THE MANSON FAMILY - THE FAMILY JAMS

Transparency Records & Aurora Records (1997)

Disc 1 :

01. Ra-Hide Away!
02. Love's Death
03. Die to Be One
04. No Wrong-Come Along
05. Get on Home
06. Is There No One in Your World But You?
07. First They Made Me Sleep in the Closet
08. Give Your Love (To Be Free)
09. I'll Never Say Never to Always
10. Look at Your Love
11. If I Had a Million Dollars
12. Goin' to the Church House

Disc 2 :

01. You Must Be Born Again
02. Ra-Hide Away!
03. Die to Be One
04. The Fires Are Burning
05. Give Your Love (To Be Free)
06. The Young Will Overcome
07. Going to the Church House
08. Love's Death
09. I'll Never Say Never to Always
10. Die to Be One
11. Look at Your Love
12. I Can't Remember When
13. Going to the Church House
14. I Can't Remember When (Alternate)
15. Give Your Love to Be Free
16. London Bridge Is Falling Down

This album of Charles Manson songs was recorded by The Manson Family as the 1970 murder trial was ongoing. Recorded in the Spahn Ranch saloon, some songs contain references to the unfolding events in the trial. “Get On home” contains a direct reference to the defendants carving an ‘X’ onto their foreheads :

"When you see the children with x's on their head, if you dare to look at them, soon you will be dead."

Originally a private press release as “Manson Family Sings the Songs of Charles Manson" on vinyl and limited to 999 copies.

This reissue from 1997 was released simultaneously on Transparency Records and Aurora Records and has the original album remastered on disc 1 and outtakes and alternate versions on disc 2.

Not too dissimilar from a lot of commune folk around at the time, this music contains an undeniable spook. The lo-fi recording quality, the back story and Manson’s lyrics make this an unsettling, stoned listen.