The Real Thing (Taj Mahal album)

The Real Thing is a double live album by Taj Mahal, released in 1971. It was recorded on February 13, 1971, at the Fillmore East in New York City and features Taj Mahal backed by a band that includes four tuba players.

Track listing
All tracks by Taj Mahal except where noted.
 * 1) "Fishin' Blues" (Henry Thomas) – 2:58
 * 2) "Ain't Gwine to Whistle Dixie (Any Mo')" (Chuck Blackwell, Jesse Ed Davis, Gary Gilmore, Taj Mahal) – 9:11
 * 3) "Sweet Mama Janisse" – 3:32
 * 4) "Going Up to the Country and Paint My Mailbox Blue"	 – 3:24
 * 5) "Big Kneed Gal" – 5:34
 * 6) "You're Going to Need Somebody on Your Bond" (Blind Willie Johnson) – 6:13
 * 7) "Tom and Sally Drake" – 3:39
 * 8) "Diving Duck Blues" (Sleepy John Estes) – 3:46
 * 9) "John, Ain' It Hard"  – 5:30
 * 10) "She Caught the Katy (And Left Me a Mule to Ride)" (Taj Mahal, Yank Rachell) – 4:08
 * 11) *Omitted from the vinyl issue, added to 2000 CD issue. Studio recording appears on The Natch'l Blues (1968).
 * 12) "You Ain't No Street Walker Mama, Honey but I Do Love the Way You Strut Your Stuff"  – 18:56

Personnel
Technical
 * Taj Mahal – vocals, blues harp, chromatic harmonica, National steel-bodied guitar, five-string guitar (banjo), fife
 * Howard Johnson – tuba (BB♭, F), flugelhorn, baritone saxophone, brass arrangements
 * Bob Stewart – tuba (CC), flugelhorn, trumpet
 * Joseph Daley – tuba (BB♭), valve trombone
 * Earle McIntyre – tuba (E♭), bass trombone
 * Bill Rich – Electric bass
 * John Simon – piano, electric piano
 * John Hall – Electric guitar
 * Greg Thomas – drums
 * Kwasi "Rocky" DziDzournu – congas
 * Tim Geelan, Glen Kolotkin, Frank Abbey, Jerry Smith – engineer
 * Anna Hornisher – cover, artwork, design
 * Irene Harris – cover photography