1.Good Times - 4:11 (Kool & The Gang)
2.Country Junky - 2:54 (Kool & The Gang)
3.Wild Is Love - 3:22 (Robert Mickens-George Brown)
4.North, East, South, West - 3:36 (Ricky West)
5.Making Merry Music - 3:06 (Kool & The Gang)
6.I Remember John W. Coltrane - 4:02 (Ronald Bell)
7.Rated X - 4:04 (Kool & The Gang)
8.Father, Father - 4:38 (George Brown)
This was released in November, 1972 according to the reissue liner notes and February, 1973 according to the official site this problem could be due to confusion over the date for LP 2.
The album it's self reached #34 R&B, #142 Pop and thus could be considered to have done better then it's predecessor but although this is the start of what I call "the golden years" the album wasn't actually very successful and it appears that not one track on it charted. I now know these singles were released "Good Times" (the B-side was "The Frog" presumambly a version of "Electric Frog") and "Country Junky" (the B-side was "I Remember John W. Coltrane") and the following were later released as B-sides - "North, East, South, West" , "Wild Is Love" and "Father, Father" whether any or all these were also singles is unknown to me so please help.
Even so it was the band's first fully self produced album and since it charted it was a good sign.
If any of you are wondering what theme I have put to this album it is the band's time in high school as "The Jazziacs" and the groups they evolved through to become Kool & The Gang.
First we have a track about the band love of long summer holiday's something that only tends to happen while you are being educated. This is followed by the band's drug track "Country Junky" drugs are a major topic at schools because it's is one of the most common places for drug habits to start. I can in fact take you through my interpretation of most of the tracks on this album and how they connect with the theme I have observed but you'll have wait for track pages or e-mail me (subject (album name here)) and I will try to get back to you.
Kool & The Gang proceeded to work on their next LP and first gold album - I shouldn�t need to name it.
Robert "Kool" Bell - Bass/Vocals
Ronald "Captain" Bell - Tenor Saxophone/Soprano Saxophone/Alto Flute[/Keyboards]/Vocals
Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas - Alto Saxophone/Flute/Percussion[/Keyboards]/Vocals
Robert "Spike" Mickens - Trumpet/Flugelhorn/Percussion/Vocals
Claydes "X-Man" Smith - Guitar[/Vocals]
Richard Westfield (Ricky "Hollywood Rick" West) - Piano/Arp[/]Synthesizer/Clavinet/Vocals
George "Funky" Brown" - Drums/Percussion[/Keyboards]/Vocals
with
Al Wagner And The Philharmonic Strings
Al Wagner - Violin
Sy M[i]roff - Violin
San Zimmerman - Violin
Marty Sal[v/y]k - Viola
[Allen McGill - Cello]
Bill[y] Brown - French Horn[/Horn]
Sharon Moe - French Horn[/Horn]
Assunta Dell' Aquila - Harp
Now continue to Wild And Peaceful [...].