Photo credit: Mark Seliger
The Black Crowes have revealed plans to release a comprehensive box set edition of their chart-topping second album, The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion, on Dec. 1, 2023 release, via American Recordings/UMe. The release includes a treasure trove of previously unreleased studio recordings, rare B-sides, a live performance captured at Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston, Texas, on Feb. 6, 1993, and a meticulously remastered album sourced from the original 1/4″ production master.
The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion, originally unleashed in 1992, stormed the U.S. Billboard album chart by debuting at No. 1. This album, bearing the name of a post-Civil War southern hymnal, features some of The Black Crowes’ most enduring hits, including chart-toppers like “Remedy,” “Sting Me,” and “Thorn in My Pride.” Notably, the songs collectively dominated the Billboard Main Stream Rock Airplay chart for an impressive 21 weeks.
In a tribute to their musical legacy, brothers Rich and Chris Robinson and producer George Drakoulias have embarked on a journey through the album’s archives to craft a special super deluxe edition. The box set will showcase 14 unreleased recordings, including a fresh mix of the Memphis soul classic “99 Pounds,” originally performed by Ann Peebles and written by Don Bryant, as well as an exclusive studio recording of “Miserable.”
Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes commented on the album’s enduring significance, stating, “We’ve always thought that the music on Southern Harmony and Musical Companion was made of a certain magic that was in the air for us in 1992. This special box set represents all the ingredients of the spell we were under.”
Rich Robinson further emphasized the album’s pivotal role in the band’s evolution, stating, “I always felt that Southern Harmony was us coming into our own as a band and creating our sound. We made the record in 8 days. Every song was one or two takes. No more than that. It was a snapshot of a band possessing all of its powers, and it still resonates with me to this day.”
Adding to the excitement, the box set contains live, in-studio recordings captured at the culmination of the Southern Harmony And Musical Companion recording sessions in early 1992. These electric performances, filmed on Jan. 4, 1992, on the iconic Southern Tracks Studio floor in Atlanta, Ga., offer a glimpse into The Black Crowes’ live presence. Among the featured tracks is the band’s distinctive interpretation of Ry Cooder’s “Boomer’s Story.”
The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion box set is available for pre-order in various formats, including a 4LP, 3CD, 2CD, and 1LP. Additionally, exclusive Fan Packs featuring a “Remedy” Lyric T-shirt or Trucker Hat bundled with the 1LP edition are available through the official Black Crowes store.
Learn more about the upcoming release here.
Track Listing
4-LP SET
LP1- The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion
- Sting Me (Side A)
- Remedy (Side A)
- Thorn In My Pride (Side A)
- Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye (Side A)
- Sometimes Salvation (Side A)
- Hotel Illness (Side B)
- Black Moon Creeping (Side B)
- No Speak No Slave (Side B)
- My Morning Song (Side B)
- Time Will Tell (Side B)
LP2- More Companions: Unreleased, Outtakes and B-Sides
- 99 Pounds (Side C)
- Miserable (Side C)
- Rainy Day Women No 12 & 35 (Side C)
- Boomer’s Story (Side C)
- Darling of The Underground Press (Side C)
- Sting Me (Slow) (Side D)
- Bad Luck Blue Eyes, Goodbye (Side D)
- Sometimes Salvation (Side D)
- Black Moon Creeping (Side D)
LP3- Southern Harmony Live: February 6, 1993 (Houston, TX)
- No Speak No Slave (Side A)
- Sting Me (Side A)
- My Morning Song (Side A)
- Jam (Side B)
- Thorn in My Pride (Side B)
LP4- Southern Harmony Live: February 6, 1993 (Houston, TX)
- Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye (Side C)
- Black Moon Creeping (Side C)
- Hotel Illness (Side C)
- Sometimes Salvation (Side D)
- Remedy (Side D)
3-CD SET
CD1- The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion
- Sting me
- Remedy
- Thorn In My Pride
- Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
- Sometimes Salvation
- Hotel Illness
- Black Moon Creeping
- No Speak No Slave
- My Morning Song
- Time Will Tell
CD2- More Companions: Unreleased, Outtakes and B-Sides
- 99 Pounds
- Miserable
- Rainy Day Women No 12 & 35
- Boomer’s Story
- Darling of The Underground Press
- Sting Me (Slow)
- Bad Luck Blue Eyes, Goodbye
- Sometimes Salvation
- Black Moon Creeping
CD3- Southern Harmony Live: February 6, 1993 (Houston, TX)
- No Speak No Slave
- Sting Me
- My Morning Song
- Jam
- Thorn in My Pride
- Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
- Black Moon Creeping
- Hotel Illness
- Sometimes Salvation
- Remedy
LP1
DISC 1
- Sting Me (Side A)
- Remedy (Side A)
- Thorn In My Pride (Side A)
- Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye (Side A)
- Sometimes Salvation (Side A)
- Hotel Illness (Side B)
- Black Moon Creeping (Side B)
- No Speak No Slave (Side B)
- My Morning Song (Side B)
- Time Will Tell (Side B)
2CD
DISC 1
- Sting Me
- Remedy
- Thorn In My Pride
- Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
- Sometimes Salvation
- Hotel Illness
- Black Moon Creeping
- No Speak No Slave
- My Morning Song
- Time Will Tell
DISC 2
- 99 Pounds
- Darling of The Underground Rainy Day Women No 12 & 35
- Sting Me (Slow)
- Thorn in My Pride
- My Morning Song
- Black Moon Creeping
- Sometimes Salvation
- Remedy
DIGITAL ALBUM
- Sting Me
- Remedy
- Thorn In My Pride
- Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
- Sometimes Salvation
- Hotel Illness
- Black Moon Creeping
- No Speak No Slave
- My Morning Song
- Time Will Tell
- 99 Pounds
- Miserable
- Rainy Day Women No 12 & 35
- Boomer’s Story
- Darling Of The Underground Press
- Sting Me (Slow)
- Bad Luck Blue Eyes, Goodbye
- Sometimes Salvation
- Black Moon Creeping
- No Speak No Slave
- Sting Me
- My Morning Song
- Jam
- Thorn in My Pride
- Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
- Black Moon Creeping
- Hotel Illness
- Sometimes Salvation
- Remedy