California Bloodlines Explained

California Bloodlines
Type:Album
Artist:John Stewart
Cover:Album_Stewart_John_-_California_bloodlines_cover.jpg
Released:May 1969
Recorded:February 1969
Genre:Folk, alternative country
Length:41:31
Label:Capitol
Producer:Nik Venet
Prev Title:Signals Through the Glass
Prev Year:1968
Next Title:Willard
Next Year:1970

California Bloodlines is the second album by folk musician John Stewart, former member of The Kingston Trio. This record, which was considered by many to be Stewart's signature album, was recorded in Nashville. Stewart used some of the same musicians who performed on Bob Dylan's Nashville Skyline, which was recorded at the same studio.[1] The album was ranked number 36 among the top 200 albums of all time by rock critics in 1978.[2]

Originally issued on Capitol in May 1969 as an LP, the album was reissued several times. It was re-released on CD by Bear Family Records (paired with the album Willard) in 1989[3] under the title California Bloodlines/Willard minus 2. An LP, entitled California Bloodlines Plus..., which contains additional tracks taken from Willard, also was issued.

The song "Mother Country" was played during the space flight of the Apollo 11 mission and was thus featured in the 2019 documentary Apollo 11.[4]

Track listing

All compositions by John Stewart.

Side one

  1. "California Bloodlines" – 3:11
  2. "Razor-Back Woman" – 2:25
  3. "She Believes in Me" – 2:34
  4. "Omaha Rainbow" – 3:06
  5. "The Pirates of Stone County Road" – 4:50
  6. "Shackles and Chains" – 2:53

Side two

  1. "Mother Country" – 4:48
  2. "Some Lonesome Picker" – 3:11
  3. "You Can't Look Back" – 1:59
  4. "Missouri Birds" – 3:25
  5. "July, You're a Woman" – 3:12
  6. "Never Goin' Back" – 4:57

Personnel

Additional personnel

References

  1. Web site: Cromelin . Richard . 2008-01-21 . Folk patriarch recorded 'California Bloodlines' . 2023-03-16 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
  2. Book: Gambaccini, Paul. Paul Gambaccini. 1978. Omnibus. Rock Critic's Choice: The Top 200 Albums. 0860014940.
  3. Web site: John Stewart: California Bloodlines - Willard minus 2 (CD) . Bear Family Records . 8 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210508054049/https://www.bear-family.com/stewart-john-california-bloodlines-willard-minus-2.html . 8 May 2021 . en.
  4. From the film's end credits.