The Staple Singers
BEST OF THE
STAPLE SINGERS
Stax -60-007
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This is culled from the years that the Staple Singers were on the Stax label, which also marks their transition years. While at Stax they began to shift away from the Gospel sound to a more message orientated secular music on their albums. A move they had already started to make in their live show, which was now going to college campuses as well as traveling the gospel circuit. The songs mirror the changing of the American mentality of the time as “message” songs touched the pulse of the country. The music here is based on the style that caused them to break out of just the religious market. It combines the Southern quartet style of singing with Roebuck “Pops” Staples early influence by the country blues men he had traveled with in his early years. Men such as Barbecue Bob and Big Bill Broonzy had a distinct influence on his singing and guitar playing in his early days. This was before he found the Lord in 1931 and started singing with a gospel quartet. The trouble with this recording is that there are few credits given particularly as to the accompanying musicians. During this time it was the hey day of Booker T. and the MGs as the house band at Stax (and three of cuts are produced by Steve Cropper), and some of the cuts bear the definite stamp of that band. There are a number of cuts where there is a much fuller and lusher arranging style, even a live cut or two, but there are no credits given. This disc serves as a wonderful starter disc for those who have never heard them, and really to hear them you have to go see a live show for full appreciation of this fantastic group that is still going strong. Mavis’s voice is stronger than ever and her work as a solo singer should be grabbed up. She truly is/has “The Voice”. There are some gems here that show the group at its best. The Otis Redding classic (SITTIN’ ON) THE DOCK OF THE BAY, Robbie Robertson’s THE WEIGHT (this is the way it should be done) and a personal favorite I’LL TAKE YOU THERE. This is not their best work, but it still beats the feathers off most of what I hear on the radio nowadays passing itself off as R&B or Gospel.
Produced by Al Bell (#5, #6, #8 produced by Steve Cropper)
Songs, times, and writers:
1- HEAVY MAKES YOU HAPPY (SHA-NA-BOOM-BOOM) - 3:04 - Barry - Bloom
2 - YOU’VE GOT TO EARN IT - 3:29 - Robinson - Grant
3 - LOVE IS PLENTIFUL - 2:30 - Manuel - Crutcher
4 -THIS WORLD - 3:30 - Schapiro - Friedman
5 - (SITTIN’ ON) THE DOCK OF THE BAY - 3:09 - Redding - Cropper
6 - THE WEIGHT - 4:31 - Robbie Robertson
7 - RESPECT YOURSELF - 4:54 - Rice - Ingram
8 - WE’LL GET OVER - 2:53 - Banks - Jackson - Crutcher
9 - I’LL TAKE YOU THERE - 4:47 - Alvertis Isabell
10 - OH LA DE DA - 3:34 - Leroy Philip Mitchell
11 - BE WHAT YOU ARE - 5:01 - Banks - Jackson - Hampton
12 - THIS OLD TOWN (PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN) - 4:42 - Covay - Stevenson - Pickett
13 - IF YOU’RE READY (COME GO WITH ME) - 4:27 - Banks - Jackson - Hampton
14 - TOUCH A HAND (MAKE A FRIEND) - 4:02 - Banks - Jackson - Hampton
15 - MY MAIN MAN - 2:12 - Crutcher - Rice - Manuel - Nix
16 - CITY IN THE SKY - 3:51 - Chalmers - S. Rhodes - D. Rhodes