Live (Donny Hathaway album)


Live is a 1972 live album by American soul artist Donny Hathaway. It was recorded at two concerts: side one at The Troubadour in Hollywood, and side two at The Bitter End in Greenwich Village, Manhattan.
The album features some traditional soul anthems, such as Marvin Gaye's 1971 hit "What's Going On", but also Carole King's pop standard "You've Got a Friend".
There are two notable solos on the album, one on the track "The Ghetto" by Hathaway on electric piano and another by Willie Weeks on bass on the track "Voices Inside ", taken from the performances recorded at The Troubadour and at The Bitter End accordingly.
Hathaway's daughter Lalah would record her own live album in 2015.

Critical reception

The album received generally positive reviews from music critics. Rolling Stones Mosi Reeves stated "Donny Hathaway swings with vividness on this brilliant live set and the audience responds ecstatically." AllMusic rated the album score of 4.5 out of 5, with John Bush stating the album is "one of the most glorious of his career, an uncomplicated, energetic set with a heavy focus on audience response as well as the potent jazz chops of his group", and that it "solidified Hathaway's importance at the forefront of soul music". In 2015, Live was ranked number 48 on Rolling Stones list of 50 Greatest Live Albums of All Time. In 2005, MusicRadar included it in its list of the 10 essential bass albums.

Track listing

Side one

  1. "What's Goin' On" – 5:18
  2. "The Ghetto" – 12:08
  3. "Hey Girl" – 4:03
  4. "You've Got a Friend" – 4:34

    Side two

  5. "Little Ghetto Boy" – 4:29
  6. "We're Still Friends" – 5:12
  7. "Jealous Guy" – 3:08
  8. "Voices Inside " – 13:47

    Personnel

;Technical

Weekly charts

Later Samples