The Amboy Dukes (album)

The Amboy Dukes is the debut studio album by American rock band The Amboy Dukes. It was released in November 1967 on Mainstream Records.

The Amboy Dukes
Studio album by The Amboy Dukes
Released	November 1967
Genre	Psychedelia^[1]
Length	37:39
Label	Mainstream
Producer	Bob Shad
The Amboy Dukes chronology
The Amboy Dukes (1967) Journey to the Center of the Mind (1968)
Singles from The Amboy Dukes
"Baby, Please Don't Go^[1]" Released: 1967

Composition

The album is noted for containing an energetic recording of Joe Williams' blues standard "Baby, Please Don't Go",^[2] as well as covers of Pete Townshend's composition "It's Not True", and Cream's "I Feel Free".^[1] AllMusic said that the album fused "the psychedelia of the early Blues Magoos with Hendrix riffs and British pop" and described the song "Colors" as psychedelic hard rock.^[1] The publication compared "Down on Philips Escalator" to Syd Barrett-period Pink Floyd, and said that "The Lovely Lady" "almost sounds like the Velvet Underground meets the Small Faces by way of Peanut Butter Conspiracy."^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]

"Baby, Please Don't Go" was released as a single, with the song "Psalms of Aftermath" as the B-side.^[1] Ultimate Classic Rock said that the album received "little, if any, fanfare outside of [the band's] home base of Detroit".^[2] AllMusic wrote in a retrospective review that the album is "as essential to the Amboy Dukes' catalog as the non-hit material on Psychedelic Lollipop was to the Blues Magoos, the first album from the Amboy Dukes is a real find and fun listening experience. [...] This is a far cry from Cat Scratch Fever, and that's why fans of psychedelia and '60s music should cherish this early diamond."^[1]

Track listing

Side A

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Baby, Please Don't Go"	Big Joe Williams	5:35
2.	"I Feel Free"	Jack Bruce Pete Brown	3:42
3.	"Young Love"	Ted Nugent Steve Farmer	2:45
4.	"Psalms of Aftermath"	Nugent Farmer	3:19
5.	"Colors"	Nugent Farmer Rick Lober Bill White	3:20
Total length:			19:47

Side B

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"Let's Go Get Stoned"	Valerie Simpson Nick Ashford Jo Armstead	4:24
7.	"Down on Philips Escalator"	Nugent Farmer	3:00
8.	"The Lovely Lady"	Farmer	2:58
9.	"Night Time"	Nugent Farmer	3:11
10.	"It's Not True"	Pete Townshend	2:42
11.	"Gimme Love"	Nugent Farmer	2:43
Total length:			20:05

Personnel

The Amboy Dukes

• John (J.B.) Drake – vocals
• Ted Nugent – guitar
• Steve Farmer – guitar
• Rick Lober – piano, organ
• Dave Palmer – drums
• Bill White – bass

Technical

• Bob Shad – producer
• John Cue – engineer
• Maxine Epstein – album coordinator
• Jack Lonshein – cover design

References

1. Viglione, Joe. The Amboy Dukes at AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
2. Swanson, Dave (April 30, 2015). "How Amboy Dukes' 'Journey to the Center of the Mind' Bridged Psychedelia and Hard Rock". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved May 25, 2023.