Song of the Day-Every Mother's Son

Traffic is probably one of the most under-rated bands ever. Formed originally in 67, it's core members were Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood, and in-out-briefly back in-out Dave Mason. Great players. 3 vocalists and songwriters of varying power and ability. Had Mason not left when he did, taking his tunes with him, Traffic might have shone brighter then they ultimately did. They started off as a tight little pop rock band, and evolved into something a little more "free-flowing" and "jazzy." Both groups, and it really is two different sounding groups,  have their merits, though the original incarnation is my general preference. While both bands were good, the later band's material is a little more uneven. The edition of the band that is enshrined in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame is the first, with the four members named above.

In 1970, the band split with Winwood joining Eric Clapton in Blind Faith. This was an unhappy experience that did not last long. Winwood contributed "Can't Find My Way Home  to the project as well as lending his lead vocals to Clapton's "Presence of the Lord." Not the last time Steve would record material with a theme of "spiritual yearning" central to it's message! ("Higher Love" and "Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" being two later examples.

Blind Faith having ended, Winwood started to record a solo album. He ended up working with ex-songwriting partner, Jim Capaldi. When Chris Wood started to help out, Winwood decided to call it a proper Traffic album and thus "John Barleycorn Must Die" was born (that was fun to write!).

"Every Mother's Son" was a Winwood-Capaldi tune that featured only those two musicians on the original album version. Its lyrics feature a literal plea to God from a man weary from travelling life's road. It fit comfortably alongside other tunes Winwood has recorded in that it is about Big Things. Winwood has come a long way from the simple love songs of the Spencer Davis Group days for which he was the teen-aged lead singer. It was also a concert staple that they could stretch out a little bit on, with the bigger band that Traffic would become acquitting themselves quite well. The "Barleycorn" album, probably the best of the post-Blind Faith albums found them poised with one foot in the past and one in their future. In my opinion, while Traffic's two best albums were the original two, "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and "Traffic," the "Barleycorn" album is right up there with them. The albums, including the reunion album in 1994 are generally not as good as the album that proceeded it. Capaldi, Mason and Winwood have had solo careers of varying success. Capaldi passed away in 2005 as they were planning another reunion.