100 Soul Classics
Release date: May 4th 2009
Label: Atlantic/Rhino
Format: 4 CD release & digital download
Catalogue #: WMTV100
RHINO RECORDS PROUDLY PRESENT A STUNNING NEW 4 CD COLLECTION REFLECTING THE GOLDEN AGE OF ONE OF SOUL MUSIC’S GREATEST LABELS…
Listening to the one hundred songs that comprise “100 Soul Classics” it becomes obvious that Atlantic Records played a crucial role in introducing some of the most significant and influential African-American musicians of the 20th Century to the wider public. But for the talent-spotting abilities and impeccable musical taste of Ahmet Ertegun and his production staff (which included Jerry Wexler, Nesuhi Ertegun, Arif Mardin, Tom Dowd and Joel Dorn), the world probably wouldn’t have got to hear the awe-inspiring voices of Ray Charles, Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin and Donny Hathaway. The timeless recordings that they and others made for Atlantic Records – many of which are featured here – are Ahmet Ertegun’s gift to the world. It is, without doubt, an incredible legacy and as regards its value, well, the title “100 Soul Classics” speaks for itself.
Starting with “What’d I Say” by Ray Charles, widely regarded as one of the first true “Soul” singles, through the sophisticated early sixties “Uptown” sound of The Drifters, Coasters and Barbara Lewis, through to the classic mid–to–late sixties ‘hit machine’ centred around the Stax Studios in Memphis and Fame Studios in Alabama, where a multitude of hits were recorded by legendary artists such as Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Arthur Conley, Eddie Floyd, Percy Sledge and many others. Soul music became closely associated, if not synonymous with The Civil Rights Movement; but it also increasingly crossed over into the mainstream pop charts and a high proportion of the tracks included here were huge hits both in the US and in the UK, where a large devoted audience eagerly awaited every release.
As the seventies dawned, Atlantic was still a major player in the R&B charts and boasted incredible talent on it’s roster, continuing the 60’s legacy with a new generation of stars such as Donny Hathaway, Blue Magic and The Spinners – who enjoyed considerable success with a sweeter, orchestrated style that became known as the “Philly Sound”, utilising a crack studio band (M.F.S.B) based at Sigma Sound studios in Philadelphia, and the style is well represented on this collection. Philly proved to be the swansong of soul music as it gave way to disco in clubs around the world from the mid-70’s, but “100 Soul Classics” reflects the classic period, roughly 25 years between 1959 and 1976. As well as the hits, “100 Soul Classics” boasts a wealth of lesser known but quality cult tracks that will delight the casual fan and aficionados alike.
** Please note that the title of this is album is ‘100 Soul Classics’ and not ‘Atlantic Gold – 100 Soul Classics’ (as printed on the album’s promo copies). In addition, the album’s sleeve artwork has also been changed. The new artwork is illustrated on this press release. To download the correct sleeve artwork, please go to www.planetearthpublicity.com or e-mail dave@planetearthpublicity.com
Tracklisting:
1. RAY CHARLES / WHAT'D I SAY (Pt.1&2)(6:26)
2. THE COASTERS / POISON IVY (2:41)
3. BEN E. KING / SPANISH HARLEM (2:52)
4. THE MAR-KEYS / LAST NIGHT (2:35)
5. THE DRIFTERS / UP ON THE ROOF (2:33)
6. THE VIBRATIONS / MY GIRL SLOOPY (2:55)
7. BARBARA LEWIS / HELLO STRANGER (2:47)
8. BEN E. KING / STAND BY ME (3:31)
9. THE COASTERS / SHOPPIN' FOR CLOTHES (2:59)
10. THE DRIFTERS / ONLY IN AMERICA (2:11)
11. RICHIE BARRETT / SOME OTHER GUY (2:23)
12. MEL TORME / COMIN' HOME BABY (2:43)
13. THE DRIFTERS / SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME (2:26)
14. DORIS TROY / JUST ONE LOOK (2:31)
15. SOLOMON BURKE / STUPIDITY (1:59)
16. RUFUS THOMAS / WALKING THE DOG (2:32)
17. ESTHER PHILLIPS / MOJO HANNAH (2:25)
18. SOLOMON BURKE / IF YOU NEED ME (2:32)
19. PATTI LABELLE & THE BLUEBELLES / GROOVY KIND OF LOVE (2:13)
20. THE DRIFTERS / UNDER THE BOARDWALK (2:41)
21. OTIS REDDING / I'VE BEEN LOVING YOU TOO LONG (TO STOP NOW) (2:54)
22. DORIS TROY / WHATCHA GONNA DO ABOUT IT (1:48)
23. SOLOMON BURKE / EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMEBODY TO LOVE (2:44)
24. CARLA THOMAS / B-A-B-Y (2:53)
25. DON COVAY / SEE-SAW (2:58)
CD2:
1. BOOKER T & THE MG'S / GREEN ONIONS (2:53)
2. THE CAPITOLS / COOL JERK (2:32)
3. WILSON PICKETT / LAND OF 1000 DANCES (2:25)
4. SOLOMON BURKE / KEEP LOOKIN' (2:39)
5. SAM & DAVE / HOLD ON, I'M COMING (2:34)
6. CLIFF NOBLES / MY LOVE IS GETTING STRONGER (2:49)
7. BOOKER T & THE MG'S / BOOT-LEG (2:06)
8. JOE TEX / SHOW ME (2:55)
9. THE ASTORS / CANDY (2:59)
10. MARY WELLS / DEAR LOVER (2:12)
11. DARRELL BANKS / ANGEL BABY (DON'T YOU EVER LEAVE ME) (2:52)
12. ARETHA FRANKLIN / I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER (3:33)
13. WILSON PICKETT / MUSTANG SALLY (3:06)
14. SOLOMON BURKE / MAGGIE'S FARM (2:18)
15. THE BAR-KAYS / SOUL FINGER (2:19)
16. EDDIE FLOYD / KNOCK ON WOOD (3:03)
17. ARETHA FRANKLIN / RESPECT (2:23)
18. WILSON PICKETT / IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR (2:32)
19. TAMI LYNN / I'M GONNA RUN AWAY FROM YOU (2:51)
20. DEON JACKSON / OOH BABY (2:34)
21. WILLIE TEE / THANK YOU JOHN (2:45)
22. ARETHA FRANKLIN / (YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE) A NATURAL WOMAN (2:44)
23. PERCY SLEDGE / WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN (2:51)
24. SAM & DAVE / SOUL MAN (2:39)
25. DARRELL BANKS / THE LOVE OF MY WOMAN (2:55)
26. OTIS REDDING / TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS (3:17)
27. BARBARA LYNN / YOU'RE LOSING ME (2:16)
CD3:
1. ARETHA FRANKLIN / SAVE ME (2:19)
2. OTIS REDDING & CARLA THOMAS / TRAMP (3:00)
3. BEN E. KING / WHAT IS SOUL? (2:21)
4. SOUL BROTHERS SIX / SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL (2:46)
5. KING CURTIS / MEMPHIS SOUL STEW (2:56)
6. ARETHA FRANKLIN / THINK (2:16)
7. ARTHUR CONLEY / SWEET SOUL MUSIC (2:18)
8. OTIS REDDING / HARD TO HANDLE (2:21)
9. SAM & DAVE / DON'T TURN YOUR HEATER ON (2:16)
10. EDDIE FLOYD / BIG BIRD (2:58)
11. JIMMY HUGHES / IT AIN'T WHAT YOU GOT (2:15)
12. JEANNE & THE DARLINGS / HOW CAN YOU MISTREAT THE ONE YOU LOVE (2:45)
13. WILLIAM BELL / NEVER LIKE THIS BEFORE (2:50)
14. THE CHARMELS / AS LONG AS I'VE GOT YOU (2:41)
15. THE SOUL CLAN / THAT'S HOW IT FEELS (3:38)
16. PERCY SLEDGE / WARM AND TENDER LOVE (3:20)
17. JOHNNIE TAYLOR / AIN'T THAT LOVING YOU (FOR MORE REASONS THAN ONE) (3:08)
18. OTIS REDDING /(SITTIN' ON) THE DOCK OF THE BAY (2:40)
19. ARETHA FRANKLIN / CHAIN OF FOOLS (2:46)
20. CLARENCE CARTER / LOOKING FOR A FOX (2:16)
21. ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS / TIGHTEN UP PT.1 (3:09)
22. DON COVAY / EVERYTHING I DO GOIN’ BE FUNKY (3:16)
23. KING FLOYD / GROOVE ME (2:55)
24. BETTY WRIGHT / CLEAN UP WOMAN (2:47)
25. THE BEGINNING OF THE END / FUNKY NASSAU (PT.1)(3:10)
26. ARETHA FRANKLIN / ROCK STEADY (3:11)
27. CLARENCE CARTER / TAKE IT OFF HIM (AND PUT IT ON ME) (2:53)
CD4:
1. DONNY HATHAWAY / THE GHETTO (Pts. 1&2) (6:46)
2. TYRONE DAVIS / TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME (2:56)
3. LAURA LEE / WHAT A MAN (2:55)
4. ED ROBINSON / FACE IT (2:25)
5. DEE DEE WARWICK / SUSPICIOUS MINDS (2:59)
6. HOWARD TATE / SHE'S A BURGLAR (2:42)
7. BROOK BENTON / RAINY NIGHT IN GEORGIA (3:50)
8. THE PERSUADERS / THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE AND HATE (3:22)
9. ARETHA FRANKLIN / UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO ME (THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO)(3:25)
10. DONNY HATHAWAY / LOVE LOVE LOVE (3:40)
11. MARGIE JOSEPH / RIDIN’ HIGH (3:30)
12. THE SPINNERS / I'LL BE AROUND (3:11)
13. MAJOR HARRIS / LOVE WON'T LET ME WAIT (5:29)
14. BETTYE SWANN / KISS MY LOVE GOODBYE (3:25)
15. THE VALENTINOS / I CAN UNDERSTAND IT (3:59)
16. JACKIE MOORE / TIME (3:28)
17. THE SPINNERS / COULD IT BE I'M FALLING IN LOVE (4:12)
18. BLUE MAGIC / SIDESHOW (4:08)
19. VIVIAN REED / SAVE YOUR LOVE FOR ME (3:16)
20. BEN E. KING / SUPERNATURAL THING (PT.1) (4:13)
21. EDDIE HARRIS / IT'S ALL RIGHT NOW (3:54)