Clearout" (which was also written by Bruce/Brown for Cream to record and, again, there is a Cream demo on the box set). One could easily imagine Cream releasing this inspite of the subdued guitar work of the usually impressive Chris Spedding--one could imagine both Spedding if allowed to (and Clapton still in his prime)tearing this song up with a killer solo. The band includes Spedding, Bruce (who plays bas, piano, guitar, organ on the album) drummer Jon Hiseman and some nice sax playing by Dick Heckstall.

The reissue includes extensive liner notes about Bruce's career, the recording of the album and comments from Bruce and his lyricist Pete Brown. We also get full musician credits for the album. The bonus tracks are largely made up of alternate mixes and a demo. The best outtake here is the alternate mix of "Ministry of Bag" with tasty guitar work by Chris Spedding that left off the final version from the original album.

The album sounds terrific--the remastering engineer Paschal Byrne and co-ordinating producer Mark Powell have avoided the temptation to compress the heck out of the recording and make it louder to make it sound "more contemporary". As a result the dynamic range is very good throughout the album and these two have also been very respectful of the outtakes as well assembling them carefully with an eye towards providing fans with sometime a bit different. I'd highly recommend this which, along with "Harmony Row" and Bruce's 2003 return "More Jack Than God" represents Bruce in peak form as a songwriter/singer/player.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless and Unique, July 22, 2006

Joe Skrote "Joe Skrote" (Winchester, Va.) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

I fished this LP out of the cutout bin in 1972 or '73, and it was one of the first albums I transferred to MP3 as soon as I had the capability. The decidedly non-rock arrangements and bizarre-but-clever wordplay remind me of another of my British musical favorites, Brian Protheroe. Too melodically "straight" for the youngsters and too lyrically challenging for Mom and Pop, "Songs for a Tailor" flies in the face of every pop music trend, then and now, which is why it still sounds fresh and enjoyable today (at least to my ears). This ain't Cream folks, and rockers who expected Cream should get over their initial disappointment and give this neglected gem another chance.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars MORE STARS PLEASE!!!THE GREATEST!!!JohnSimonAsherBRUCE, May 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

AMEN!!!!!To ALL the reviews!!!!!Finally after almost 30 years to hear again this supernatural album. Jack still had the blasting energy of Cream behind him when he made this, but he and Pete Brown [lyrics] were free to explore those wild strange places they touched on in some Cream songs. No other music does what this does. Not only was it ahead of its time, it's ahead of time itself! One of the best kept secrets in the music world. For those who hear this music, Kip Hanrahan explains it pretty well in the liner notes for Cities of the Heart, a double CD released by Jack and friends in '93: "he builds these cities and they're made of shadows and gold and diamonds and . . . you end up living in Jack's buildings whether you want to or not". Jack came to town in '88 and played a club; it was fabulous and great to see the kids digging it. The local sheriff was somewhat puzzled to be sure. Give this a listen if you haven't yet; you may belong to the lonely crowd. And these great song titles are all free: Never Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune...Tickets to Waterfalls...Rope Ladder to the Moon...He the Richmond....He the Richmond.....HE THE RICHMOND.......

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Album., September 4, 2009

Douglas Mcpherson "Bluesy" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

I bought this album for the first time about 3 or 4 months ago. It was my first Jack Bruce album.
So I brought it home, and the first thing I did was run down stairs to my room and threw it into my CD player.
45 minutes later, I was absolutely speechless. I couldn't get over how great these 10 songs were.

Why you should buy this:
1. Lyrically and musically, every song is great. Pete Brown did a great job with the lyrics.
2. The sound quality is terrific. You hear everything with great volume. Nothing is too loud, nothing is too quiet. The remastering on it was put to perfection.
3. Bonus tracks. I wasn't around in '69 to hear this when it was new, I'm only 13, but there are four great bonus tracks, 3 of which are alternate mixes of songs, and the last is a piano demo. They're just good to hear.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars READ ALL THE REVIEWS AND THEN BUY IT!, August 7, 2001

Studebacher Hoch (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

This is an album to cherish throughout your entire life. It has never dated - it's as fresh, quirky, vibrant, and powerful as the day it was released. The compositions and arrangements are surprising - shocking, even. The words - liquid poetry from Pete Brown - and the musicianship - well - it's so damned good that over 30 years later I'm still hearing stuff anew in every track. The bass is the ever flexible spine that keeps this thing moving in so many directions. And the voice - THE VOICE! The man probably could have sang opera if he chose to. If you've never heard this album before - you have no idea how enriched your life will be from acquiring this little disc. With this album and Harmony Row I am one of the faithful who are grateful that Cream broke up. As great as they were, these two masterpieces could never have been made by that group. And as good as the Cream albums are - Songs for a Tailor towers over them with an unbridled inventiveness and originality that has yet to be matched. Buy it now and thank me later.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The most unrecognized rock talent ever, March 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

To be honest, I haven't heard this music in many years and don't remember what happened to the vinyl versions I once owned but when it was new, it affected me deeply and I still remember the incredibly innovative and inspired compositions that were and are still largely ignored. That is unfortunate but as P.T. Barnum said, "No one ever lost money underestimating the public's taste". Jack Bruce's best solo music, in my opinion, was embodied in the first few releases immediately following the end of Cream. His recordings with Pete Best as lyricist were unlike anything before or since. To anyone who liked Songs for a Taylor, I hope they have had an opportunity to listen to Harmony Row, which was released in the early 70's. If anyone could provide information on obtaining a copy of Harmony Row, I would be very grateful.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most brilliant albums of music ever recorded, October 5, 2008

M. Soc "msoc1" (Windsor, ON Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

The first (not counting 'Things We Like' - recorded before and released after) solo outing of the principal composer and bass player/singer of the mighty Cream. This record must be the most underrated in rock music history. It is brilliant! Do not expect Cream style bluesy hard rock here (for that you can check this year excellent 'Seven Moons'). The music is quite unique with the jazz/blues influences (Jack deeply understands all of it) and weird and beautiful surrealistic poetry by Pete Brown. There is nothing close to this record besides Jack's next one "Harmony Row".

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Inteligent, Thoughtful And Intriguing, December 19, 2000

"marleyscott" (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

It's oh so sweet to finally have found this forgotten gem of an album on CD. In an era that claimed such historic and significant recordings like The Band's self-titled second album, Led Zeplin II, CSN&Y's Deja Vu and Procol Harum's A Salty Dog, Songs For A Taylor is of equal stature. Jack Bruce, along with producer Felix Pappalardi create a colorful backdrop to the strange but wonderful Pete Brown lyrics. The trademark Jack Bruce thumping bass along with the very tasteful horn arrangements of Colosseum's Jon Hiseman and Dick Heckstal-Smith propel the likes of Never Tell Your Mother She's Out Of Tune, (supposedly a dig aimed at former bandmate Eric Clapton) The Ministry Of Bag and Boston Ball Game, 1967. Then there's the errie cello and electric bass duet of Rope Ladder To The Moon, a song strangly reminiscant of Cream's Those Were The Days. The real toppers here are the beautiful Theme For An Imaginary Western and the lovely ballad To Isengard. It may be all but impossible to find sense in Pete Brown's surreal lyrics. Afterall what can one make of "the menu smells of feet" or "you trained your bicycle to dance"? Never the less, Songs For A Taylor is an astonishing work, inteligent, thoughtful and intriguing.

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant!!, April 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Songs for a Tailor (Audio CD)

By far and away the best solo Jack Bruce album. Deserves a place in the 'Greatest 50 Albums Of All Time'.

He made a few solo albums after this but you rarely hear about them. Here are two from the same era that I'm very familiar with. I don't think you can find them on CD but if you can track down old vinyl copies you'll find they are pretty good too:

'Things We like'- a pure jazz album with John McLaughlin (guitar), Jon Hiseman (drums) and Dick Heckstall-Smith (saxophones). No vocals, and Bruce plays only double bass. 4-stars.

'Harmony Row' - very much a follow up to 'Songs For A Tailor', and in the same vein, but probably only 4-stars. Lyrics by Pete Brown again. Exceptional melodies. Weird guitar again by Chris Spedding - you couldn't get anyone less Clapton-like!

I have vinyl copies of both of these and could supply cassette tape copies (for free!you send me the blank) if anyone is interested.

Contents

Background[edit]

Reception[edit]

Lyrics[edit]

Notable songs[edit]

Track listing[edit]

2003 Polydor/Universal CD bonus tracks[edit]

Personnel[edit]

Performance[edit]