You Never Know Who Your Friends Are

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You Never Know Who Your Friends Are
You Never Know Who Your Friends Are cover
Studio album by Al Kooper
Released 1969
Recorded 1969
Genre Rock
Length 42:04
Label Columbia
Producer Al Kooper
Professional reviews
Al Kooper chronology
I Stand Alone (1968) You Never Know Who Your Friends Are
(1969)		 Easy Does It (1970)

You Never Know Who Your Friends Are was the second album by New York City-based singer-songwriter Al Kooper, issued in 1969 on Columbia Records.

A continuation of sorts of his début, the album finds Kooper continuing to create an eclectic mix of rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, pop and blues, though without the psychedelics that had somewhat permeated through I Stand Alone. Utilizing a large group of musicians under the direction of Charlie Calello known collectively as "The Al Kooper Big Band", Kooper strayed away from the heavy string orchestrations of his début as well.

Relying on more original compositions, with a full nine of twelve tracks by Kooper (with the remaining three by Motown staff songwriters or Harry Nilsson), the album further helped to cement Kooper's reputation as a consummate artist.

[edit] Tracks

  1. Magic in My Socks (A. Kooper, 3:55)
  2. Lucille (A. Kooper, 3:24)
  3. Too Busy Thinkin' 'bout My Baby (N. Whitfield and J. Bradford, 3:20)
  4. First Time Around (A. Kooper, 2:48)
  5. Loretta (Union Turnpike Eulogy) (A. Kooper, 3:48)
  6. Blues, Part IV (A. Kooper, 5:04)
  7. You Never Know Who Your Friends Are (A. Kooper, 2:53)
  8. The Great American Marriage / Nothing (A. Kooper, 3:19)
  9. I Don't Know Why I Love You (L. Hardaway, D. Hunter, P. Riser and S. Wonder, 3:22)
  10. Mourning Glory Story (H. Nilsson, 2:16)
  11. Anna Lee (What Can I Do For You) (A. Kooper, 3:18)
  12. I'm Never Gonna Let You Down (A. Kooper, 4:37)

[edit] Performers