Good And Dusty
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Album Summary
By 1971, The Youngbloods had packed up their San Francisco dreams and relocated to the redwood country of Marin County, and 'Good And Dusty' was born straight out of that loose, earthy, back-porch spirit. Released on Raccoon Records — the band's own independent label distributed through Warner Bros. — this record found Jesse Colin Young and the boys stripping things down to the bones, celebrating the roots music that fired their souls in the first place. Produced by the band themselves with that raw, unvarnished touch, 'Good And Dusty' was a joyful ramble through the American musical landscape — blues, R&B, gospel, and rock and roll tumbling together like river stones. It was a record made by men who loved music the way a farmer loves good soil.
Reception
- The album did not make significant commercial noise on the charts, arriving at a moment when the psychedelic wave that once carried the band had largely receded from mainstream radio.
- Critics who paid attention generally appreciated the record's honest, unpretentious approach, recognizing it as a loving tribute to the roots and sources that shaped American popular music.
- The album found its warmest audience among devoted Youngbloods fans and roots-music enthusiasts who responded to its communal, celebratory feel.
Significance
- 'Good And Dusty' stands as a landmark of the early 1970s roots rock and Americana movement, with the band diving deep into blues and R&B classics like 'Stagger Lee,' 'Willie And The Hand Jive,' and 'Let The Good Times Roll' — proving that rock and roll's soul never strayed far from the juke joint and the country road.
- The inclusion of the gospel standard 'Will The Circle Be Unbroken' alongside electric blues like 'Pontiac Blues' and 'Drifting And Drifting' reflected a genuine cross-genre reverence that placed the Youngbloods among the most musically literate bands of their era.
- As one of the early albums released on the band's own Raccoon Records imprint, 'Good And Dusty' represented a meaningful assertion of artistic independence at a time when few rock acts controlled their own recording destinies.
Tracklist
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A1 Stagger Lee —
3:15
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A2 That's How Strong My Love Is —
4:47
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A3 Willie And The Hand Jive —
3:09
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A4 Circus Face —
3:01
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A5 Hippie From Olema #5 —
2:01
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A6 Good And Dusty —
1:29
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A7 Let The Good Times Roll —
3:47
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B1 Drifting And Drifting —
4:14
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B2 Pontiac Blues —
3:57
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B3 Moonshine Is The Sunshine —
3:41
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B4 Will The Circle Be Unbroken —
3:20
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B5 I'm A Hog For You Baby —
3:32
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B6 Light Shine —
3:44
Artist Details
The Youngbloods were a beautiful, free-spirited rock and folk-rock outfit that came together in New York City around 1965, eventually planting their roots in the California counterculture scene and delivering a sound that blended blues, folk, jug band grooves, and psychedelic rock with a warmth that just made your soul smile. Led by the soulful Jesse Colin Young, this band gave the world "Get Together," one of the most powerful anthems of peace and unity the '60s ever produced, a song that became the heartbeat of the entire love generation. Their laid-back, organic sound and genuine message of togetherness made them not just musicians but true spiritual ambassadors of a generation hungry for harmony and hope.
