Bottom Line

Recorded live at the Roxy, Los Angeles, California on November 24, 1976. Featuring John Mayall on vocals and harmonica with, in various combinations:

• Guitar: Ben Benay, Cornell Dupree, Jeff Layton, Jeffrey Miranov, John Tropea, Lee Ritenour, Sid McGinnis, Steve Lukather
• Bass: Bob Babbitt, David Shields, Frankie Centano, Gordon Edwards, Tim Drummond
• Alto Sax, C Flute: George Young
• Tenor Sax: Michael Brecker
• Baritone Sax: Ron Cuber, Howard Johnson
• Trumpet: John Faddis, Lew Soloff, Randy Brecker, Virgil Jones
• Bass Trombone: Allan Ralph
• Strings: Lee Holdridge
• Piano: John Jarvis
• Keyboards: Leon Pendarvis, Paul Shaffer, Rob Mounsey
• Moog: Bernie Krause
• Backup vocals: Cheryl Lynn, Delbert Langston, Pepper Watkins, Vivian Cherry, Ullanda McCullough, Janice Gadson Pendarvis
• Drums: Jeff Porcaro, Steve Jordan
• Percussion: Alejandro Neciosup, Arthur Jenkins Errol Bennett, Rubens Bassini, Steve Foreman

1. Bottom Line
2. Dreamboat
3. Desert Flower
4. I'm Gonna Do It
5. Revival
6. The Game Of Love
7. Celebration
8. Come With Me

1. A bar in Greenwich Village featuring folk and rock music.
2. A perfectly horrible phrase used in American business that literally indicates whether one has made a profit, taken a loss, or simply broken even. It comes from the world of accounting: when you add up all the debits and credits, payables and receivables, the last line of the ledger has the big number everyone wants to hear.

   Figuratively it is used as a synonym for net effect, especially in an economic sense.

   The question, "So what's the bottom line?" although incorrect in its expression, is taken to mean "What will this cost me?"

   The phrase protecting the bottom line means cutting what are seen as unnecessary expenditures (this could include laying off personnel) in order to make a company's ledger look more profitable. It is usually an accounting, not a budgetary issue; that is to say, more of appearance than reality.