After a series of major label releases, the last of which was a recording with a new trio, Charlie Hunter makes significant changes for Baboon Strength. The idiosyncratic guitarist's innate joie de vivre remains constant, however, as he decides to release the album independently and, prior to that, recruits a new drummer.
Recorded "In Glorious Mono" on analog tape with no overdubs, the album marks a shift in Hunter's sound from the genre-mixing of his previous three releases to a consistent blues/R&B-influenced approach. The title is allegedly a real quotation; according to Hunter, "Well, it's a quote from a real, older, curmudgeonly musician that people have worked for. And I cannot name names, but it really did happen. It really does happen; let me put it that way."