Universal Language (Booker T. & the M.G.'s album)

Universal Language
Studio album by Booker T. & the M.G.'s
Released	1977
Recorded	1977
Studio	Clover, Hollywood, California
Genre	Soul, instrumental rock
Length	32:59
Label	Asylum 7E 1093
Producer	Booker T. & the M.G.'s; co-produced with Tom Dowd on "Space Nuts"
Booker T. & the M.G.'s chronology
The MGs (1973) Universal Language (1977) That's the Way It Should Be (1994)

Universal Language is a 1977 album by the American band Booker T. & the M.G.'s. ^[1] The album was recorded for Asylum Records, following the demise of Stax Records, of which the M.G.'s were an integral element, in 1975.

The album was dedicated to M.G.'s drummer Al Jackson, Jr., who was murdered in 1975; ^[2] the remaining members recruited Willie Hall to replace him on this album. ^[3] The group would not record another album for seventeen years, returning in 1994 with That's the Way It Should Be .

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[5]
The Rolling Stone Record Guide	[6]

The AllMusic retrospective review awarded the album 2 stars. ^[4]

Track listing

All songs written by Cropper, Dunn, and Jones, except where noted

Side one

1. "Sticky Stuff" – 4:09
2. "Grab Bag" – 4:32
3. "Space Nuts" – 3:27
4. "Love Wheels" – 3:38
5. "Motocross" – 4:33

Side two

1. "Last Tango in Memphis" – 5:26
2. "MG's Salsa" – 5:27
3. "Tie Stick" (Cropper, Dunn, Jones, Johnny Stevenson) – 5:01
4. "Reincarnation" – 5:12

Personnel

Booker T. & the M.G.s

• Booker T. Jones  – keyboards
• Steve Cropper  – guitar
• Donald Dunn  – bass guitar
• Willie Hall  – drums

Technical

• Austin Godsey, Toby Scott – engineers
• Tony Lane – art direction
• Jonathan Seay – cover

Notes

1. The New Rolling Stone Record Guide. Random House. 1983. p. 52.
2. Bowman, Rob (1997). Soulsville U.S.A.: The Story of Stax Records. New York: Schirmer Trade. p. 364. ISBN   0-8256-7284-8
3. Concerted Efforts - Booker T. & the MG's Archived May 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
4. AllMusic Review accessed July 22, 2011
5. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
6. The Rolling Stone Record Guide. Random House. 1979. p. 42.