"Home In Your Heart: The Best Of..." by SOLOMON BURKE (July 1993 Rhino/Atlantic & Atco Remasters 2CDs - Ted Jensen Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Meet Me In Church..."

For sure in 2019 - and even if they are from original master tapes as stated on the artwork - Remasters from January 1992 are 'old'. But that doesn't stop this barnstorming Solomon Burke twofer anthology (released July 1993 in the UK) from doing exactly what it says on the lame-suit lid – hitting you in the Solar Plexus and making a "Home In Your Heart".

Longstanding Audio Engineer and Associate to US reissue label giant Rhino Records - TED JENSEN did these transfers back in the day as I said and I've always loved the way they sound - full of life and oomph and that storming live-in-the-studio Sixties feel. Then throw in the fact that you get a whoop-ass 41 slices of primo Atlantic Records Soul (34 singles and 7 album tracks to be exact-a-mundo) and I'm Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye). And Burke had 21 children! There's a lot on here, so let's get to the prayer books and have those remorseful tear ducts a-flowing people 'cause I feel a sin coming on (Lord have mercy)...

UK released July 1993 - "Home In Your Heart: The Best Of Solomon Burke" by SOLOMON BURKE on Rhino/Atlantic 8122-70284-2 (Barcode 081227028428) is a 41-Track 2CD Anthology of 1992 Remasters that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (57:35 minutes):

1. Home In Your Heart (February 1963 US 7"single on Atlantic 45-2180, B-side of "Words" - A-side is Track 8 on Disc 1)

2. Down In The Valley (May 1962 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2147, A-side - B-side is Track 4 on Disc 1)

3. Looking For My Baby (July 1964 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2241, B-side of "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love" - A-side is Track 18 on Disc 1)

4. I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You (May 1962 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2147, B-side - A-side is Track 2 on Disc 1)

5. Cry To Me (January 1962 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2131, A-side - B-side isn't on this compilation)

6. Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms) (August 1961 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2114, A-side - B-side isn't on this compilation)

7. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) (April 1964 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2226, A-side - B-side is Track 15 on Disc 1)

8. Words (February 1963 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2180, A-side - B-side is Track 1 on Disc 1)

9. Stupidity (July 1963 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2196, B-side of "Can't Nobody Love You" - A-side is Track 13 on Disc 1)

10. Send Me Some Loving (from the 1963 US album "If You Need Me" on Atlantic SD 8085 in Stereo)

11. Go On Back To Him (December 1962 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2170, A-side)

12. Baby (I Wanna Be Loved) (from the 1962 US album "Solomon Burke's Greatest Hits" on Atlantic SD 8067 in Stereo)

13. Can't Nobody Love You (July 1963 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2196, A-side - B-side is Track 9 on Disc 1)

14. Got To Get You Off My Mind (February 1965 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2276, A-side)

15. Someone To Love Me (April 1964 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2226, B-side to "Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)" - A-side is Track 7 on Disc 1)

16. You're Good For Me (October 1963 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2205, A-side)

17. Dance Dance Dance (August 1965 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2299, B-side of "Someone Is Watching" - A-side is Track 10 on Disc 2)

18. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (July 1964 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2241, A-side - B-side is Track 3 on Disc 1) 

19. Tonight's The Night (May 1965 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2288, A-side)

20. Baby, Come On Home (December 1965 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2314, A-side)

21. If You Need Me (March 1963 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2185, A-side)

22. The Price (October 1964 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2259, A-side)

Disc 2 (57:53 minutes):

1. Get Out Of My Life Woman (from the 1968 album "I Wish I Knew" on Atlantic SD 8185 in Stereo)

2. Save It  (from the 1968 album "I Wish I Knew" on Atlantic SD 8185 in Stereo)

3. Take Me (Just As I Am) (June 1967 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2416, A-side - B-side is Track 13 on Disc 2)

4. When She Touches Me (October 1966 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2359, A-side - B-side is Track 17 on Disc 2)

5. I Wish I Knew (April 1968 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2507, A-side - B-side is Track 14 on Disc 2)

6. Party People (February 1968 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2483, A-side)

7. Keep A Light In The Window (January 1967 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2378, A-side - B-side is Track 16 on Disc 2)

8. I Feel A Sin Coming On (March 1966 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2327, A-side)

9. Meet Me In Church (June 1968 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2527, B-side of "Save It")

10. Someone Is Watching (August 1965 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2299, A-side - B-side is Track 17 on Disc 1)

11. Detroit City (November 1967 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2459, A-side - B-side is Track 18 on Disc 2)

12. Shame On Me (from the 1968 album "I Wish I Knew" on Atlantic SD 8185 in Stereo)

13. I Stayed Away Too Long (June 1967 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2416, B-side of "Take Me (Just As I Am") - A-side is Track 3 on Disc 2)

14. It's Just A Matter Of Time (April 1968 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2507, B-side of "I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free)" - A-side is Track 5 on Disc 2)

15. Since I Met You Baby (from the 1968 album "I Wish I Knew" on Atlantic SD 8185 in Stereo)

16. Time Is A Thief (January 1967 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2378, B-side of "Keep A Light In The Window Until I Get Home" - A-side is Track 7 on Disc 2)

17. Woman, How Do You Make Me Love You Like I Do (October 1966 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2359, B-side of "When She Touches Me" - A-side is Track 4 on Disc 2)

18. It's Been A Change (November 1967 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2459, B-side of "Detroit City" - A-side is Track 11 on Disc 2)

19. What'd I Say (from the 1968 album "I Wish I Knew" on Atlantic SD 8185 in Stereo)

The 22-page booklet has illuminating and often-hilarious liner notes by GERI HIRSHEY on the larger-than-life Burke of whom it was said could sing to soften or arouse on a dime. The famous Atlantic Records albums "I Wish I Knew" and "Rock 'N Soul" are given full pages and there's a hugely detailed track-by-track Sessionography where you'll spot names like King Curtis and Sam Taylor (Saxophones), Eric Gale, Reggie Young, Billy Butler, Joe South and Jimmy Johnson (Guitars) with Spooner Oldham (Organ) - creamy company indeed. The track list at the rear even gives you Master Tape Numbers and US R&B and Pop chart positions. To the music... 

"...You laughed...you called me my personal clown in front of your friends...you cost me..." - pity poor Solomon as he wails like a man with a nail in his head never mind his shoe on "The Price" - typical melodrama where he does all but weep and ask the Lord for mercy (can't unfortunately help but think that he's heard these calls before from butter-wouldn't-melt in his mouth Solomon). I'd have to say that the Bear Family "Sweet Soul Music - 1961" Remaster for "Just Out Of Reach (For My Two Empty Arms)" is far better than what's on offer here - but that doesn't stop it from being wickedly period. Even better is the sexy shuffle of "Got To Get You Off My Mind" where Solomon's gal has only gone and found someone new and better (so it ain't so papa) - Sam Taylor and Charles Brown punching out those boppin' horns.

But the beauty of this vaults-trawl is that it gives you deeper stuff than obvious compilation cuts like "Cry To Me" and the titular "Home In Your Heart" - dig those 1968 shimmy-shaker LP tracks on Disc 2 like "Save It" (when Solomon gets home he’s gonna have needs) and his call-and-response version of the Ray Charles classic "What’d I Say" – an overdone tune that he brings something new to (Bobby Emmons giving it a bit of Ray on the electric piano while Reggie Young (who only passed this year) plays cool guitar licks. He gets preachy and down with Gospel-Soul on fantastic smoochers like "Meet Me In Church", the quarrelling song "Shame On Me" and the pleader "I Stayed Away Too Long". The intro to "Detroit City" might be a tad hissy but those Joe South and Jimmy Johnson guitar flicks keep things interesting, whilst legendary kit-man Roger Hawkins anchors the brass chugging along to the backbeat like they were to the musical manor born. Burke even keeps up with changing times by covering the Staples Singer educational-call-to-arms stomper "It's Been A Change" - pleading with Washington to open their ears.

A fabulous wealth of Soul, Gospel, Boogie and damn it – sexiness! "...All of the time I keep saying, I'm gonna quit you, but, but, but..." - Solomon stammer-sings on "Woman, How Do You Make Me Love You Like I Do" – bemoaning his dreadful and not in the least bit self-inflicted lovelorn fate (easy on that man woman). Grooviest sounds around and then some...