Accept No Substitute is the second album by Delaney & Bonnie Bramlett, and their only release on the Elektra label (catalog no. EKS 74039). The album features many of the "friends" that would form the core of their best-known 1969-70 touring band, including Leon Russell, Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle and Rita Coolidge.

The album's release created no small amount of behind-the-scenes controversy. Upon hearing pre-release mixes of the album, George Harrison offered Delaney and Bonnie a contract with the Beatles' Apple Records label, which they signed despite their prior contractual commitment to Elektra. According to Elektra founder Jac Holzman's book on that label's early history,^[1] Apple went so far as to make test pressings of Accept No Substitute based on this contract, which was subsequently voided.^[2] After the album's release, frustrated that no copies of Accept No Substitute were available in his father's home town record store, an apparently drunken Delaney Bramlett phoned Holzman (who was in the UK at the time) saying that he would "come to England and kill" Holzman if the situation was not immediately corrected. Holzman responded by releasing Delaney and Bonnie from their Elektra contract.^[3] Coincidentally, the Kinney National Company, owners of the Bramletts' next label Atco Records, would buy out Elektra in 1970.

One song from this album, "Ghetto," would become a regular feature of Delaney and Bonnie's live shows. The song, co-authored by Bonnie during Delaney and Bonnie's tenure at Stax Records, was later covered by Stax stars The Staple Singers.

Track listing

1. "Get Ourselves Together" (Delaney Bramlett, Bonnie Bramlett, Carl Radle)  2:25
2. "Someday" (Delaney Bramlett, Jerry Allison, Bonnie Bramlett, Doug Gilmore)  3:29
3. "Ghetto" (Delaney Bramlett, Bettye Crutcher, Homer Banks, Bonnie Bramlett)  4:55
4. "When the Battle is Over" (Mac Rebennack, Jessie Hill)  3:32
5. "Dirty Old Man" (Delaney Bramlett, Mac Davis)  2:31
6. "Love Me a Little Longer" (Delaney Bramlett, Bonnie Bramlett)  2:57
7. "I Can't Take It Much Longer" (Delaney Bramlett, Joey Cooper)  3:07
8. "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" (Dan Penn, Chips Moman)  5:23
9. "Soldiers of the Cross" (Traditional)  3:10
10. "Gift of Love" (Delaney Bramlett, Mac Davis)  2:53

Personnel

• Bonnie Bramlett: Vocals.
• Delaney Bramlett: Guitars, vocals.
• Leon Russell: Guitars, piano.
• Jerry McGee: Guitars.
• Carl Radle: Bass guitar.
• Bobby Whitlock: Organ, Keyboards, Vocals.
• Bobby Keys: Saxophones
• Jim Price: Trombone, Trumpet, Horns.
• Rita Coolidge: Backing vocals.
• Jim Keltner: Drums, percussion.

Production

• Delaney Bramlett: Producer, arrangements.
• David Anderle: Supervising producer.
• Leon Russell: Arrangements.
• Jimmie Haskell: String arrangements ("Do Right Woman," "Ghetto").
• John Haeny: Engineer.
• Barry Feinstein: Photography.

References