Say It Ain't So (album)

The explanation for the title track of the album, Say It Ain't So, Joe, tells the story of baseball player Joe Jackson, along with other players of the Chicago White Sox team, following a game-fixing scandal in 1919, was denied by Murray Head. The subject of the song is to denounce the attitude of Americans who, despite the Watergate scandal, continued to vote for Nixon. This song was covered by Who singer, Roger Daltrey, on his 1977 album One of the Boys.

Musicians appearing on the album include Bob Weston on guitar who played with Fleetwood Mac in 1973; he was also seen alongside Sandy Denny and he would play again with Murray Head on his Between Us album in 1979. Jim Cregan and drummer Gerry Conway. Former Yes pianist and organist, Tony Kaye, also appears on the song "Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat". The backing vocalists include Murray's brother, Anthony Stewart Head, as well as Liza Strike, famous for appearance the album The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd in 1973. Vicky Brown was also a backing vocalist for Pink Floyd on tour, and she also assisted David Gilmour and Roger Waters as solo artists.

All songs composed by Murray Head, except where noted.

• Murray Head – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, Fender Rhodes piano
• Bob Weston – acoustic, slide and electric guitars, backing vocals
• Alun Davies – guitar, backing vocals
• Jim Cregan – acoustic guitar
• Mickey Finn – rhythm guitar
• Graham Preskett – mandolin
• Bruce Lynch – acoustic and electric bass guitar
• Brian Brocklehurst – acoustic bass
• Arthur Watts – string bass on "Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat"
• Nick South – bass guitar
• Charles Jankle (Chaz Jankel) – Wurlitzer electric piano
• Tony Kaye – piano on "Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat"
• Ann Odell – strings arrangement, piano, ARP synthesizer
• Billy Day – organ
• Brian Johnstone – Fender Rhodes electric piano
• Simon Philips – drums
• Gerry Conway – drums
• Glen LeFleur – drums, percussion
• Pete Thompson – drums
• Morris Pert – log drums
• Fitzroy "Brother" James – congas, percussion
• Darryl "Chili" Charles – percussion
• P.J. Crotty – tin whistle
• The Tropic Isles – steel band
• Anthony Head – backing vocals
• Vicky Brown – backing vocals
• Liza Strike – backing vocals
• Sue Lynch – backing vocals
• Pam Keevil – backing vocals
• John Altman – clarinet on "Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat"
• Anthony Healey – trombone on "Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat"
• Noel Norris – trumpet on "Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat"

Production & engineering

• Paul Samwell-Smith - producer
• Martin Levan - engineer, mixing
• Robin Black - engineer, mixing
• Mike Bobak - mixing

Album cover art

• Gered Mankowitz - photography

• Say It Ain't So at AllMusic