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"…You Send Me…"
For over 10 years I've been meaning to review this small slice of Audio magnificence by the mighty Sam Cooke – and now with its price hovering just above a British five-pound note brand new – it's time to seriously plug its merits as a bargain-CD par excellence. You Send Me is damn right…here are the Soul Man details…
Originally US released June 2003 – "Portrait Of A Legend 1951-1964" by SAM COOKE on Abkco 9872418 (Barcode 602498724187) is a 31-Track CD Compilation (Fifties Gospel with Sixties R&B, Pop and Soul) that breaks down as follows (79:25 minutes):
1. Touch The Hem Of His Garment (1957, US 7" single on Specialty 896, A) – written by Sam Cooke and credited to The Soul Stirrers
2. Loveable (1957, US 7" single on RCA 596, A – credited as Dale Cook)
3. You Send Me (1957, US 7" single on Keen 3-4013, A)
4. Only Sixteen (1959, US 7" single on Keen 3-2022, A)
5. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (1958, US 7" single on Keen 3-4002, A)
6. Just For You (1961, US Promo-Only 7" single on SAR Records 596, A)
7. Win Your Love For Me (1958, US 7" single on Keen 3-2006, A)
8. Everybody Loves To Cha Cha Cha (1959, US 7" single on Keen 3-2018, A)
9. I'll Come Running Back To You (1958, US 7" single on Specialty 619. A)
10. You Were Made For Me (1958, US 7" single on Keen 3-4009, A)
11. Sad Mood (1960, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-7816, A)
12. Cupid (1961, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-7883, A)
13. Wonderful World (1960, US 7" single on Keen 82112, A)
14. Chain Gang (1960, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-7783, A)
15. Summertime (1959, US 7" single on Keen 3-4013, A)
16. Little Red Rooster (1963, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8247, A)
17. Bring It On Home To Me (1962, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8036, A) - with Lou Rawls on Backing Vocals
18. Nothing Can Change This Love (1962, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8088, A)
19. Sugar Dumpling (1965, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8631, A)
20. (Ain't That) Good News (1963, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8299, A)
21. Meet Me At Mary's Place (1966, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8934, A) – features The Soul Stirrers on Backing Vocals
22. Twistin' The Night Away (1962, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-7983, A)
23. Shake (1964, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8486, A)
24. Tennessee Waltz (1964, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8368, B to “Good Times”)
25. Another Saturday Night (1963, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8164, A)
26. Good Times (1964, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8368, A)
27. Having A Party (1962, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8036, B-side to "Bring It On Home To Me")
28. That's Where It's At (1964, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8426, B-side to "Cousin Of Mine")
29. A Change Is Gonna Come (1964, US 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8486, B-side of “Shake”)
30. Jesus Gave Me Water (1951 1st Recording Session for Speciality with The Soul Stirrers)
31. 8 Bars Of Soul – Hidden Track [See NOTES below]
A small army of skilled experts were involved in this prestigious project on the audio front (the results are sensational) – Restoration Producers were JODY KLEIN and TERI LANDI, Analogue To Digital Transfers were carried out by Teri Landi, RICK ESSIG and MICK GOCHANOUR, Sound Restoration by STEVE ROSENTHAL, DSD (Direct Stream Digital) Engineer GUS SKINAS (and others) and finally mastering by the legendary engineer BOB LUDWIG.
While the opening tracks from the Fifties are really good – it's not until you get to the late Fifties and Sixties does the sound hit you for six – every song is properly gorgeous. The combination of his simple tunes, that sublime genuinely Soulful voice and the fabulous Production Values afforded to his recordings – gives a combo that will have your jaw hit the carpet on more than one occasion. In my estimation there are only two other artists with this level of audio brilliance and care bestowed on them – Roy Orbison's Monument recordings and Elvis Presley's stay at RCA (both Mono and Stereo remasters handled by Vic Anesini). I remember hearing these Sam Cooke remasters back in 2003 when they were first issued on a Hybrid SACD/CD disc in a card digipak (nowadays this reissue sports a jewel case but still has the excellent 24-page booklet with the track-by-track PETER GURALNICK liner notes) – I was blown away then – and relistening to them in 2015 is no different.
Take a song like "Nothing Can Change This Love" – the audio quality achieved here is just beautiful – the fantastically cool swagger of "Little Red Rooster" with stunning organ jabs from Billy Preston is the same. By the time you get to the glorious majesty of "A Change Is Gonna Come" in Stereo with its gospel-stirring melody and message of equality and integration – resistance is frankly futile. Sam Cooke was one of the greatest singers to have ever graced the planet – and on a song like "A Change Is Gonna Come" - touched by something way bigger than ego.
A point worth making is that "Portrait Of A Legend…" is an overall career retrospective – many who bought "The RCA Albums Collection" 8CD box set (which I've also reviewed) were disappointed to find that it did not contain any of the huge Keen Records hits from early in his career – stuff like "You Send Me", "Cupid", "Only Sixteen" and "(What A) Wonderful World" – some of his most famous and beloved songs. This set however has those gems in fabulous audio. Other stunners include "Bring It On Home To Me" with Lou Rawls giving it some superb duet vocals (Sam gracefully letting him shine) and the lovely optimism that permeates through "That’s Where It's At" and "Just For You".
It ends where Sam Cooke started – his first recording session in 1951 with The Soul Stirrers for Art Rupe’s Specialty label – even then he sounded angelic in the truest sense of the word. As I've pointed out above – there's an unannounced hidden 31st track called "8 Bars Of Soul". It's 36 seconds of an interview Cooke did with the progressive US DJ Nathan "Magnificent" Montague (championed Soul music and non-violence) who asks Sam to sing "8 Bars Of Soul" (which Cooke dutifully hums). Nathan then ominously purrs to his listening audience - "Sam Cooke's is yours…he'll never grow old…"
And Cooke the Voice doesn't grow old in our hearts…because of quality restoration work like "Portrait Of A Legend 1951-1964". There are other compilations for sure - but don't settle for less – this is the one...
