Released in 1975 as a follow-up of sorts to his classic 1967 album Mixed Bag, Mixed Bag II features Richie Havens the interpreter of song. "Someone Suite" is credited to Havens, but the remainder of the tracks suggest a man with eclectic taste tying things together. Bob Dylan is the most expected songwriter, considering that Havens successfully covered several of his tunes over the years. "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands"—the side-long cut from Dylan's 1966 masterpiece Blonde on Blonde—is a daring choice, but Havens adds an unusual soul groove to Dylan's epic tale. Dave Mason's "Headkeeper" features Elliot Randall's scorching electric guitars for one of Haven's hardest-rocking cuts. Havens zeroes in on the essence of Paul McCartney's "Band on the Run" and the poet William Butler Yeats' "Wandering Angus." Neil Young's "The Loner" is given an upbeat rendition, with guitarist Randall and soul drummer Bernard Purdie driving the song over the top.