"...When
Will We Be Paid For The Work We've Done..."
"We'll
Get Over" was the 2nd album for The Staple Singers on Stax Records in
1969. It was also moving ever closer to the soul/religious/commentary
masterworks they were to later produce - "Staple Swingers", "Be
Altitude: Respect Yourself", "Be What You Are" and "City In
The Sky".
This
PHIL De LANCIE CD remaster of "We'll Get Over" by THE STAPLE SINGERS
actually dates from 1994 on Stax SCD 8532 2 (Barcode 025218853224) - which has
in turn been re-issued a few times since.
Here it’s a 2004 reissue on Ace/Stax
SCD24 8532-2 (Barcode 090204925087) out of Europe - a 24-Bit Remaster housed in
a card digipak replica of the album sleeve with a small booklet. The sound is
punchy and live if not a little hissy in places and plays outs as follows
(41:22 minutes):
1.
We'll Get Over (written by Homer Banks, Bettye Crutcher and Raymond Jackson -
Stax song team often referred to as "We Three")
2.
Give A Damn (Spanky & Our Gang cover version)
3.
Everyday People (Sly & The Family Stone cover version)
4.
The End Of Our Road (Norman Whitfield, Roger Penzabene and Barrett Strong song
- Gladys Knight & The Pips cover)
5.
Tend To Your Own Business (Roebuck 'Pops' Staples)
6.
Solon Bushi (Traditional Japanese Folk song cover version)
7.
Challenge (as per track 1) [Side 2]
8.
God Bless The Child (Billie Holiday cover version)
9.
Games People Play (Joe South cover version)
10.
A Wednesday In Your Garden (Guess Who cover version, written by Randy Bachman
later of Bachman Turner Overdrive)
11.
The Gardener (as per track 1)
12.
When Will We Be Paid (For The Work We've Done) (written by Stewart and Randall)
Tracks
1 to 12 are their 2nd album for Stax Records "We’ll Get Over" -
released June 1969 in the USA on Stax STS 2016 and November 1969 in the UK on
Stax SXATS 1018.
BONUS
TRACKS:
13. Brand New Day - written by Al Kooper of
Blood, Sweat & Tears for the United Artists movie "The Landlord” - US
7" single on Stax STA-0074, August 1970. Produced by Al Kooper - also
plays Organ on the track
14. Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas - Parker
and Deanie cover - USA 7" single on Stax STA-0084, November 1970
THE
STAPLE SINGERS were:
Roebuck
'Pops' Staples On Guitar and Vocals
Mavis,
Cleotha and Pervis Staples on Lead and Backing Vocals
The
Band:
Steve
Cropper on Guitar
Marvell
Thomas on Keyboards
Donald
"Duck" Dunn on Bass
Al
Jackson, Jr. on Drums.
The
band is most of Booker T. & The MG’s - Steve Copper also produced.
Recorded
in February and April 1969 - as you can see the album is top heavy with cover
versions (only "Tend To Your Own Business" is a Pops Staples
original). But don't let that put you off - it's still got that magical Staples
sound and songs chosen to convey their message of positivity and love.
Still
transitioning away from decades of Gospel - Booker T's Steve Cropper gave them
that edgy Soul sound they needed and highlights include the fabulous croak of
Mavis as she sings "…chains and steel can't hold us down…" on the
title track. Upbeat boppers like Spanky & Our Gang's "Give A
Damn" and Sly & The Family Stone's "Everyday People" suited
their beliefs - even if they did sound a little like a 5th Dimension knock-off.
There's
fabulous Funk in "The End Of Our Road" - a stunning mix of brass
jabs, guitar flicks and the family's combined vocals - Pops backing up his
daughter as she sanctifies the painful words. The familiar guitar wobble of
Pops Staples anchors "Tend To Your Own Business" as he begs
busybodies to leave other people alone and those with hang-ups about colour to
keep their racism zipped.
I'm
not so sure the Japanese Traditional "Solon Bushi" was such a smart
choice - nice idea but a 'hai hai' that's hard to listen to now many decades
later. Far better is the pure Stax dancer Funk of "The Challenge"
where building missiles and heart transplants are all very well - but can the
American government cure one heart of hate or end the poverty inflicted on the
ordinary people. Billie Holiday's "God Bless The Children" is turned
into something beautiful by Mavis's pleading and heartfelt vocals offset
against a genuinely lovely soulful arrangement. But my real poison on here is
the Homer Banks, Bettye Crutcher and Raymond Jackson original "The
Gardner" - a gorgeous message song and a genuine Soul highlight on a
forgotten and underrated album. "When Will Be Paid For The Work We
Did" is the same – a social consciousness song that rightly demands
monetary equality for a culture systematically stripped of its dignity and
worth...
A
great little record and cool CD reissue. Their entire Stax catalogue is fab
frankly - and for me - never dates. Investigate and enjoy…
