''Thru the Years'' is a compilation album of music by John Mayall released in October 1971 by Decca Records in the U.K. and London Records in the U.S.A. The album was the second compilation to be issued by Decca/London with Mayall's blessing, although his contract with them had ceased. It features a mixture of previously unissued songs or non-album tracks that had only been released as singles. The album reached No. 164 on the ''Billboard'' 200. It was re-released by Deram on CD in 1990.

Track listing

# "Crocodile Walk" (John Mayall) – 2:14 # "My Baby Is Sweeter" ( Willie Dixon) – 2:59 # "Crawling Up a Hill" (version one) (John Mayall) – 2:15 # "Mama, Talk to Your Daughter" ( J.B. Lenoir) – 2:58 # "Alabama Blues" (J.B. Lenoir) – 2:29 # "Out of Reach" ( Peter Green) – 4:42 # "Greeny" (Peter Green) – 3:54 # "Curly" (Peter Green) – 4:50 # "Missing You" (Peter Green) – 1:57 # "Please Don't Tell" (John Mayall) – 2:26 # "Your Funeral and My Trial" (

Sonny Boy Williamson II Alex or Aleck Miller (originally Ford, possibly December 5, 1912 – May 24, 1965), known later in his career as Sonny Boy Williamson, was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter. He was an early and influential blues harp st ...

) – 3:55 # "Suspicions" (part one) (John Mayall) – 2:47 # "Knockers Step Forward" (John Mayall,

Mick Taylor Michael Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, he appeared on: ''Let It Bleed'' ...

) – 3:12 # "Hide and Seek" (John Mayall, Hank Williams) – 2:22

Personnel

* John Mayall – guitar, harmonica, keyboards, organ, vocals * Roger Dean – guitar (1, 2) * Bernie Watson – guitar (3) * Peter Green – guitar, harmonica, vocals (4–11) *

– guitar (12–14) *

John McVie John Graham McVie (born 26 November 1945) is a British bass guitarist. He is best known as a member of the rock bands John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers from 1964 to 1967 and Fleetwood Mac since 1967. His surname, combined with that of Mick Fle ...

– bass (1–4, 6–11) * Paul Williams – bass (12) *

Tony Reeves Anthony Reeves (born 18 April 1943, New Eltham, South East London) is an English bass guitarist/contrabassist, noted for his "distinctive and complex bass sound" and use of electronic effects. Career As a teenager Reeves learned orchestral doub ...

– bass (13–14) *

Hughie Flint Hughie Flint (born 15 March 1940, Manchester, Lancashire) is an English drummer, known for his stint in John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, for his group McGuinness Flint in the early 1970s and for his subsequent association with The Blues Ba ...

– drums (1–2) * Martin Hart – drums (3) * Aynsley Dunbar – drums (4, 6–11) *

Keef Hartley Keith "Keef" Hartley (8 April 1944 – 26 November 2011)
was an English drummer and bandleader. He fronted his own band ...

– drums (12) *

Jon Hiseman Philip John Albert "Jon" Hiseman (21 June 1944 – 12 June 2018) was an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer, and music publisher. He played with the Graham Bond Organisation, with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and later for ...

– drums (13–14) *

Dick Heckstall-Smith Richard Malden Heckstall-Smith (26 September 1934 – 17 December 2004) was an English jazz and blues saxophonist. He played with some of the most influential English blues rock and jazz fusion bands of the 1960s and 1970s. He is known for pri ...

–

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while ...

(12–13), soprano saxophone (12) * Chris Mercer – tenor saxophone (12–13) * Henry Lowther – trumpet (13) ;Other credits *

Gus Dudgeon Angus Boyd "Gus" Dudgeon (30 September 1942 – 21 July 2002) was an English record producer, who oversaw many of Elton John's most acclaimed recordings, including his commercial breakthrough, " Your Song". Their collaboration led to seven US N ...

– engineer * Bill Price – engineer * John Tracy – liner notes * Derek Varnals – engineer * Mike Vernon – producer

References

{{John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers 1971 compilation albums John Mayall albums albums produced by Mike Vernon (record producer) albums produced by John Mayall Decca Records compilation albums