Continuing this month’s theme – Politician appeared on Cream’s third album, Wheels Of Fire, released in 1968 – the world’s first Platinum selling double album. Produced by future Mountain bassist Felix Pappalardi who also played organ, viola and trumpet, the album consisted of one disc of studio recordings and one disc of live recordings from New York’s Fillmore East.

Four of the album’s songs were written by Jack Bruce and lyricist Pete Brown – Politician, White Room, Deserted Cities Of The Heart and As You Said. Jazz pianist Mike Taylor composed three more with lyrics by Ginger Baker – Passing The Time, Those Were The Days and the lyrically odd, Pressed Rat And Warthog. Two songs were covers, Born Under A Bad Sign written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell and Sitting on Top Of The World written by Walter Vinson and Lonnie Chatmon, perhaps best known in its 1957 version by Howlin’ Wolf – it was also recorded by Bob Dylan on Good As I Been To You in 1992 and is considered a Blues standard. The live album had two covers, Willie Dixon’s Spoonful and Robert Johnson’s Crossroads with one of Eric Clapton’s most memorable guitar solos. Two more songs on the live album showcased both Bruce and Baker’s instrumental skills – Bruce’s harmonica playing on Traintime and Baker’s drumming on Toad.

Along with Crossroads, another of the albums most well known tracks was White Room, it was released as a single and reached No.26 in the UK and No.6 in the US.

Mostly forgotten, Jazz pianist and composer Mike Taylor was homeless for three years before drowning in the Thames in 1969. His albums Pendulum (1966) and Trio (1967) are hard to find Jazz gems.

Felix Pappalardi was shot and killed by his wife Gail Collins in 1983.

Jack Bruce died of liver disease in 2014.

Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
I just want to show you what my politics are.

I’m a political man and I practice what I preach.
I’m a political man and I practice what I preach.
So don’t deny me baby, not while you’re in my reach.

I support the left, though I’m leaning, leaning to the right.
I support the left, though I’m leaning, leaning to the right.
But I’m not there when it’s coming to a fight.

Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
Hey now baby, get into my big black car.
I just want to show you what my politics are.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_(band)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheels_of_Fire

http://www.indeepmusicarchive.net/2014/09/1914-cream-strange-brew-1967/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Bruce

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Clapton

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_Baker

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Brown

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Taylor_(musician