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"...Soul
Folk In Action..."
What a peach this is – and there's even a sought
after (if not pricey) Vinyl variant. My passion for Roebuck, Mavis, Cleotha and
Pervis Staples knows no bounds and I've reviewed many of their myriad CD
reissues before. But this motherlode from their hugely revered STAX Records
years is an embarrassment of riches (all in Stereo too).
Initially slated for a December 2019 release,
the first version of "Come Go With Me: The Stax Collection" finally
popped up 21 February 2020 in America-only as a 7LP Box on Craft
Recordings/Stax CR00241 (Barcode 888072111592) on 180-grams vinyl. I figured
the CD variant would follow soon, but it took until November of 2020 and then
only in a Europe/UK version. Lots to discuss then, so let's have at the Soul
Folk in Action...
UK/EU released Friday, 6 November 2020 - "Come
Go With Me: The Stax Collection" by THE STAPLE SINGERS on Craft Recordings
CR00364 (Barcode 888072207899) is a 7CD Mini Box Set of Remasters. It Contains 6 US Studio Albums issued in Stereo between January 1969 and August 1974 on Stax Records (all in Mini LP Repro Sleeves) plus a seventh disc Compilation of 11 "Singles, Live & More" tracks issued during that period and on later LP and CD compilations. "Come Go With Me..." plays out as follows:
CD1 "Soul
Folk In Action" 1969 (32:31
minutes, 11 Tracks)
1. We've
Got To Get Ourselves Together [Side 1]
2. (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay
3. Top Of The Mountain
4. Slow Train
5. The Weight
6. Long Walk To D.C.[Side 2]
7. Got To Be Some Changes Made
8. The Ghetto
9. People, My People
10. I See It
11. This Year
Tracks 1 to 11 was their first album for Stax
Records "Soul Folk In Action" and their fourteenth
studio album overall since 1960 – released January 1969 USA on Stax STS 2004
and May 1969 UK on Stax SXATS 1004 in Stereo. Produced by STEVE CROPPER of
Booker T & The MG’s – it also featured him on guitar with two other members
of band as backing musicians – Donald “Duck” Dunn on Bass and Al Jackson, Jr.
on Drums - Keyboards by Marvell Thomas and Horns by The Memphis Horns.
CD2 "We'll
Get Over" 1969 (34:40 minutes, 12
Tracks)
1.
We'll Get Over [Side 1]
2.
Give A Damn
3.
Everyday People
4.
The End Of Our Road
5.
Tend To Your Own Business
6.
Solon Bushi
7.
Challenge [Side 2]
8.
God Bless The Child
9.
Games People Play
10.
A Wednesday In Your Garden
11.
The Gardener
12.
When Will We Be Paid (For The Work We've Done)
Tracks
1 to 12 are their 2nd album for Stax Records "We'll Get Over" (fifteenth
overall) - released June 1969 in the USA on Stax STS 2016 and November 1969 in
the UK on Stax SXATS 1018 in Stereo. Same Production and Backing Band as "Soul
Folk In Action".
CD3
"The Staple Swingers" 1971 (45:10 minutes, 12Tracks)
1.
This Is A Perfect World [Side 1]
2. What's
Your Thing
3. You've Got To Earn It
4. You're Gonna Make Me Cry
5. Little Boy
6. How Do You Move A Mountain
7. Almost [Side 2]
8. I'm A Mover
9. Love Is Plentiful
10. Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom Boom)
11. I Like The Things About You
12. Give A Hand – Take A Hand
Tracks 1 to 12 are their third studio album for
Stax Records (sixteenth overall) "The Staple Swingers" – released
March 1971 in the USA on Stax STS 2034 and June 1971 in the UK on Stax 2362 005.
Produced by AL BELL – band includes The Bar-Kays on Horns with Terry Manning on
multiple instruments.
CD4 "Be Altitude: Respect Yourself"
1972 (41:09 minutes, 10 Tracks)
1.
This World [Side 1]
2.
Respect Yourself
3.
Name The Missing Word
4.
I'll Take You There
5.
This Old Town (People In This Town)
6.
We The People [Side 2]
7.
Are You Sure
8.
Who Do You Think You Are (Jesus Christ The Superstar)
9.
I'm Just Another Soldier
10.
Who
Tracks
1 to 10 are the fourth album for Stax Records "Be Altitude: Respect
Yourself" - released February 1972 in the USA on Stax STS-3002 and April
1972 in the UK on Stax Super 2325 069. Produced by AL BELL – band featured
Eddie Hinton on Lead Guitar, Jimmy Johnson on Rhythm Guitar, Barry Beckett on
Keyboards, David Hood and Roger Hawkins on Bass and Drums with Ben Cauley and
The South Memphis Horns.
CD5 "Be What You Are" 1973 (52:23
minutes, 11 Tracks)
1. Be What You Are [Side 1]
2. If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)
3. Medley: Love Comes In All Colors
4. Tellin' Lies
5. Touch A Hand, Make A Friend
6. Drown Yourself
7. I Ain't Raisin' No Sand [Side 2]
8. Grandma's Hands
9. Bridges Instead Of Walls
10. I'm On Your Side
11. That's What Friends Are For
12. Heaven
Tracks 1 to 12 are their fifth studio album for
Stax Records "Be What You Are" – released August 1973 in the USA on
Stax STS 3015 and April 1974 in the UK on Stax 2325 103. Produced by AL BELL –
same band as "Be Altitude: Respect Yourself" without Horns.
CD6 "City In The Sky" 1974 (42:11
minutes, 11 Tracks)
1. Back Road Into Town [Side 1]
2. City In The Sky
3. Washington We're Watching You
4. Something Ain't Right
5. Today Was Tomorrow Yesterday
6. My Main Man [Side 2]
7. There Is A God
8. Blood Pressure
9. If It Ain't One Thing It's Another
10. Who Made The Man
11. Getting Too Big For Your Britches
Tracks 1 to 11 are their sixth and last studio
album for Stax Records "City In The Sky" – released August 1974 in
the USA on Stax STS 5515 and September 1974 in the UK on Stax STX 1001.
Produced by AL BELL - same band as "Be Altitude: Respect Yourself" with
Raymond Jackson on Guitar, Clayton Ivey on Keyboards and The Memphis Horns
added. NOTE: the running order for both sides is as above and not as per the
rear sleeve of the original US and UK LPs, which show the tracks in a different
order.
CD7 "Singles, Live & More" 2019
(45:25 minutes, 11 Tracks)
1. Stay With Me (August 1968 US 45-single on
Stax STA-0007, Non-Album B-side of "Long Walk To D.C.")
2. Brand New Day (Theme From The United Artists
Motion Picture "The Landlord") – Single Version (June 1970 US 45-single on Stax
STA-0074, A-side)
3. Walking In Water Over Your Head (Previously
Unreleased Album Outtake, first issued May 2011 as 1 of 2 Bonus Tracks on the 'Stax Remasters' UK CD Reissue for "Be Altitude: Respect Yourself" on Concord
Music Group, Inc 0888072328761)
4. Oh La De Da (February 1973 US 45-single on
Stax STA-0156, A-side – from the US 2LP Set "Wattstax: The Living Word" on Stax
STS-2-3010 – B-side is "We The People" from the "Be Altitude: Respect
Yourself")
5. I Got To Be Myself (October 1975 US 45-single
on Stax STN-0255, A-side with "Be What You Are" track
"Heaven" as the B-side. Note: this 45 isn't listed in many
discographies because although allocated a catalogue number, promo and stock
copies never show up so it was probably unreleased, hence its rarities
inclusion here. The track later appeared on "This Time Around", an
April 1981 US LP on Stax Records MPS-8511)
6. Trippin' On Your Love (April 1981 US LP "This Time Around" on Stax Records MPS-8511 while The Staples Singers
were briefly signed to 20th Century. Produced by the legendary Al Bell – this
8-track vinyl LP is actually a compilation of old recordings from the 1970s
reworked and reissued without the band's approval or even knowledge)
7.
Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom Boom) – Live
8.
Are You Sure – Live (Tracks 7 and 8 from the October 2003 UK/EU 3CD set "Music From The Wattstax Festival & Film" on Stax 3SCD 4440-2,
recorded 20 August 1972 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum)
9.
I Like The Things About Me – Live
10.
Respect Yourself – Live
11.
I'll Take You There – Live (Tracks 9 to 11 from the
June 2LP set "Wattstax: The Living Word" on Stax STS-2-3010 – recordings same
as Tracks 7 and 8)
As a longtime fan, you notice the tasty
attention to detail – all Mini LP Sleeve Repro's are the American originals, so
for us UK and Euro types there are advantages – for 1972's "Be Altitude:
Respect Yourself" you get the US Gatefold Sleeve with the lyrics on the
inside (the UK issue was always a single sleeve with no lyrics) - while
"City In The Sky" came in a sort of silver foil effect sleeve (the UK
variant distributed by Pye in the UK was a plain matt cover affair and not nearly as
nice). The "Be What You Are" sleeve had embossed effects which is reproduced as well.
It’s a damn shame no one thought to include
lyrics for all six albums (which to my knowledge has never been done) – so
that's a wee bummer. But the 44-page mini-booklet more than makes up for this
with loads of colour and black and white period photos for our fave Soul Foursome
and in-depth liner notes from LANGSTON COLIN WILKINS and LEVON WILLIAMS – both
writers steeped in the Stax Records label and Soul Music in general. Following
that is track-by-track annotation for each of the six studio albums with
musician/production credits (the Box set was produced by MASON WILLIAMS).
All
of that is cute and the outer slipcase tastefully presented, but the really
great news is the brand new audio restoration and remastering from original
tapes by CHRIS CLOUGH (Audio Supervision) and PAUL BLAKEMORE at CMG MASTERING
(Mastering). I've had so many Stax and Ace CDs for this material before – most
of which sounded great for the day – but they are firmly walloped by this Craft
Recordings issue (Blakemore did the "Faith & Grace..." 4CD Box Set). I've played all six and the compilation and the AUDIO is
mighty-mighty throughout – best ever for sure. The first two platters issued at
the tail ends of 1969 are produced by Steve Cropper of Booker T. & The MG's fame (some
minor hiss, but superb clarity) while the remaining four were helmed by the
legendary Al Bell and sound glorious. I've loved the albums "Be Altitude:
Respect Yourself" and "Be What You Are" for pushing on 50 years
now and I've never heard either of them sound this good – a joy in every way.
Of
the 21 singles Stax Records issued for The Staple Singers between August 1968 and July
1975 – all of them and their respective B-sides are here including chart hits like "Heavy
Make You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom Boom)" (1971), "You've Got To Earn
It" (1971), "Respect Yourself" (1971), "I'll Take You
There" (1972), "This World" (1972), "Oh La De Da"
(1972), "If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)" (1973), "Touch A
Hand, Make A Friend" (1973) and "City In The Sky" (1974).
What gets the pulse racing though are those
forgotten LP gems that veer off the well-established hits – deep funky LP cuts
that never show up on compilations. Stuff like the guitar-flicking "Top Of
The Mountain" on "Soul Folk In Action" (1969), the
too-much-for-me brass and funk of "The End Of The Road" and the
sublime "The Gardiner" both on "We’ll Get Over", the sirens
and ambulances in the ghetto of "Something Ain't Right" or the
nation-crippling problems of "Blood Pressure" on 1974's "City In
The Sky". And there are so many more.
The
"Singles, Live & More" CD compilation (Disc 7 of 7) is a far
better listen than it had any right to be and smartly compiled. It gathers up
stragglers like the five live Wattstax tracks recorded in August 1972 that
appeared across various vinyl and CD compilations (tracks 7 to 11). I’d
forgotten how good the sexily funky and righteous August 1968 B-side "Stay
With Us" is – a plea for the good Lord to stay with us through times of
war and hatred (the A-side was the equally brill and politically-charged "Long
Walk To D.C."). As regards singles, the odd man out is "Who Took The
Merry Out Of Christmas" issued on Stax STA-0084 in November 1970 in both
Vocal and Instrumental form (A&B-sides) – but for some reason it didn't
show on Disc 7. And with regard to Rarities, the only cut missing is the demo
of "Respect Yourself" that showed up on the November 2015 US
4CD+Vinyl Single Box set "Faith & Grace: A Family Journey 1953-1976". Its exclusion
by Craft Recordings here on a Box Set they themselves put out is an oversight for sure –
but it's not exactly the end of the world because audio-wise, the Demo Version is only a
curio at best really.
Speaking
of singles. The stand-alone "Brand New Day"
from The Landlord soundtrack (Al Kooper did a version too) is way better (Mavis
and Pops share lead vocals) - as is the holding hands of "Walking In Water
Way Over Your Head" outtake from the "Be Altitude: Respect Yourself"
sessions that turned on the Stax Remasters CD Reissue as one of two new bonus
tracks (a great find if not quite a classic). The six live cuts from the August
1972 Wattstax concerts that appeared across various period double-vinyl albums in
1972 and 1973 and later 3CD compilations are all here – Tracks 4 and 7 to 11 -
tremendous energy with Mavis on top form (oh Lordy Lord) and dig that Pops
Staples spacey guitar sound on "I Like The Things About Me". And UK Northern Soul fans have long dug the floor-shuffling sway of "Trippin' On Your Love" – a very cool addition to Disc 7.
Speaking of single rarities...Although
the "City In The Sky" LP from 1974 and the
eventual demise of Stax Records itself in 1975 is briefly discussed, the singles
aren't mentioned in the booklet text. So the history surrounding the US 45-single Stax 0255 "I
Got To Be Myself" still seems unclear. The song first emerged on the 1981
Stax scraps LP "This Time Around" and it’s been included as a
rarity on CD compilations for The Staple Singers ever since (see my review of
the stunning 2CD set "The Ultimate Staple
Singers: A Family Affair 1955-1984" issued September 2004 on Ace/Kent Soul
CDKEN2 240 - Barcode 029667224024 in the UK).
Running to 3:41 minutes (and having "Heaven" from the "Be Altitude: Respect Yourself" 1972 LP as its flipside), the
fantastically good "I Got To Be Myself" was slated for an October
1975 US seven-inch single release, but you never see either demos or stock
copies up for sale. October 1975 was also the same month of release for the
monster Staples hit "Let's Do It Again" on Curtis Mayfield's label
Curtom Records that of course provided The Staple Singers with their biggest
ever hit – a US R&B No. 1 (the album bore the same title). So its most likely that STN 0255 was not just
lost in the demise of Stax Records in 1975, but was probably pulled at the last
minute as a pointless issue. The band's future clearly lay somewhere else and
on another label. In fact in the liner notes to "The Complete STAX/VOLT
SOUL SINGLES Volume 3: 1972-1975" issued back in December 1994 (reissued
March 2015 as a smaller brick-block version) – even Mavis Staples says she's
never seen copies.
So there you have it – I love this Box Set. And even
when they were sounding slightly dated like The Association irrepressible
optimism of "A
Wednesday In Your Garden" in 1969 or the out-of-step overly-preachy vibe
to "Getting To Big For Your Britches" in 1974 – every album from those
six stunning years is chock full of Soul and R&B goodness and a sense of
their Peace, Love and Happiness world view.
The
Staple Singers have always been magical to me and on the last day of December
2021 as I write this, only the mighty vocals of Mavis Staples survives. But my
God - what a legacy!
Small, but beautifully formed, and with that first-class
audio that's now become synonymous with releases from Craft Recordings for all things Stax re-releases - "Come Go With Me: The Stax Collection" by THE STAPLE SINGERS
is actually my fave Box Set reissue of the last few years (never mind 2020) and
there have been some doosies for sure.
Buy it and enjoy...and thanks for the inspiring journey...
