“I’m Gonna Stop Wasting Time…I’m Hanging Up My Heart For You…”"The Platinum Collection" is essentially Rhino's 1992 compilation "It Tears Me Up: The Best Of..." minus one song ("That's The Way I Want To Live My Life"). The track running order has been rearranged, there's new cheaper artwork and it's now at a budget price.
This remastered reissue (from the original tapes) is part of a slew of releases to celebrate Atlantic's 60th Anniversary (see full list below) and for a paltry four pounds in stores (even less online), you get 22 slices of gutsy, classic 60's soul.
Sledge released 4 albums on Atlantic and many non-album 7" singles sides too - both A's & B's - seven of which appear on this set (they're listed below). But the trade off for the budget price is that the well-annotated 18-page booklet of the original is now an informationless slip of paper - so here's a detailed breakdown of what's on what...
Track List:
1. When A Man Loves A Woman (2:50)
2. Warm And Tender Love (3:20)
3. It Tears Me Up (2:49)
4. Try A Little Tenderness (2:49)
5. The Dark End Of The Street (2:45)
6. Take Time To Know Her (3:04)
7. True Love Travels On A Gravel Road (Edit) (2:48)
8. Stop The World Tonight (3:15)
9. It's All Wrong But It's Alright (2:59)
10. Out Of Left Field (3:14)
11. Cover Me (3:00)
12. Put A Little Lovin' On Me (2:45)
13. Love Me Like You Mean It (2:29)
14. I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You (2:37)
15. Bless Your Sweet Little Soul (3:02)
16. Sudden Stop (2:47)
17. Drown In My Own Tears (4:01)
18. Kind Woman (4:40)
19. Push Mr. Pride Aside (3:24)
20. It Can't Be Stopped (3:15)
21. Love Me Tender (3:05)
22. Rainbow Road (2:55)
"When A Man Loves A Woman", June 1966 US Stereo LP, Atlantic SD-8125
(CD Tracks 1, 12 and 13)
"Warm And Tender Soul", November 1966 US Stereo LP, Atlantic SD-8132
(CD Tracks 2, 3, 4, 14 and 21)
"The Percy Sledge Way", August 1967 US Stereo LP, Atlantic SD-8146
(CD Tracks 5 and 17)
"Take Time To Know Her", May 1968 US Stereo LP, Atlantic SD-8180
(CD Tracks 6, 9, 10, 11 and 16)
Non-Album Single Sides...
Track 7 is "True Love Travels On A Gravel Road", 1969 USA 7" single on Atlantic 2679 [B-side of "Faithful & True"]
Track 8 is "Stop The World Tonight", 1970 USA 7" single on Atlantic 2826 [A]
Track 15 is "Bless Your Sweet Little Soul", 1968 USA 7" single on Atlantic 2594 [B-side of "My Special Prayer"]
Track 18 is "Kind Woman", 1969 USA 7" single on Atlantic 2646 [B-side of "Woman Of The Night"]
Track 19 is "Push Mr. Pride Aside", 1971 USA 7" single on Atlantic 2719 [B-side of "Too Many Rivers To Cross"]
Track 20 is "It Can't Be Stopped", 1967 USA 7" single on Atlantic 2396 [A]
Track 22 is "Rainbow Road", 1971 USA 7" single on Atlantic 2848 [A]
Possessed of a great voice, but unable to pen a tune himself, when Sledge got his hands on good material he was the equal of many more famous and revered names - Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham's gave him the wonderful "It Tears Me Up" while Don Covay co-wrote the cleverly worded 'run around' message song "I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You". Bobby Robinson's "Warm And Tender Love" is delivered with a slinky organ wrapped around Sledge's pleading vocals - and the speakers literally rattle with the bass and drums of the slow but stunning "Bless You Sweet Little Soul" - all great stuff.
"When A Man Loves A Woman" will forever be his signature song of course, but like the equally underrated Arthur Conley who was lumbered with "Sweet Soul Music" - it seems that 'one' strong song is all that Percy Sledge and Arthur Conley are remembered for - when there was so much more to enjoy. And this is a great place to start - and for absolute fiscal peanuts too.
Highly recommended.
PS: the other Atlantic artists in "The Platinum Collection" series are: LaVern Baker, Archie Bell & The Drells, Brook Benton, Booker T & The M.G.'s, Ruth Brown, Solomon Burke, Clarence Carter, The Clovers, Arthur Conley (see REVIEW), Don Covay, The Detroit Spinners, Eddie Floyd, King Curtis, Barbara Lewis (see REVIEW), The Mar-Keys, The Persuasions, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, (Big) Joe Turner and Betty Wright
- Atlantic Records - LP DISCOGRAPHY for PERCY SLEDGE -
“When A Man Loves A Woman”
Atlantic SD-8125, June 1966, US Stereo LP
Side 1: When A Man Loves A Woman/My Adorable One/Put A Little Lovin' On Me/Love Me All The Way/When She Touches Me (Nothing Else Matters)/You're Pouring Water On A Drowning Man
Side 2: Thief In The Night/You Fooled Me/Love Makes The World Go Round/Success/Love Me Like You Mean It
“Warm And Tender Soul”
Atlantic SD-8132, November 1966, USA Stereo LP
Side 1: It Tears Me Up/I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You/You've Really Got A Hold On Me/That's How Strong My Love Is/A Sweet Woman Like You/Love Me Tender
Side 2: Warm And Tender Love/Try A Little Tenderness/So Much Love/I Stand Accused/Heart Of A Child/Oh How Happy
“The Percy Sledge Way”
Atlantic SD-8146, August 1967, USA Stereo LP
Side 1: The Dark End Of The Street/You Send Me/I Had A Talk With My Woman/What Am I Living For/I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)/Tell It Like It Is
Side 2: My Special Prayer/Drown In My Own Tears/Just Out of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms)/Pledging My Love/You Don't Miss Your Water
“Take Time To Know Her”
Atlantic SD-8180, May 1968, USA Stereo LP
Side 1: Take Time To Know Her/Feed The Flame/Sudden Stop/Come Softly To Me/Spooky/Out Of Left Field
Side 2: Cover Me/Baby Help Me/It's All Wrong But It's Alright/High Cost Of Leaving/Between These Arms/I Love Everything About You
“The Best Of Percy Sledge”
Atlantic SD-8210, March 1969, USA Stereo LP
Side 1: When A Man Loves A Woman/Out Of Left Field/Take Time To Know Her/Warm And Tender Love/Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms)/The Dark End Of The Street
Side 2: Cover Me/Sudden Stop/Baby Help Me/It Tears Me Up/My Special Prayer/You're All Around Me
