The title is intended in an ironic way, as illustrated not only by the cover -- a grim parody of late-'40s/early-'50s advertising imagery depicting white versus black social reality -- but the grim yet utterly catchy and haunting opening number,
"Billy Jack."
A song about gun violence that was years ahead of its time, it's scored to an incisive horn arrangement by
Richard Tufo
.
"When Seasons Change"
is a beautifully wrought account of the miseries of urban life that contains elements of both
gospel
and
contemporary soul
. The album's one big song,
"So in Love,"
which made number 67 on the
pop
charts but was a Top Ten
soul
hit, is only the prettiest of a string of exquisite tracks on the album, including
"Blue Monday People"
"Jesus"
and the soaring finale,
"Love to the People,"
broken up by the harder-edged
"Hard Times."
The album doesn't really have as clearly delineated a body of songs as
Mayfield
's earlier topical releases, but it's in the same league with his other work of the period and represents him near his prime as a composer. ~ Bruce Eder