Yesterday I’m in a JB HiFi, despairing of finding something
to take advantage of their 20% off weekend, when I came across this new box and
the small print finally caught my eye. “Soul
Legends. 20 Original Albums From The Iconic Atlantic Label”. What did this mean? The box sides were identical and the rear had
a different look featuring a number of album covers. I then looked at the bottom. There I found listed 20 different albums including
some classics of the genre. My goodness,
20 different albums for $86, but $68 when I apply the discount. ? And I don’t
have any of them. Sold!
I take my new purchase home, rip off the plastic and take
off the lid. There sitting in the box
are 20 albums in cardboard slip covers.
This is not an Original Album Classics el cheapo job. Each of the covers has a spine with the album
and artist clearly visible. Not only
that, Atlantic/WEA/Rhino records Art Department re-sized the cover artwork so
that liner notes, track titles, those commentaries found on 60s albums,
everything, is easily readable. There’s
even a booklet. Great job everyone but
why didn’t you create a more distinctive cover
With that trivial gripe out the way, I started ploughing
through the albums today, starting with the stone cold dead classics:
(210) Ray Charles –
What I’d Say
I already owned all of the music on this one courtesy of
Atlantics wonderful The Birth Of Soul box set, but it’s great to have Rockhouse
(Pts 1 & 2), Roll With Me Baby, That’s Enough and the immortal title track
as they originally released.
(211) Booker T &
The M.G’s – Green Onions
The magnificent title track, one of the greatest rock
instrumentals ever released, dwarfs just about the rest of the album,
especially what I presumed to be a follow up titled, Mo’ Onions. But there is fun listening to a range of
covers as disparate as I Got A Woman, Twist And Shout, Lonely Avenue and, would
you believe, Aker Bilk’s Stranger On A Shore.
(212) Otis Redding –
Otis Blue
For reasons I can’t fathom this is subtitled “Otis Redding
Sings Soul”, surely as ridiculous a guide to contents as say, Exodus – Bob Marley
Sings Reggae. But this is its only
fault. A scared text in Southern Soul
Music, it contains Respect, his take of Change Gonna Come, I’ve Been Loving You
Too Long, Shake, You Don’t Miss Your Water and his wonderful cover of The
Rolling Stones Satisfaction. Nothing
more needs to be said.
(213) Aretha Franklin
– Lady Soul
This is another sacred text this time from Soul Woman #1. This one contains Chain Of Fools, (You Make Me
Feel Like) A Natural Woman, SINCE You’ve Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby) and her
take on People Get Ready. But for me the
biggest surprise is the stupendous Good To Me As I Am To You, an Aretha track I
don’t think I’d heard previously. Taken
by the magnificent guitar work on the track I looked at the liner notes and
discovered that that this was played by “Eric Clapton of “Cream” “.
(214) Sam & Dave –
Hold On I’m Comin’
The title track is just about their best known and loved
track. This also has You Don’t Know Like
I Know, I Take What I Want and the brilliant ballad Don’t Make It So Hard On
Me.
(215) Wilson Pickett –
In The Midnight Hour
The title track is the big hit on this one but, unlike many
soul albums of the era named after the hit track, this one is wall to wall
quality. A Teardrop Will Fall, Don’t
Fight It, Take This Love I’ve Got and Let’s Kiss & Make Up are just as
good.
(216) The Drifters –
Under The Boardwalk
For me, The Drifters are the acceptable side of male vocal
harmonising and are far superior to just about any do-wop act you could name.
The key is probably the songs. This
album alone has the title track, On Broadway, Up On The Roof, I Feel Good All
Over and In The Land Of Make Believe just for starters.
Seven down, thirteen to go.
That won’t happen tomorrow though as I have a work road trip which means
the opposite side of the sonic coin.
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