REVIEW: Ginger Baker’s Air Force – “Man of Constant Sorrow” single (1970)

GINGER BAKER’S AIR FORCE – “Man of Constant Sorrow” (1970 ATCO 7″ single)

When Blind Faith broke up in 1969, Ginger Baker formed the Air Force featuring musicians such as Steve Winwood, Alan White and Denny Laine.  They released two albums, Air Force and Air Force 2, with the debut being a live album recorded at Albert Hall.  They also released one single, a studio version of the traditional “Man of Constant Sorrow”.  Its live counterpart was on the debut Air Force album, but the 3:31 studio version was only on the single.  Today you can buy several compilations and additional live albums, but in 1970 this single would have been one to seek.

Most people today are familiar with the version of “Man of Constant Sorrow” that was released as a single from the soundtrack O Brother Where Art Thou.  Based on the same traditional music, Ginger’s version is vastly different, though clearly the same song.  Opening with soft electric guitar picking by Denny Laine, Ginger soon comes in with a pitty-patter that is distinctly him.  Fiddles join in, and ample soulful backing vocals.  Aside from Laine’s emotional lead vocals, the defining characteristic of this song is the bombastic (but not out of place) drum pounding of Ginger Baker.  Horns join in at the halfway point, lending the song a celebratory Mardi Gras kind of feel.  Though it starts quiet and unassuming, it ends as a magnificent folk-soul monolith.

The single B-side is an instrumental live cut of the original song “Doin’ It” from the debut Air Force.  It was recorded 15 January 1970 at the Albert Hall with a ten-piece band including three saxophones and Hammond organs.  This is a tribal but funky jam, with the bass by Ric Grech blazing the trail.  Like “Man of Constant Sorrow” it builds louder and louder as it goes.  This short 3:47 (fade out) jam is in and out before you know it, but works as an intense but fun workout from some of the greatest musicians ever to hit the stage.  Certainly, the drums and two additional percussionists are a main focus and worth paying attention to.

A terrific single that is not too hard to find.

4/5 stars

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2 comments

  2. Nice review, Mike. Big fan of Ginger Baker’s Air Force and Ginger’s many other bands. This came at just the right time for me since I’ve been reading volume 2 of the Paul McCartney biography which includes Denny Laine’s time with Wings. I have both versions of “Man of Constant Sorrow” on the GB 2-CD compilation “Do What You Like” which I recommend (you can’t tell from the title but it’s all Air Force material). Also worth checking out from Ginger’s bootleg series is “Live in Offenbach” (1970) and there’s even a video of the Hamburg show on the same tour available on YouTube. Henry

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