Content and Background
After leaving The Yardbirds in late 1966, Jeff Beck had released three commercial singles, two in 1967 featuring Beck on lead vocals, and one without vocals in 1968. All had been hits on the British singles chart, and all were characterized by songs aimed at the pop chart on the A-side at the behest of producer Mickie Most. Harder rock and blues-based numbers were featured on the b-sides, and for music on the album, Beck opted to pursue the latter course.
Recording sessions for the album took place over four days, 14-15 May and 25-26 May 1968. Nine eclectic tracks were taken from these sessions, including covers of "Ol' Man River" by Jerome Kern, the Tudor melody "Greensleeves," Bonnie Dobson's "Morning Dew", acknowledgment of two giants of Chicago blues in songs by Willie Dixon; Muddy Waters' "You Shook Me" and Howlin' Wolf's "I Ain't Superstitious". The album started with a song from Beck's old band, "Shapes of Things." Three originals were credited to "Jeffrey Rod", a pseudonym for Beck and Stewart, all reworkings of previous blues songs: "Let Me Love You" the song of the same title by Buddy Guy; "Rock My Plimsoul" from "Rock Me Baby" by B.B. King; and "Blues Deluxe" similar to another song by B.B. King, "Gambler's Blues." "Plimsoul" had already been recorded for the b-side to the 1967 single "Tallyman," and the tenth track, an instrumental featuring Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Keith Moon, and future Beck group pianist Nicky Hopkins, "Beck's Bolero," had been edited and remixed for stereo from the earlier b-side to "Hi Ho Silver Lining." Due to contractual conflicts, Moon had been credited on the original album as "You Know Who."
Read more about this topic: Truth (Jeff Beck album)
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