The two singers had collaborated on several occasions over the years before this album was realized and had become personal friends. Morrison had first recorded the title song, "Don't Look Back" on his debut album as the frontman for the Northern Irish band Them and according to one of the band members, Billy Harrison, the two first met in London in 1964.[5] Their first collaboration was on Hooker's album, Never Get Out of These Blues Alive recorded in 1972, with a duet on the title song and Hooker's cover of Morrison's "T.B. Sheets". They guested on each other's albums over the years with Hooker also appearing on two films with Morrison: BBC's One Irish Rover and Morrison's 1990 video, Van Morrison The Concert.