The title is intended in an ironic way, as
illustrated not only by the cover -- a grim parody of late-'40s/early-'50s
advertising imagery depicting white versus black social reality -- but the grim
yet utterly catchy and haunting opening number, "Billy Jack." A song
about gun violence that was years ahead of its time, it's scored to an incisive
horn arrangement by Richard Tufo. "When Seasons Change" is a
beautifully wrought account of the miseries of urban life that contains
elements of both gospel and contemporary soul. The album's one big song,
"So in Love," which made number 67 on the pop charts but was a Top
Ten soul hit, is only the prettiest of a string of exquisite tracks on the
album, including "Blue Monday People" and "Jesus" and the
soaring finale, "Love to the People," broken up by the harder-edged
"Hard Times." The album doesn't really have as clearly delineated a
body of songs as Mayfield's
earlier topical releases, but it's in the same league with his other work of
the period and represents him near his prime as a composer.
The album cover was based on a 1937 monochrome
photograph by Margaret
Bourke-White, titled At
the Time of the Louisville Flood, on which the advertising slogan was
"There's No Way Like the American Way". The original photograph was
published in the February 15, 1937 edition of Life magazine.
1. Billy Jack - 6:10
2. When Seasons Change - 5:28
3. So in Love - 5:15
4. Jesus - 6:13
5. Blue Monday People - 4:50
6. Hard Times - 3:45
7. Love to the People - 4:07
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