Roots (Curtis Mayfield album)
| Roots | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 1971 | |||
| Recorded | RCA, Chicago, Illinois | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 39:15 | |||
| Label | Curtom | |||
| Producer | Curtis Mayfield | |||
| Curtis Mayfield chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B−[4] |
| The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [7] |
| Rolling Stone (1971) | (unfavorable)[5] |
| Rolling Stone (1999) | (favorable)[6] |
| Tom Hull – on the Web | A−[8] |
Roots is the second studio album by American soul musician Curtis Mayfield, released in October 1971. Having received critical praise from a variety of publications, the album is regarded as not just one of Mayfield's best works but also as a classic release of the '70s soul era, with AllMusic critic Bruce Eder stating that "the album soars on some of the sweetest and most eloquent... soul sounds heard up to that time". The album peaked at No. 6 on Billboard's Top R&B Albums chart.[3]
Track listing
Original release
All songs written and composed by Curtis Mayfield, except as noted.
- "Get Down" – 5:45
- "Keep On Keeping On" – 5:08
- "Underground" – 5:15
- "We Got to Have Peace" – 4:44
- "Beautiful Brother of Mine" – 7:23
- "Now You're Gone" (Mayfield, Joseph Scott) – 6:50
- "Love to Keep You in My Mind" – 3:48
Bonus tracks
In 1999, Rhino Records re-released the album with four bonus tracks including a demo version of "Underground" and single edits for "Get Down", "We Got to Have Peace", and "Beautiful Brother of Mine".
- "Underground" (demo version) – 3:17
- "Get Down" (single edit) – 3:55
- "We Got to Have Peace" (single edit) – 3:39
- "Beautiful Brother of Mine" (single edit) – 3:09
Personnel
- Curtis Mayfield - vocals, guitar
- Craig McMullen - guitar
- Joseph "Lucky" Scott - bass
- Tyrone McCullen - drums
- Henry Gibson - percussion
- Leroy Hutson, Michael Hawkins - background vocals
- Johnny Pate, Riley Hampton - arrangements
Chart positions
| Chart (1971) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Top LPs | 40[9] |
| Billboard Top Soul LPs | 6[10] |
References
- ^ Donovan, Charles (March 6, 2019). "Chapter One of Curtis Mayfield's Solo Career Gets a Much-Needed Makeover". PopMatters. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
- ^ Terich, Jeff (April 22, 2022). "The 50 Best Albums of 1972". Spin. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
...and then with the deeper funk of 1971's Roots.
- ^ a b Eder, Bruce. Roots at AllMusic. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: M". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 7, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ "Roots". Rolling Stone. February 17, 1972. Archived from the original on January 3, 2017.
- ^ "Roots". Rolling Stone. January 25, 1999.
- ^ Hoard, Christian (November 24, 2004). "Review: Roots". Rolling Stone: 523–524.
- ^ Hull, Tom (June 22, 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
- ^ "Curtis Mayfield Album & Song Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
- ^ "Curtis Mayfield Album & Song Chart History: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
