Child Is Father to the Man is the debut album by a Blood, Sweat & Tears, released in February of 1968 (see 1968 in music).

Widely regarded as a classic fusion of jazz, rock and roll, psychedelia and classical music, Child Is Father to the Man is one of bandleader Al Kooper's most enduring works. The album introduced the idea of the big band to rock and roll and paved the way for such groups as Chicago. Kooper left the band after this album. Subsequent albums showed the effect of his absence.

Child Is Father to the Man peaked at #47 on Billboard's (North America) Pop Albums chart.

The title is a quotation from a poem by William Wordsworth called "The Rainbow".

Track listing

1. "Overture" (Kooper) - 1:32
2. "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" (Kooper) - 5:57
3. "Morning Glory" (Beckett, Buckley) - 4:16
4. "My Days Are Numbered" (Kooper) - 3:19
5. "Without Her" (Harry Nilsson) - 2:41
6. "Just One Smile" (Randy Newman) - 4:38
7. "I Can't Quit Her" (Kooper, Levine) - 3:38
8. "Meagan's Gypsy Eyes" (Katz) - 3:24
9. "Somethin' Goin' On" (Kooper) - 8:00
10. "House in the Country" (Kooper) - 3:04
11. "The Modern Adventures of Plato, Diogenes and Freud" (Kooper) - 4:12
12. "So Much Love/Underture" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) - 4:47

Personnel

• Amahid Ajemian - violin
• Randy Brecker - trumpet, flugelhorn
• Fred Catero - sound effects
• Harold Coletta - viola
• Bobby Colomby - percussion, drums, tambourine, vocals, snare drums
• Jim Fielder - bass, fretless bass
• Paul Gershman - violin
• Al Gorgoni - organ, guitar, vocals
• Manny Green - violin
• Dick Halligan - trombone
• Julie Held - violin
• Doug James - shaker
• Steve Katz - acoustic guitar, guitar, lute, vocals
• Harry Katzman - violin
• Al Kooper - organ, piano, keyboard, vocals, ondioline
• Leo Kruczek - violin
• Fred Lipsius - piano, alto saxophone
• Harry Lookofsky - violin
• Charles McCracken - cello
• Melba Moorman - choir, chorus
• Gene Orloff - violin
• Alan Schulman - cello
• John Simon - organ, piano, conductor, cowbell
• The Manny Vardi Strings - viola
• Jerry Weiss - trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals

Production

• Producers: Bob Irwin, John Simon
• Engineer: Fred Catero
• Mixing: John Simon
• Mastering: Vic Anesini
• Arrangers: Fred Catero, Al Gorgoni, Fred Lipsius, Alan Schulman, John Simon
• Art direction: Howard Fritzson
• Photography: Bob Cato, Don Hunstein
• Packaging: Michael Cimicata

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)