Asylum Choir II explained

Asylum Choir II
Type:	studio
Artist:	The Asylum Choir
Cover:	AsylumChoir2200.jpg
Recorded:	February 1967 – April 1969
Studio:	Skyhill, Hollywood
Length:	49:42
Label:	Shelter, The Right Stuff
Producer:	Leon Russell, Marc Benno
Chronology:	Leon Russell
Prev Title:	Leon Russell and the Shelter People
Prev Year:	1971
Next Title:	Carney
Next Year:	1972

Asylum Choir II is the second and final album, after the 1968 debut Look Inside the Asylum Choir, of the studio aggregation consisting of Leon Russell and Marc Benno. It was recorded and expected to be released in 1969, but legal issues held up its release for two years. The 1990 digitally remastered CD re-release contains as bonus cuts all but three of the tracks from their first album.^{[1] [2]}

Track listing

All tracks composed by Leon Russell and Marc Benno except where indicated

Side One

1. "Sweet Home Chicago" – 3:20
2. "Down on the Base" – 2:18
3. "Hello, Little Friend" (Russell) – 2:52
4. "Salty Candy" – 2:26
5. "Tryin' to Stay 'Live" – 2:50

Side Two

1. "Intro to Rita" – 2:07
2. "Straight Brother" – 3:08
3. "Learn How to Boogie" – 2:40
4. "Ballad for a Soldier" (Russell) – 4:25
5. "When You Wish upon a Fag" (Russell) – 4:10
6. "Lady in Waiting" (Russell) – 3:37

The CD re-issue contains the following bonus tracks:

1. "Welcome to Hollywood" – 2:35
2. "Death of the Flowers" (Russell, Benno, Greg Dempsey) – 2:08
3. "Icicle Star Tree" – 2:55
4. Medley: "N.Y. Op", "Land of Dog", "Henri the Clown" – 6:07
5. "Soul Food" (Russell, Benno, Bill Boatman, Jimmy Markham) – 2:05

Charts

Chart (1971/72)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[3]	55
United States (Billboard 200)	70

Personnel

• Marc Benno – guitars, vocals
• Leon Russell – bass, guitar, keyboards, piano, vocals
• Jesse Ed Davis – guitars
• Chuck Blackwell – drums
• Carl Radle – bass
• Donald Dunn – bass

Notes and References

1. https://www.allmusic.com/album/asylum-choir-ii-mw0000172710 allmusic.com, The Asylum Choir Asylum Choir II
2. https://www.discogs.com/Leon-Russell-Marc-Benno-Asylum-Choir-II/master/411336 discogs.com, The Asylum Choir Asylum Choir II
3. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 262.