This is such a total & complete album it's almost scary! Beautiful lyrical content and gorgeous musical compositions make Roots a must buy. Curtis was a true genius in describing for the masses the signs of the time. One of the things i've always loved about his music is that it gave you a front row sit to that days most pressing issues. And he did it in such a way that you were drawn in and couldn't resist even if you wanted to.Bob Dylan, whose another true poet whose music i love, wrote songs like "Blowin in the Wind" that became a civil rights favorite describing the injustices of the day for blacks in America. However, he wrote his songs from the "outside looking in". Curtis was sreaming back at Bob, yeah what you're saying is true, now, let me give you a first hand account from the "inside out" point of view. He had begun showing this incredible ability while with the mighty Impressions during the sixties. Albums like "This Is My Country" & "The Young Mods Forgotten Story" were preludes to his solo material and what direction they would go.The song "Beautiful Brother of Mine" is worth the price of admission by itself and "Keep You On My Mind" is absolutely gorgeous in every way! Then you have the "Underground" which has one of the tightest hooks i've ever heard and of course the Poet telling it like it was and in many ways, still is! It's truly a song that tugs at the very soul of people of African descent and is one of MANY highlights on this album. Curtis Mayfield was artistic expression at it's finest and an artist worthy of FAR MORE praise than what he gets.