You might well own a good amount of the material on here, but the Soul 66 three-CD box set is still a lovely thing to have.
It’s a Cherry Red box, which in itself is always something to recommend it. A bit like Ace Records, the quality and the research for these collections is always a selling point. And if you are a fan of 1960s soul, then you might want a closer look.
This is a 91-track box gathering hits and rarities from 1966, described as ‘the year that soul music broke big’.
1966 has been heralded as a boom year for rock music, but it was also a peak for soul, the sounds coming out of Memphis, Detroit, New York, Chicago et al exploding into the US charts and influencing pop music in America and beyond. This box tells part of that story with tracks taken from legendary Memphis southern soul label Stax, New York’s Atlantic Records, Warner Brothers’ imprint Loma that became a favourite of the UK northern soul scene and more.
Hits include Wilson Pickett’s ‘Land Of 1,000 Dances’, Sam And Dave’s ‘Hold On I’m Comin’, Eddie Floyd’s ‘Knock On Wood’, Carla Thomas’ ‘B-A-B-Y’, Otis Redding’s ‘Try A Little Tenderness’ and Darrell Banks’ ‘Open The Door To Your Heart’.
But other tracks picked uo plays and notoriety a little later, with northern soul floorfillers such as Darrell Banks’ ‘Our Love Is In The Pocket’, The Marvellos’ ‘Something’s Burnin’’, The Blossoms’ ‘That’s When The Tears Start’, Bobby Womack’s ‘Find Me Somebody’, Mary Wells’ Keep Me In Suspense’, Charles Thomas’ ‘The Man With The Golden Touch’, and Bobby McNutt’s ‘I’m Gettin’ Ready’ also featured.
There’s B-sides, obscurities and a couple of Loma tracks that were unissued until the 21st century, with the vast majority aimed at the dance floor. Notes are by MOJO and Record Collector soul expert Lois Wilson, and mastering is by Grammy nominated archivist/producer Alec Palao who discovered The Marvellos’ stomping ‘I Need You’ (featured here) when he digitised the Loma tape archive.
Full track breakdown below. It lands on 23rd May and is available to pre-order now at Amazon for a discounted £20.52.
Find out more at the Amazon website
TRACK LISTING
DISC ONE
1 Ben E. King – I Can’t Break The News To Mysel
2 Esther Phillips – Just Say Goodbye
3 The Apollas – Just Can’t Get Enough Of You
4 The Blossoms – That’s When The Tears Start
5 Little Joe Cook – Don’t You Have Feelings
6 Ray Sharpe – Help Me (Get The Feelin’) Part 1
7 Arthur Conley – Who’s Fooling Who
8 Rufus And Carla Thomas – Never Let You Go
9 Gate Wesley & Band (Vocal Billy Lamont) – Do The Thing
10 Johnnie Taylor – Changes
11 Dick Jenson & The Imports – Back In Circulation
12 Charles Thomas – The Man With The Golden Touch
13 Ruby Johnson – Weak Spot
14 Sam & Dave – Hold On I’m Comin’
15 The Coasters – Saturday Night Fish Fry
16 Eddie Floyd – Things Get Better (When I’m With You)
17 Derek Martin – Bumper To Bumper
18 Percy Sledge – Love Me Like You Mean It
19 Ruby Johnson – I’ll Run Your Hurt Away
20 Jeff Dale – A Suffering Pain
21 The Invincibles – Can’t Win
22 Paul Days – Wake Me Up Baby
23 The Dolls – The Reason Why
24 Vala Reegan And The Valarons – Fireman
25 The Romeos – Mon Petite Chow
26 Darrell Banks – Open The Door To Your Heart
27 Bobby McNutt – I’m Gettin’ Ready
28 The Four Shells – Hot Dog (My Baby’s Comin’ Home)
29 Otis Redding – Cigarettes and Coffee
30 The Mar-Keys – Plantation Inn
31 Mable John – Your Good Thing (Is About To End)
DISC TWO
1 Doris Troy – I’ll Do Anything
2 Darrell Banks – Our Love (Is In The Pocket)
3 The Marvellos – Something’s Burnin’
4 The Four Shells – Reputation
5 Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers – Sock It To ’Em J.B. Part 1
6 Bonnie – My Love Keeps Growin’
7 Otis Redding – Don’t Mess With Cupid
8 Wilson Pickett – Ninety-Nine And A Half (Won’t Do)
9 William Bell – Share What You Got (But Keep What You Need)
10 Larry Laster – Help Yourself
11 Delilah Kennebruew – Bright Lights
12 The Marvellos – I Need You
13 Mary Wells – Keep Me In Suspense
14 Mary Lee Whitney – Don’t Come A Knockin’
15 Larry Laster – Go For Yourself
16 Eddie Floyd – Knock On Wood
17 Carla Thomas – B-A-B-Y
18 The Soul Shakers – I’m Getting Weaker
19 Booker T. & The M.G.’s – My Sweet Potato
20 Solomon Burke – Lawdy Miss Clawdy
21 Wilson Pickett – Land Of 1,000 Dances
22 Sam & Dave – Said I Wasn’t Gonna Tell Nobody
23 Herbie Mann – Philly Dog
24 The Capitols – Zig Zagging
25 Brother Jack McDuff – Gonna Hang Me Up A Sign
26 King Curtis – Dancing In The Streets
27 Ted Taylor – Help The Bear
28 Solomon Burke – Keep Looking
29 The Invincibles – Got A Thing Goin’
30 Booker T. & The M.G.’s – Booker-Loo
DISC THREE
1 Arthur Conley – I Can’t Stop (No, No, No)
2 J. J. Jackson – But It’s Alright
3 William Bell – Never Like This Before
4 The Mad Lads – Patch My Heart
5 Darrell Banks – Somebody (Somewhere) Needs You
6 The Marketts – Stirrin’ Up Some Soul
7 Deon Jackson – That’s What You Do To Me
8 Lorraine Ellison – I Got My Baby Back
9 Rufus Thomas – Sister’s Got A Boyfriend
10 Cliff Nobles – My Love Is Getting Stronger
11 Dee Dee Sharp – Bye Bye Baby
12 Percy Sledge – Heart Of A Child
13 Barbara Lewis – I Remember The Feeling
14 The Capitols – We Got A Thing That’s In The Groove
15 Tamiko Jones With Herbie Mann – Sidewinder
16 King Curtis – Pots And Pans Part 1
17 Sam & Dave – You Got Me Hummin’
18 The Drifters – Baby What I Mean
19 Ben E. King – What Is Soul?
20 Clarence Carter – Tell Daddy
21 Johnnie Taylor – Toe-Hold
22 Wilson Pickett – Three Time Loser
23 Darlene Love – Too Late To Say You’re Sorry
24 Otis Redding – Otis Redding – Try A Little Tenderness
25 Carla Thomas – Something Good (Is Going To Happen To You)
26 The Delacardos – She’s The One I Love
27 The Teen Turbans – We Need To Be Loved
28 Bobby Womack – Find Me Somebody
29 Esther Phillips – Fever
30 Patti Labelle & The Bluebelles – Take Me For A Little While
