It Ain’t Easy is Long John Baldry’s 1971 blues- and rock-oriented album, produced by Elton John and Rod Stewart. The original album has ten tracks; expanded and remastered releases add bonus material. Its credits include a wide circle of British musicians and vocalists, among them Maggie Bell, Ron Wood, Elton John and Stewart.
What songs are on It Ain’t Easy?
The original album’s ten-track sequence, as listed on the official Long John Baldry recordings page, is:
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
![The Big Bad Blues[LP]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51WDHESojjL._SL160_.jpg)
|
The Big Bad Blues[LP] | $23.05 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Little America | $18.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Mutiny After Midnight | $29.80 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Georgia Warhorse | $27.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
East-West (BLUE VINYL) | $28.88 | Buy on Amazon |
- “Conditional Discharge”
- “Don’t Try to Lay No Boogie Woogie on the King of Rock n’ Roll”
- “Black Girl”
- “It Ain’t Easy”
- “Morning, Morning”
- “I’m Ready”
- “Let’s Burn Down the Cornfield”
- “Mr Rubin”
- “Rock Me When He’s Gone”
- “Flying”
Catalogs sometimes style or punctuate titles differently, so the names above follow the artist’s page.
Did Elton John and Rod Stewart produce it?
Yes. The official artist page explicitly credits the album as “PRODUCED BY ELTON JOHN & ROD STEWART.” The same page credits Jimmy Horowitz as executive producer and Mike Bobak as engineer.
#1 Best Overall
- Big Bad Blues, as the title suggests, focuses on Gibbons' lifelong love of the blues and rock & roll, showcasing the blues-influenced vocals and guitar licks that have together served as the foundation for his numerous hits over the past five decades
Who played on the album?
The artist page’s general album credits include:
- Elton John on piano; Rod Stewart and Long John Baldry on vocals
- Maggie Bell on vocals; Ian Duck on vocals and harmonica
- Roger Pope on drums; Dave Glover on bass
- Caleb Quaye and Ron Wood on guitar; Sam Mitchell on guitars
- Ray Jackson on mandolin; Ian Armitt on keyboards; Al Skidmore on saxophone
These are album-level credits, not a track-by-track personnel breakdown. The cited pages do not establish exact session dates or locations.
Which edition has bonus tracks?
The original ten-track sequence is distinct from expanded and remastered catalog listings. The artist discography lists bonus material such as “Going Down Slow,” “Cornbread, Meat and Molasses,” “Love in Vain,” “Midnight Hour Blues,” a radio spot, and alternate versions of “Black Girl,” “It Ain’t Easy” and “I’m Ready.”
Rank #2
Rhino’s 2014 digital Warner Bros. catalog release, Boogie Woogie: The Warner Bros. Recordings, is dated April 22, 2014 and includes remastered versions of the album’s ten core tracks plus bonus material, including recordings marked previously unreleased. Apple Music separately lists It Ain’t Easy (Expanded) as a 17-song, one-hour-eight-minute album, displaying a July 20, 1971 release date and ℗ 2018 Warner Records Inc., marketed by Rhino Entertainment. That platform metadata should not be read as a universal release-history statement.
These listings identify different catalog presentations; they do not establish that every CD, LP or digital edition has identical tracks or mastering. Check the exact edition’s track list before choosing it.
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Rank #3
- Released on March 13, 2026...
- Available on black vinyl...
- Genre: Country...
- Label: Atlantic...
- Includes tracks addressing contemporary themes...
Where can you listen, and is it available on CD or vinyl?
Rhino’s catalog page and Apple Music’s expanded-album listing are documented listening destinations. Whether either is accessible depends on territory and current service availability; listings can change.
The official artist page has an older notice that “BALDRY CLASSICS …IT AIN’T EASY n’ EVERYTHING STOPS FOR TEA now available…order your copies today ….” It does not establish current stock or specify a physical format. For CD or vinyl, verify that a current seller listing names the format and edition you want, and compare its track list with the original or expanded versions above.
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Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
