''Scratching the Surface'' is the debut album by English band

Groundhogs The groundhog (''Marmota monax''), also known as the woodchuck, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. A lowland creature of North America, it is found through much of the Easte ...

, released in 1968 by

Liberty Records Liberty Records was a record label founded in the United States by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Alvin Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous rev ...

. Dave Thompson at

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

commented "... if you want to hear the blues sluicing straight out of the Southern England Delta, there are precious few better introductions".

Track listing

All tracks composed by

Tony McPhee Anthony Charles McPhee (23 March 1944 – 6 June 2023) was an English guitarist and singer. He was the founder of the British blues and rock band the Groundhogs. Career McPhee was given the name "T.S." — standing for "Tough Shit" — whe ...

, except where indicated. # "Rocking Chair" – 4:07 # " Early in the Morning" ( John Lee Williamson) – 4:47 # "Waking Blues" – 2:29 # "Married Men" – 4:40 # "

No More Doggin' "No More Doggin'" is a rhythm and blues song written and originally recorded by blues musician Rosco Gordon in 1952. The song featured Gordon's signature "Rosco Rhythm" piano style which became a precursor to Jamaican ska music. Recording and re ...

" (

Rosco Gordon Rosco N. Gordon III (April 10, 1928 – July 11, 2002), sometimes billed as Roscoe Gordon, was an American blues singer, pianist, and songwriter. He is best known for his hit songs "Booted," (1952), " No More Doggin'" (1952), and " Just a Littl ...

) – 4:57 # "Man Trouble" – 6:27 # "Come Back Baby" – 3:54 # "You Don't Love Me" (

Willie Cobbs Willie C. Cobbs (July 15, 1932 – October 25, 2021) was an American blues singer, harmonica player and songwriter. He is best known for his song " You Don't Love Me". Life and career Born in Smale, Monroe County, Arkansas, United States, ...

) – 4:11 # "Still a Fool" (

McKinley Morganfield McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1913April 30, 1983), better known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues singer-songwriter and musician who was an important figure in the post-World War II blues scene, and is often cited as the "father of modern ...

) – 6:35 1990 bonus tracks - Taken from ''I Asked for Water, She Gave Me… Gasoline'' compilation #"Oh Death" – 3:14 (credited to

Jo Ann Kelly Jo Ann Kelly (5 January 1944 – 21 October 1990) was an English people, English blues singer and guitarist. She is respected for her strong blues vocal style and for playing country blues guitar. Early life Kelly was born in Streatham, South ...

and

) #"Gasoline" – 4:49 (credited to

) #"Rock Me" – 2:46 (credited to

and

The Groundhogs The Groundhogs were an English blues and rock band founded in late 1963 in London. Named after John Lee Hooker's song "Ground Hog Blues", they were part of the burgeoning British rhythm and blues scene, backing Hooker on his album '' ...And Se ...

) #"Don't Pass the Hat Around" – 3:43 (credited to

)

Personnel

;Groundhogs *

– guitar, vocals *Steve Rye – harmonica, vocals, lead vocals on tracks 2 and 8 *Peter Cruickshank – bass *Ken Pustelnik – drums ;Technical *Gerry Collins – engineer * Andrew Lauder, Roy Fisher, Tony McPhee – coordination *

Michael Hasted Michael Hasted (born 1945) is a British artist, writer, director for the theatre, and photographer. Early life Michael Hasted was expelled from school at the age of 16 for spending more time backstage at his local repertory theatre, The Everym ...

– design and cover photography

References

1968 debut albums The Groundhogs albums Liberty Records albums World Pacific Records albums Sundazed Music albums Fire Records (UK) albums {{Blues-album-stub