"Atlantic Rhythm And Blues 1947-1974: Volume 7 - 1967-1969" by VARIOUS ARTISTS - featuring Aretha Franklin, Bar-Kays, Joe Tex, Wilson Pickett, King Curtis, Otis Redding, Archie Bell & The Drells, Clarence Carter, Tyrone Davis, Roberta Flack, R.B. Greaves, Brook Benton, Donny Hathaway, Les McCann & Eddie Harris (Inside the October 1991 USA Atlantic 8CD LP-Sized Box Set – March 2006 UK Singular CD Reissue with Same Tracks and Remasters but with Different Artwork) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

Above - The April 1987 UK Seven x Double-Album VINYL BOX SET

(Originally Issued December 1985 in the USA)

Both Original Vinyl Box Sets (1985 and 1987) Had 186 Tracks

The Seven CDs in both countries however were Truncated Versions - Down to 163 Tracks 

The UK CDs Volumes 1 to 7 also originally issued April 1987 (reissued October 1990)

Below - The October 1991 USA-ONLY 8CD 203-Track Upgraded Box Set (CD only)

Volume 8 was NEW over the 1985 7 x 2LP Vinyl Box Set and 1987 Truncated 7 x CDs

 

Below: US October 1991 Volume 7 

Newly Configured from 1969-1974 to 1967-1969

Was Not Issued Individually in the USA in 1991 or in the UK

Reissued However in UK/Europe in March 2006 in Different Artwork - see Next Set of Photos

                                         

Below: UK/EU March 2006 Reissue on Rhino/Warner Platinum

Each Volume (1 to 8) Was Released Individually only in UK/EU

There Was Also a Card Wrap Version that gathered up all Eight Volumes

All were Budget-Priced (usually £3.99) and used the 1991 Remasters

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"...Turn Back The Hands Of Time..."

Here in the spring of 2024 - this unassuming and admittedly rather naff-looking Soul CD compilation from Rhino and Warner Platinum has been in the UK and EUROPEAN budget-priced marketplace for almost the guts of 20-years. Issued back in March 2006 as Volume 7 of 8 – it was/is a bit-part showcase for the mighty Atlantic Records and their staggering Black Music Legacy. But don't let the cover fool you - what lies within is solid ***** material despite the no-star presentation.

In fact - none of the eight cheap-and-cheerful "Atlantic Rhythm And Blues 1947-1974" reissue volumes look like much – garish big-lettered front cover art with a piddly gatefold-inlay inside that barely lists titles and artists and not much else. But (as I say) man oh man the music is fabulous. However, to understand what you have in hand and the journey as to how it got here requires some serious investigative history that is worth explaining (including the photos provided above). So, here goes… 

The Seven x Double-Albums VINYL BOX SET for "Atlantic Rhythm And Blues 1947-1974" was first issued in the USA in December 1985 on Atlantic 7-81620-1 and belatedly in the UK in April 1987 on Atlantic 781 620-1. Housed in distinctive black and red packaging (like their Fifties labels) - the individual 2LP sets inside each had unique artwork, extensive liner notes and were also issued as stand-alone 2LP sets. Sometimes sold outside of the box in the UK and Europe - the individual 2LP sets were Atlantic 781 293-1 (Volume 1), 781 294-1 (Volume 2), 781 295-1 (Volume 3), 781 296-1 (Volume 4), 781 297-1 (Volume 5), 781 298-1 (Volume 6) and 781 299-1 (Volume 7). 

There were also 7 individual CDs issued in the UK in April 1987 (reissued Oct 1990) each with the above catalogue numbers but the code -2 instead of 1 for CD (781 293-2 etc). And despite some catalogues stating that Atlantic 781 292-2 was issued in April 1987 as a CD BOX - there was NO Original 12" x 12" box set for the CDs at that time - and worse - 6 of the 7 individual CD volumes had their track lists truncated - reducing 186 on the vinyl doubles by 17 to 163 in total on CD.

It then transpired that unspecified tracks across the whole seven-volume kaboodle had the wrong takes used. Atlantic USA decided to rectify this and reissued the entire box set again but with more tracks and only on CD. So in October 1991 "Atlantic Rhythm And Blues 1947-1974" was relaunched on Atlantic 7 82305-2 in the USA (Barcode 075678230523) - but this time as an 8CD 12" x 12" box set with 203 tracks (17 extra). The individual booklets that came with the original 7CDs were taken out (replaced with a simple gatefold track list inlays that used the old artwork) and expanded into a full-sized 36-page booklet. The reissue also used the distinctive black and red packaging of the 1985 vinyl box on the front, and the artwork style remained the same for each CD on the inside (collage photos). It also admitted that mistaken masters had been used on the original set but were now all correct. It was ONLY issued as an 8CD Box Set and ONLY in America. 

In March 2006 in the UK and Europe however, these 8 Volumes were reissued as stand-alone CDs for the first time (no vinyl), but with different artwork (I have pictured both). They were also released without the booklets that accompanied the 1987 issues or the 1991 reissue box - just basic gatefold inlays.

Completists should also note - to add further salt to a reissue wound - there was a 255-Track JAPAN-ONLY issue of "Atlantic Rhythm And Blues 1947-1974" on Warners/Atlantic WPCR-14441 released 25 May 2012 - again with different artwork - which added on 52 new tracks on 2 NEW BONUS DISCS. Chosen by noted Japanese expert Keishi Suzuki - the two extra CDs contained very rare Fifties Blues, Vocals and Rhythm 'n' Blues on Disc 9 and lesser-seen Soul Sides on Disc 10 - much of it unavailable elsewhere. Those two extra volumes are NOT available anywhere else and are exclusive to that Japanese anthology.

Back to the CD in hand. So, what you have here is an American-Based CD from 1991 subsequently issued 2006 in Europe. For this review – we will concentrate on Volume 7 of 8. Here are the track-by-track details…

UK released 20 March 2006 - "Atlantic Rhythm And Blues 1947-1974: Volume 7 1967-1969" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Rhino/Warner Platinum 8122-77582-2 (Barcode 081227758226) breaks down as follows (73:19 minutes):

1. Respect – ARETHA FRANKLIN (April 1967, USA Atlantic 45-2403, A-side)

2. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman – ARETHA FRANKLIN (September 1967, USA Atlantic 45-2441, A-side)

3. Soul Finger – BAR-KAYS (April 1967, USA Volt 45-148, A-side)

4. Baby I Love You – ARETHA FRANKLIN (July 1967, USA Atlantic 45-2427, A)

5. Skinny Legs And All – JOE TEX (October 1967, USA Dial 45-4063, A-side)

6. Chain Of Fools – ARETHA FRANKLIN (November 1967, USA Atlantic 45-2464, A-side)

7. I'm In Love – WILSON PICKETT (October 1967, Atlantic 45-2448, B-side to "Stag-O-Lee")

8. Memphis Soul Stew – KING CURTIS (August 1967, USA Atlantic 45-6511, A-side)

9. (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone – ARETHA FRANKLIN (February 1968, USA Atlantic 45-2486, A-side) * 

10. (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay – OTIS REDDING (January 1968, USA Volt 45-157, A-side)

11. Tighten Up – ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS (February 1968, USA Atlantic 45-2478, A-side)

12. Slip Away – CLARENCE CARTER (April 1968, USA Atlantic 45-2508, B-side to "Funky Fever")

13. Think – ARETHA FRANKLIN (May 1968, USA Atlantic 45-2518, A-side)

14. Too Weak To Fight – CLARENCE CARTER  (October 1968, USA Atlantic 45-2569, A) *

15. Can I Change My Mind – TYRONE DAVIS (November 1968 USA, Dakar 45-602, B-side to "A Woman Needs To Be Loved". Issued March 1969 in the UK on Atlantic 584253 with the sides reversed - "Can I Change My Mind" as the A with "A Woman Needs To Be Loved" on the British flipside) *

16. The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face – ROBERTA FLACK (January 1972, USA Atlantic 45-2864, A-side. It was recorded for her debut album "First Take" in 1969, but released after being used and featured in the Clint Eastwood movie "Play Misty For Me" where the public was so taken with the song, it went to No.1)

17. Take A Letter Maria – R. B. GREAVES (September 1969, USA Atco 45-6714, A-side)

18. Rainy Night In Georgia – BROOK BENTON (December 1969, USA Cotillion 45-44057, A-side – a Tony Joe White cover version)

19. The Ghetto – DONNY HATHAWAY (6:50 minutes - the October 1969 US 45-Single (Atco 45-6719) was split into two parts across both sides and had unique playing times. This version is the Full Album Version from "Everything Is Everything" released October 1970 in the USA on Atco SD 33-332 and 1971 in the UK on Atco 2465 019)

20. Turn Back The Hands Of Time – TYRONE DAVIS (March 1970, USA Dakar 45-616, A-side)

21. Compared To What – LES McCANN & EDDIE HARRIS (December 1969, USA Atlantic 45-2694, A-side)

22. Call Me – ARETHA FRANKLIN (January 1970, USA Atlantic 45-2706, A-side) *

BONUS TRACKS:

* Tracks 9, 14, 15 and 22 are four 1991 Bonus Tracks not on the 1985 US or 1987 UK original CD versions

Some had complained about the sound quality on the original 1987 CDs - as well as wrong versions of songs being used (personally I found the audio quality of the VINYL doubles to be superlative). So Atlantic made efforts with the 1991 CD reissue which of course has been used for these 2006 British reissues. The liner notes tell us that all tracks were "digitally remastered from mono and true stereo originals" and that "in this edition, the proper tracks have been used in all cases". 

BOBBY WARNER and JIMMY DOUGLAS carried out the Digital Transfers while ZAL SCHREIBER and STEVE INNOCENZI did the mastering. The quality on these CDs is shockingly good - full of life and clarity. It's a joy to listen to. Sure in the decades since there have been reissues (by Bear Family especially) that knock spots off the 1991 sound offered here (try their "Joe Turner Rocks" or their "Sweet Soul Music" volumes 1961 to 1975). But what you do get is fantastic all the way to the finish. To the tunes for Volume 7…

The Queen of Soul began dominating American Soul when she signed to Atlantic Records and popped the absolute balls-to-the-wall album "I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You" in March 1967. It is still the most astonishing arrival of a Soul talent ever. So, not surprisingly Aretha Franklin gets 7 out of 22 tracks – every one dynamite. You could argue for sure that stuff like the sock-it-to-me "Respect", the chug of "Chain Of Fools" and the hands-on-her-hips rabble-rouser "Think" have been overplayed and done to death on Radio and in Movies – but check out the fantastic grooves in "Baby I Love You" or the gorgeous mellow of "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" or "Call Me". 

While The Bar-Kays get their instrumental vs. shouts moment with "Soul Finger" – the naff and fey lyrics in the Joe Tex tune "Skinny Legs And All" have not worn at all well over the decades – embarrassing really. Thankfully that momentary glitch is firmly kicked into touch with the gorgeous Wilson Pickett take on the Bobby Womack song "I'm In Love" – a genuine masterpiece and Soul discovery for those buying first time. Poignant and touching as the Otis Redding song might have been especially after his untimely and horrible passing - "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" has always felt weedy to me and not representative of his power (the Remaster is so clean and lovely though). Archie Bell gets his Drells guitar player to fall in during the infectious "Tighten Up" – a funky talker and words that became synonymous with late Sixties Soul. Better for me is the sweet Soul slink of "Slip Away" followed by the mid-tempo shuffler "Too Weak To Fight" – Clarence Carter being a huge fave of mine – two counts of top tunes – rasp and rolling vocals – the brass and groove so sexy. 

The tail end of the compilation rolls on home with huge hits that still sound so fresh – the very Brunswick-sounding hip-shaker "Can I Change My Mind" – Tyrone Davis feeling like he made a mistake walking out that door. The almost skin-raw hurt and loss of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" stills makes people feel uncomfortable – Roberta Flack delicate throughout her cover version of the Ewan MacColl classic. One-hit wonder R.B. Greaves gets his moment when he comes home late one night only to find the woman, he thought he knew, in the arms of another man. Soon copies of a diatribe in letter form are on their way to lawyers - "Take A Letter Maria". Beautiful is the only word for "Rainy Night in Georgia" – Brook Benton doing the Tony Joe White song a neon signs a-flashing world of justice (gorgeous audio too). 

I will never get over "The Ghetto" by the mighty Donny Hathaway – a seriously stunning funky keyboard number with random shouts of the title – here in all its 6:50 minute glory (sure nuff). I go to mush every time – Atlantic Records and Visionary Artist given room to shine equals genius. The compilation then closes out three more gems from Tyrone Davis, a near nine-minute Funk-Jazz opus from Les McCann & Eddie Harris only to chill with Aretha at her soulful best. 

In 2024 and despite being technically deleted, you can get Volume 7 of 8 of Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974 (or any of the others) individually on popular auction sites often for less than four quid. But I would argue that such is the riches on offer across all eight volumes that you consider the big daddy - splashing out on that 1991 US LP-Sized 8CD Box Set with its full booklet and genuine sense of visual and audio purpose. Set you back maybe £60 – but what a wow it is! If that isn't in your budget purview – then go for this Thunderbuck Ram of a CD compilation. 

But I warn you – the need for the other seven and booklet explanations will quickly manifest itself thereafter…