Tracklist Hide Credits
| Africa (The Motherland) | ||
| 1 | MotherlandBata [Featuring] – Bill SummersWritten-By – Q. Jones* |
0:29 |
| 2 | Roots Mural ThemeOrchestra – The Quincy Jones Orchestra*Written-By – G. Fried* |
2:10 |
| 3 | Main Title: Mama Aifambeni (Premiere Episode)Bata [Bata Drum Ensemble, Featuring] – Bill SummersChoir [Featuring] – The WattslineFeaturing – Caiphus SemenyaVocals [Featuring] – Letta MbuluWritten-By – C. Semenya*, Q. Jones* |
1:03 |
| 4 | Behold, The Only Thing Greater Than Yourself (Birth)Vocals [Vocal & Chant, Featuring] – Letta MbuluWritten-By – C. Semenya*, Q. Jones* |
1:30 |
| 5 | Oluwa (Many Rains Ago) (African Theme)Choir [Featuring] – The Wattsline Choir*Vocals [Featuring] – Letta MbuluWritten-By – C. Semenya*, Q. Jones* |
2:28 |
| 6 | Boyhood To ManhoodPercussion [Featuring] – Bill SummersVocals [Solo] – Zak DioufWritten-By – B. Summers*, Q. Jones*, Z. Diouf* |
0:53 |
| 7 | The Toubob Is Here! (The Capture)Written-By – Q. Jones* |
1:06 |
| 8 | Middle Passage (Slaveship Crossing)Vocals [Solo On Sea Shanty] – Alex HassilevVocals [Toubob Chant] – The WattslineWritten-By – Q. Jones* |
1:15 |
| 9 | You In Americuh' Now, AfricanFeaturing – Lou GossettOrchestra [Featuring] – Quincy Jones Orchestra*Written-By – G. Fried*, Q. Jones* |
0:32 |
| America (The Promised Land) | ||
| 10 | Roots Mural Theme Intro (Slave Auction)Orchestra [Featuring] – The Quincy Jones Orchestra & Auctioneers*Written-By – G. Fried* |
0:15 |
| 11 | Ole FiddlerAdapted By – Lou Gossett, Q. Jones*Voice Actor [Dialogue], Vocals [Featuring] – Lou Gossett |
1:12 |
| 12 | Jumpin' De Broom (Marriage Ceremony)Fiddle [Hoedown Solo, Featuring] – Bobby BruceWritten-By – B. Bruce*, Q. Jones* |
0:42 |
| 13 | What Can I Do? (Hush, Hush, Somebody's Calling My Name)Adapted By – Q. Jones*, J. Cleveland*Choir [Featuring] – The Wattsline Choir*Organ, Piano [Featuring] – Richard TeeVocals [Featuring] – Charles May, Mortonette Jenkins |
2:17 |
| 14 | Roots Mural Theme Bridge (Plantation Life)Orchestra – The Quincy Jones Orchestra*Voice Actor [Vagon Dialogue] – Stan HazeWritten-By – G. Fried* |
1:25 |
| 15 | Oh Lord, Come By HereAdapted By – Q. Jones*, J. Cleveland*Choir [Featuring] – The Wattsline Choir*Conductor [Featuring] – Reverend James Cleveland*Organ [Featuring] – Richard Tee |
3:25 |
| 16 | Free At Last? (The Civil War)Orchestra [Featuring] – The Quincy Jones Orchestra*Voice Actor [Dialogue, Featuring] – Lou GossettWritten-By – Q. Jones* |
2:24 |
| 17 | Many Rains Ago (Oluwa) (African Theme: English Version)Choir – The Quincy Jones Orchestra*Orchestra – The Wattsline Choir*Vocals [Solo, Featuring] – Letta MbuluWritten-By – C. Semenya*, Q. Jones* |
4:50 |
Companies, etc.
- Manufactured By – Canyon Records, Inc.
- Phonographic Copyright (p) – A&M Records, Inc.
- Copyright (c) – A&M Records, Inc.
Credits
- Acoustic Bass – Arni Egillson*, Milt Kestenbaum*
- Arranged By – Bill Summers, Caiphus Semenya, Dave Grusin, Herb Spencer*, John Mandel*, Quincy Jones, Reverend James Cleveland*, Dick Hazard*, Tommy Bahler*
- Artwork [Album Design] – Chuck Beeson
- Artwork [Art Direction] – Roland Young
- Artwork [Roots Logo Typography Design] – Al Nagy
- Banjo – Alton Hendrickson*
- Cello – Jeff Solow*, Jesse Erlich*, Paul Bergstrom, Ronnie Cooper*
- Composed By – Gerald Fried (tracks: 2, 9, 10, 14)
- Concept By [Conceived By], Producer, Conductor – Quincy Jones
- Conductor [Choir] – Tommy Bahler* (tracks: 5, 17)
- Conductor [The Wattsline Choir] – Reverend James Cleveland*
- Electric Bass – Chuck Rainey, Ed Reddick
- Engineer [Assistant] – Chuck Trammell, Steve "Deacon Dolby" Katz*
- Engineer, Remix – Norm Kinney
- French Horn – Alan Robinson, David Duke, James Decker
- Guitar – David T. Walker, Lee Ritenour
- Harp – Catherine Gotthoffer, Dorothy Remsen
- Keyboards – Dave Grusin, Ian Underwood, Mike Boddicker*, Pete Jolly, Richard Tee
- Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
- Percussion – Bill Summers, Bobbye Hall, Caiphus Semenya, Emil Richards, King Errison*, Milt Holland, Paul Bryant , Shelly Manne, Tommy Vig, Victor Feldman, Zak Diouf
- Performer – Bill Summers, Caiphus Semenya, Letta Mbulu, Lou Gossett, Quincy Jones Orchestra*, The Wattsline Choir*
- Photography By [Back Cover] – Bruce Talamon
- Trombone – Bill Watrous, Dick Nash, Maurice Spear*
- Trumpet – Bobby Bryant, Buddy Childers, John Audino
- Tuba – Tommy Johnson
- Viola – Alex Nieman, Marilyn Baker, Bob Ostrowsky*, Rollis Dale*
- Violin – Bobby Bruce, Erno Neufeld, Gerald Vinci, Harry Bluestone, Irv Katz, Janice Gower, John Santulis, Joseph Livoti, Joe Stepansky*, Ralph Shaeffer*, Bob Sushell*, Sheldon Sanov, Bill Nuttycomb*
- Vocals – Alexandra Brown*, Caiphus Semenya, Deborah Tibbs, Jim Gilstrap, John Lehman, Linda Evans, Paulette McWilliams, Reverend James Cleveland*, Stephanie Spruill
- Vocals [Featured Soloist] – Letta Mbulu
- Vocals [The Wattsline Choir] – Charles May, David Pridgen, Mortonette Jenkins, Rodney Armstrong, Sherwood Sledge
- Woodwind – Ernie Watts, Jerome Richardson, Ted Nash, Terry Harrington, Bill Green*
Notes
℗&©1977 A&M Records, Inc.Manufactured by Canyon Records, Inc., Japan
Recorded at A&M Studios and United Western Recorders
Music from and inspired by the David L. Wolfer production of "Roots". ROOTS the saga of an American family.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
- Barcode: T4988012232830
- Rights Society: JASRAC
Other versions
| Category | Artist | Title (Format) | Label | Category | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP-4626 | Quincy Jones | Roots (The Saga Of An American Family) (LP, Album) | A&M Records | SP-4626 | US | 1977 |
| SP-4626 | Quincy Jones | Roots (The Saga Of An American Family) (LP, Album) | A&M Records | SP-4626 | US | 1977 |
| SP-4626 | Quincy Jones | Roots: The Saga Of An American Family (LP, Album, Promo) | A&M Records | SP-4626 | US | 1977 |
| SLAM 64626 | Quincy Jones | Roots: The Saga Of An American Family (LP, Album) | A&M Records | SLAM 64626 | Italy | 1977 |
| POCM 1955 | Quincy Jones | Roots (The Saga Of An American Family) (CD, Album) | A&M Records | POCM 1955 | Japan | 1996 |

