The Family That Plays Together

Studio album by Spirit

Released

December 1968

Recorded

March 11 - September 18, 1968

Genre

Length

34:44

Spirit chronology

Spirit
(1968)

The Family That Plays Together
(1968)

Clear
(1969)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Rolling Stone	(positive)

The Family That Plays Together, the second of four albums released by the original Spirit lineup, was released on Ode Records in December 1968. More than its predecessor, Spirit, their self-titled and surreal debut, The Family That Plays Together displays the band's ability to play beyond the genre of psychedelic rock. Tracks such as "It Shall Be" and "Silky Sam" demonstrate the ease with which the ensemble can incorporate jazz into their idiosyncratic form of rock, while "Jewish" and "Aren't You Glad" show the band's competence in exploiting both world music and jam rock. "Poor Richard," "Jewish," and "All the Same" feature double track lead breaks by guitarist Randy California. The album's title was inspired by the stepson-stepfather relationship between guitarist Randy California and percussionist Ed Cassidy. It alludes to the slogan "The family that prays together stays together", created by ad-writer Al Scalpone for the Family Rosary Crusade and popular in American and British rhetoric beginning in the 1940s.

The album's arrangements were created by Marty Paich, who also arranged and conducted Spirit's eponymous debut album and their third album, Clear, as well as Model Shop (the soundtrack to a film of the same name, which was recorded after "Family" but not released until 2004).

The album cover was shot at the Sunset Highland Motel, located at 6830 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California, just across from Hollywood High School.

"Jewish" is performed with Hebrew lyrics that are taken from the traditional song "Hine Ma Tov", based on King David's Psalm 133.

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Wikipedia