Sam Cooke | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Sam Cooke was the most important soul singer in history -- he was also the inventor of soul music, and its most popular and beloved performer in both the black and white communities. Equally important, he was among the first modern black performers and composers to attend to the business side of the music business, and founded both a record label and a publishing company as an extension of his careers as a singer and composer. Yet, those business interests didnt prevent him from being engaged in topical issues, including the struggle over civil rights, the pitch and intensity of which followed an arc that paralleled Cookes emergence as a star -- his own career bridged gaps between black and white audiences that few had tried to surmount, much less succeeded at doing, and also between generations; where Chuck Berry or Little Richard brought black and white teenagers together, James Brown sold records to white teenagers and black listeners of all ages, and Muddy Waters got young white folkies and older black transplants from the South onto the same page, Cooke appealed to all of the above, and the parents of those white teenagers as well -- yet he never lost his credibility with his core black audience. In a sense, his appeal anticipated that of the Beatles, in breadth and depth. He was born Sam Cook in Clarksdale, MS, on January 22, 1931, one of eight children of a Baptist minister and his wife. Even as a young boy, he showed an extraordinary voice and frequently sang in the choir in his fathers church. During the middle of the decade, the Cook family moved to Chicagos South Side, where the Reverend Charles Cook quickly established himself as a major figure in the religious community. Sam and three of his siblings also formed a group of their own, the Singing Children, in the 1930s. Although his own singing was confined to gospel music, he was aware and appreciative of the popular music of the period, particularly the melodious, harmony-based sounds of the Ink Spots, whose influence could later be heard in songs such as "You Send Me" and "For Sentimental Reasons." As a teenager, he was a member of the Teen Highway QCs, a gospel group that performed in churches and at religious gatherings. His membership in that group led to his introduction to the Soul Stirrers, one of the top gospel groups in the country, and in 1950 he joined them. If Cooke had never recorded a note of music on his own, he would still be remembered today in gospel circles for his work with the Soul Stirrers. Over the next six years, his role within the group and his prominence within the black community rose to the point where he was already a star, with his own fiercely admiring and devoted audience, through his performances on songs like "Touch the Hem of His Garment," "Nearer to Thee," and "Thats Heaven to Me." The group was one of the top acts on Art Rupes Specialty Records label, and he might have gone on for years as their most popular singer, but Cookes goal was to reach audiences beyond the religious community, and beyond the black population, with his voice. This was a tall order at the time, as the mere act of recording a popular song could alienate the gospel listenership in an instant; singing for God was regarded in those circles as a gift and a responsibility, and popular music, rock & roll, and R&B; were to be abhorred, at least coming from the mouth of a gospel singer; the gap was so great that when a blues singer such as Blind Gary Davis became "sanctified" (that is, found religion) as the Rev. Gary Davis, he could still sing and play his old blues melodies, but had to devise new words, and he never sang the blues words again. He tested the waters of popular music in 1956 with the single "Lovable," produced by Bumps Blackwell and credited under the name Dale Cooke so as not to attract too much attention from his existing audience. It was enough, however, to get Cooke dropped by the Soul Stirrers and their record label, but that freed him to record under his real name. The result was one of the biggest selling singles of the 1950s, a Cooke original entitled "You Send Me," which sold over two million copies on the tiny Keen Records label and hit number one on both the pop and R&B; charts. Although it seems like a tame record today, "You Send Me" was a pioneering soul record in its time, melding elements of R&B;, gospel, and pop into a sound that was new and still coalescing at the time. Cooke was with Keen for the next two years, a period in which he delivered up some of the prettiest romantic ballads and teen pop singles of the era, including "For Sentimental Reasons," "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha," "Only Sixteen," and "(What A) Wonderful World." These were extraordinarily beautiful records, and in between the singles came some early album efforts, most notably Tribute to the Lady, his album of songs associated with Billie Holiday. He was unhappy, however, with both the business arrangement that he had with Keen and the limitations inherent with recording for a small label -- equally to the point, major labels were knocking on Cookes door, including Atlantic and RCA Records; Atlantic, which was not yet the international conglomerate that it later became, was the top R&B-oriented; label in the country and Cooke almost certainly would have signed there and found a happy home with the company, except that they wanted his publishing, and Cooke had seen the sales figures on his songs, as well as their popularity in cover versions by other artists, and was well aware of the importance of owning his copyrights. Thus, he signed with RCA Records, then one of the three biggest labels in the world (the others being Columbia and Decca), even as he organized his own publishing company, Kags Music, and a record label, SAR, through which he would produce other artists records -- among those signed to SAR were the Soul Stirrers, Bobby Womack (late of the Valentinos, who were also signed to the label), former Soul Stirrers member Johnny Taylor, Billy Preston, Johnnie Morisette, and the Simms Twins. Cookes RCA sides were a strangely schizophrenic body of work, at least for the first two years. He broke new ground in pop and soul with the single "Chain Gang," a strange mix of sweet melodies and gritty, sweaty sensibilities that also introduced something of a social conscience to his work -- a number two hit on both the pop and R&B; charts, it was his biggest hit since "You Send Me" and heralded a bolder phase in his career. Singles like bluesy, romantic "Sad Mood," the idyllic romantic soul of "Cupid," and the straight-ahead dance tune "Twistin the Night Away" (a pop Top Ten and a number one R&B; hit), and "Bring It on Home to Me" all lived up to this promise, and also sold in huge numbers. But the first two albums that RCA had him do, Hits of the Fifties and Cookes Tour, were among the lamest LPs ever recorded by any soul or R&B; singer, comprised of washed-out pop tunes in arrangements that showed almost none of Cookes gifts to their advantage. In 1962, Cooke issued Twistin the Night Away, a somewhat belated "twist" album that became one of his biggest-selling LPs. He didnt really hit his stride as an LP artist, however, until 1963 with the release of Night Beat, a beautifully self-contained, dark, moody assembly of blues-oriented songs that were among the best and most challenging numbers that Cooke had recorded up to that time. By the time of its release, he was mostly identified through his singles, which were among the best work of their era, and had developed two separate audiences, among white teen and post-teen listeners and black audiences of all ages. It was Cookes hope to cross over to the white audience more thoroughly, and open up doors for black performers that, up to that time, had mostly been closed -- he had tried playing the Copa in New York as early as 1957 and failed at the time, mostly owing to his inexperience, but in 1964 he returned to the club in triumph, an event that also yielded one of the most finely recorded live performances of its period. The problem with the Copa performance was that it didnt really represent what Sam Cooke was about in full -- it was Cooke at his most genial and non-confrontational, doing his safest repertory for a largely middle-aged, middle-class white audience; they responded enthusiastically, to be sure, but only to Cookes tamest persona. In mid-1963, however, Cooke had done a show at the Harlem Square Club in Miami that had been recorded. Working in front of a black audience and doing his "real" show, he delivered a sweaty, spellbinding performance built on the same elements found in his singles and his best album tracks, combining achingly beautiful melodies and gritty soul sensibilities. The two live albums sum up the split in Cookes career and the sheer range of his talent, the rewards of which hed finally begun to realize more fully in 1963 and 1964. The drowning death of his infant son in mid-1963 had made it impossible for Cooke to work in the studio until the end of that year. During that time, however, with Allen Klein now managing his business affairs, Cooke did achieve the financial and creative independence that hed wanted, including more money than any black performer had ever been advanced before, and the eventual ownership of his recordings beginning in November of 1963 -- he had achieved creative control of his recordings as well, and seemed poised for a breakthrough. It came when he resumed making records, amid the musical ferment of the early 60s. Cooke was keenly aware of the music around him, and was particularly entranced by Bob Dylans song "Blowin in the Wind," its treatment of the plight of black Americans and other politically oppressed minorities, and its success in the hands of Peter, Paul & Mary -- all of these factors convinced him that the time was right for songs that dealt with more than twisting the night away. The result was "A Change Is Gonna Come," perhaps the greatest song to come out of the civil rights struggle, and one that seemed to close and seal the gap between the two directions of Cookes career, from gospel to pop. Arguably his greatest and his most important song, it was an artistic apotheosis for Cooke. During this same period, he had also devised a newer, more advanced dance-oriented soul sound in the form of the song "Shake." These two recordings heralded a new era for Cooke and a new phase of his career, with seemingly the whole world open to him. None of it was to be. Early in the day on December 11, 1964, while in Los Angeles, Cooke became involved in an altercation at a seedy motel, with a woman guest and the night manager, and was shot to death while allegedly trying to attack the manager. The case is still shrouded in doubt and mystery, and was never investigated the way the murder of a star of his stature would be today. Cookes death shocked the black community and reverberated far beyond -- his single "Shake" was a posthumous Top Ten hit, as were "A Change Is Gonna Come" and the At the Copa album, released in 1965. Otis Redding, Al Green, and Solomon Burke, among others, picked up key parts of Cookes repertory, as did white performers, including the Animals and the Rolling Stones. Even the Supremes recorded a memorial album of his songs, which is now one of the most sought-after of their original recordings, in either LP or CD form. His reputation survived, at least among those who were smart enough to look behind the songs -- to hear Reddings performance of "Shake" at the Monterey Pop Festival, for example, and see where it came from. Cookes own records were a little tougher to appreciate, however. Listeners who heard those first two, rather poor RCA albums, Hits of the Fifties and Cookes Tour, could only wonder what the big deal was about, and several of the albums that followed were uneven enough to give potential fans pause. Meanwhile, the contractual situation surrounding Cookes recordings greatly complicated the reissue of his work -- Cookes business manager, Allen Klein, exerted a good deal of control, especially over the songs cut during that last year of the singers life. By the 1970s, there were some fairly poor, mostly budget-priced compilations available, consisting of the hits up through early 1963, and for a time there was even a television compilation out there, but that was it. The movie National Lampoons Animal House made use of a pair of Cooke songs, "(What A) Wonderful World" and "Twistin the Night Away," which greatly raised his profile among college students and younger baby-boomers, and Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes made almost a mini-career out of reviving Cookes songs (most notably "Having a Party," and even part of "A Change Is Gonna Come") in concert. In 1986, The Man and His Music went some way to correcting the absence of all but the early hits in a career-spanning compilation, but since the mid-90s, Cookes final years worth of releases have been separated from the earlier RCA and Keen material, and is in the hands of Kleins ABKCO label. Finally, in the late 90s and beyond, RCA, ABKCO, and even Specialty (which still owns Cookes gospel sides with the Soul Stirrers) each issued comprehensive collections of their portions of Cookes catalog. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 46 Title: Songs by Sam Cooke Released: 1957 Tracks: 13 Duration: 32:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Send Me (02:43) 2 The Lonesome Road (02:31) 3 Tammy (03:30) 4 Ol’ Man River (02:37) 5 Moonlight in Vermont (02:40) 6 Canadian Sunset (02:56) 7 Summertime (02:25) 8 Around the World (01:58) 9 Ain’t Misbehavin’ (02:00) 10 The Bells of St. Mary’s (02:17) 11 So Long (02:38) 12 Danny Boy (02:16) 13 That Lucky Old Sun (02:19) |
 | Album: 2 of 46 Title: Encore Released: 1958 Tracks: 12 Duration: 31:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Oh Look at Me Now (01:54) 2 Someday (02:16) 3 Along the Navaho Trail (03:05) 4 Running Wild (01:24) 5 Accentuate the Positive (03:23) 6 Mary Mary Lou (02:46) 7 When I Fall in Love (02:44) 8 I Cover the Waterfront (02:13) 9 My Foolish Heart (02:18) 10 Today I Sing the Blues (03:19) 11 The Gypsy (02:32) 12 It’s the Talk of the Town (03:06) |
| Encore : Allmusic album Review : Superb vocals by the great Sam Cooke, with some sophisticated pop, wonderful ballads, and a few intense wailers that recall his great gospel material. This, and almost every other magnificent release by Sam Cooke from the 50s and early 60s, has been out of print for years. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 46 Title: Hit Kit Released: 1959 Tracks: 12 Duration: 29:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Only Sixteen (02:00) 2 All of My Life (02:20) 3 Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha (02:35) 4 Blue Moon (02:45) 5 Win Your Love for Me (02:26) 6 Lonely Island (02:31) 7 You Send Me (02:41) 8 Love You Most of All (02:15) 9 For Sentimental Reasons (02:40) 10 Little Things You Do (02:13) 11 Let’s Go Steady Again (02:29) 12 You Were Made for Me (02:52) |
| Hit Kit : Allmusic album Review : Some smoking uptempo tunes, wailing ballads, and even interesting pop and novelty material. Sam Cooke was at his commercial peak in the early 60s, and if you ever find this anywhere, grab it quickly. Its well worth having. Someday, a major label will wise up and either put all Cookes Keen, RCA, and Sar material back in print or put out a huge boxed set package. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 46 Title: Tribute to the Lady Released: 1959 Tracks: 12 Duration: 28:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 God Bless the Child (02:34) 2 She’s Funny That Way (01:51) 3 I’ve Got a Right to Sing the Blues (02:31) 4 Good Morning, Heartache (02:05) 5 ’T Ain’t Nobody’s Biznezz (If I Do) (02:24) 6 Comes Love (02:27) 7 Lover Girl (Man) (02:24) 8 Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off (02:19) 9 Lover Come Back to Me (02:10) 10 Solitude (02:21) 11 They Can’t Take That Away From Me (02:29) 12 Crazy in Love With You (02:33) |
| Tribute to the Lady : Allmusic album Review : An album thats seldom been seen and disappeared almost as quickly as it was released. Sam Cooke turned these songs inside out with twisting, awesome interpretations. It was one of the few times he was able to break out of the light pop/teen idol bag in a studio and pour his heart into great lyrics and numbers. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 46 Title: Cooke’s Tour Released: 1960 Tracks: 12 Duration: 36:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Far Away Places (03:28) 2 Under Paris Skies (03:11) 3 South of the Border (Down Mexico Way) (03:15) 4 Bali Haʻi (03:17) 5 The Coffee Song (They’ve Got an Awful Lot of Coffee in Brazil) (02:06) 6 Arrivederci, Roma (Goodbye to Rome) (02:52) 7 London by Night (03:33) 8 Jamaica Farewell (02:33) 9 Galway Bay (02:59) 10 Sweet Leilani (02:48) 11 The Japanese Farewell Song (02:56) 12 The House I Live In (03:20) |
| Cooke’s Tour : Allmusic album Review : Sam Cookes debut album for RCA was a fundamentally flawed attempt to shoehorn his singing into a safe, MOR pop concept album, showcasing songs about different parts of the world. The strings and harps are almost overpowering and, given what Cooke should have been singing for his first LP for the label, are doubly inappropriate. The repertory is about as safe as can be, including "Jamaica Farewell," "South of the Border," "Bali Hai," "Arrivederci, Roma," and "London by Night" -- the only surprise is Earl Robinsons "The House I Live In," which was associated with Josh White and Frank Sinatra and, in its own way, was part of the 1940s roots of the modern Civil Rights movement. Cooke would later get a lot more topical and soulful. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 46 Title: I Thank God Released: 1960 Tracks: 12 Duration: 31:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Thank God (02:56) 2 You Got to Move (02:12) 3 Jericho Walls (03:15) 4 That’s Heaven to Me (02:51) 5 Love Lifted Me (02:50) 6 Coming Up Through the Years (02:55) 7 Steal Away (02:16) 8 Trust and Obey (02:00) 9 This Friend Jesus (01:57) 10 Deep River (02:47) 11 God’s Goodness (02:44) 12 Oh, Lord, Fix It (02:42) |
| I Thank God : Allmusic album Review : Cooke would periodically try to return to gospel, and there was plenty of vault material that Specialty would license or try to sneak past the watchful gospel audience. Those who feel that Cookes gospel was his finest material will have that opinion validated, although its doubtful that many people have ever heard or seen this, as its been long out of print. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 46 Title: Swing Low Released: 1960 Tracks: 12 Duration: 36:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (03:08) 2 I’m Just a Country Boy (04:03) 3 They Call the Wind Marīa (02:58) 4 Twilight on the Trail (03:08) 5 If I Had You (02:19) 6 Chain Gang (02:36) 7 Grandfather’s Clock (03:09) 8 Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair (03:47) 9 Long, Long Ago (02:54) 10 Pray (02:12) 11 You Belong to Me (02:47) 12 Goin’ Home (03:04) |
| Swing Low : Allmusic album Review : Sam Cooke began his career as a gospel singer, and after two pop-oriented LPs, the label and Cookes producers, Hugo & Luigi, decided to play to that side of his repertoire and reputation for this, his third album. Certainly opening the album with the traditional spiritual "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and using it as the title track was an acknowledgment of his history. Despite some intersections with his gospel roots and his past history with the Soul Stirrers, however, this album isnt quite what one would expect from its title -- most of Swing Low consists of pop repertoire (including Broadway material), albeit songs that have a devotional, reflective aspect, or a spiritual tone, and the production is very full, if not quite as overblown as some of the songs recorded elsewhere in Cookes RCA library. The choir and brass are slightly overdone on the title song, but almost everything else is a study in understatement that plays to the quiet strength in Cookes voice -- "Im Just a Country Boy," "They Call the Wind Maria" (from Paint Your Wagon), "Twilight on the Trail," and "If I Had You" combine with the title song and the single "Chain Gang" to make side one of this album a masterpiece of subtlety, and one of the high points of Cookes early LP output. If parts of his other early-60s RCA albums represent a tragedy of wasted opportunities, through bad song choices or worse arrangements, Swing Low falls on the other side of that line, bringing home what could (and should) have been -- one hears a phenomenal talent moving in almost precisely the right direction. Side two is a little weaker in focus, digressing back to a trio of 19th century chestnuts, "Grandfathers Clock," "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair," and "Long, Long Ago," which Cookes voice does elevate. And then we get to Johnnie Taylors "Pray," the highlight of the album in Cookes hands, and a song and performance that bring the focus back where it should be. The album closes with "You Belong to Me," an original by Cooke and J.W. Alexander, and the Antonin Dvorák-spawned spiritual "Goin Home" -- the arrangement of the latter almost swings a little too much, but finally comes off well, and both can be counted among the finest things Cooke ever cut for a long-player and, along with "Pray," among his must-own performances. In contrast to many of the singers early RCA LPs, where one must pick and choose the jewels from among weaker moments, Swing Low is the man and the voice in much of their glory across most of the album. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 46 Title: Hits of the 50’s Released: 1960-08 Tracks: 12 Duration: 32:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Hey There (02:33) 2 Mona Lisa (02:34) 3 Too Young (02:10) 4 The Great Pretender (03:03) 5 You, You, You (02:50) 6 Unchained Melody (03:27) 7 The Wayward Wind (03:11) 8 Secret Love (02:46) 9 The Song From Moulin Rouge (02:30) 10 I’m Walking Behind You (02:45) 11 Cry (02:15) 12 Venus (02:54) |
| Hits of the 50’s : Allmusic album Review : Sam Cookes second RCA album is mostly a missed opportunity, in terms of representing much about Sam Cooke as an artist or singer -- having him cover pop hits of the previous decade wasnt a terrible idea on its face, but Cooke was still getting accustomed to working at RCA, and he wasnt inspired by the material or the way it was chosen, and the result is an album aimed at what the label thought the white teenage market was all about (and what the company thought the parents of those kids would be most comfortable with them buying from a black recording artist), thats a lot less interesting than some of the singles, including "Chain Gang" and "Wonderful World," that he was doing around the same time. His versions of hits associated with Nat "King" Cole, Johnnie Ray, and the Platters should have made for a more interesting record. Hits of the Fifties is still an improvement over its immediate predecessor, Cookes Tour, but its also one of the records that for many years -- in the absence of his best material being available -- blighted Cookes reputation as a soul singer. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 46 Title: My Kind of Blues Released: 1961 Tracks: 12 Duration: 32:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Don’t Get Around Much Anymore (03:15) 2 Little Girl Blue (03:01) 3 Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out (03:26) 4 Out in the Cold Again (02:26) 5 But Not for Me (02:35) 6 Exactly Like You (02:10) 7 I’m Just a Lucky So and So (03:17) 8 Since I Met You Baby (03:05) 9 Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home (02:14) 10 Trouble in Mind (03:01) 11 You’re Always on My Mind (02:18) 12 The Song Is Ended (02:09) |
| My Kind of Blues : Allmusic album Review : Sam Cookes voice is justifiably legendary, but most of his RCA albums are astonishingly little-known today, and My Kind of Blues explains why this is so, at least in part. The singing is superb throughout, but the repertoire, even in 1961, was not terribly well defined or the recordings well arranged. The basic problem lay in the nature of Cookes career arc, which probably straddled too many styles and musical worlds for his own good -- the spiritual and the secular, pop and rock & roll, and pop and soul, all as defined in his time (which was, effectively, from the early 50s to the early 60s). The "blues" as a label on an album had a much wider meaning than it would have had at the other end of the decade, or any time since -- Cooke was part of a world where adult pop still held sway and seemed, at least for the LP market, a more attractive target than the teenage or even collegiate audiences of the time. Thus, the "blues" heard here would have been appropriate for a mainstream singer -- say, Sinatra, or Nat King Cole -- circa 1961 (or, really, about 1957 -- Cookes producers were very conservative) -- rather than what most listeners today would call blues. Brassy, big-scale orchestrations abound, and even the leaner textured songs, such as "Little Girl Blue" and "Youre Always on My Mind," rely on a reed or horn section, respectively, to augment the electric guitar, piano, bass, and brushed drums at the core of their arrangements. Some of this works beautifully, as on "Nobody Knows You When Youre Down and Out," which was a good enough song to make it into Cookes set at his Copa appearances, and, along with a handful of other tracks here, also onto the compilation The Rhythm and the Blues (and the box set The Man Who Invented Soul). All of this is what would probably be called "smooth blues" (assuming it is defined as blues at all in a modern sense); its more soul of a pop variety. But Cookes voice carries it -- even the weakest arrangements and material get elevated, as the best of Cookes interpretive instincts overcome the worst of his producers instincts. Given its limitations, My Kind of Blues was never going to be a defining album in Cookes output, and had he lived past 1964 it almost certainly would have been relegated to his "early period" in a full career. Its strongest moments, of which there are many, stand on their own, however, and the leanest of the arrangements point the way toward greater things that were to come, including the best parts of Mr. Soul and the whole Night Beat album. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 46 Title: Sam’s Songs Released: 1961 Tracks: 10 Duration: 25:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Little Things You Do (02:17) 2 Comes Love (02:30) 3 The Lonesome Road (02:31) 4 The Gypsy (02:32) 5 That’s Heaven to Me (02:51) 6 Love You Most of All (02:16) 7 Canadian Sunset (02:56) 8 Solitude (02:21) 9 I Thank God (02:57) 10 Danny Boy (02:16) |
 | Album: 11 of 46 Title: The Best of Sam Cooke Released: 1962 Tracks: 15 Duration: 38:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 You Send Me (02:45) 2 Only Sixteen (01:56) 3 Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha (02:36) 4 For Sentimental Reasons (02:36) 5 Wonderful World (02:06) 6 Summertime (02:23) 7 Chain Gang (02:35) 8 Cupid (02:30) 9 Twistin’ the Night Away (02:40) 10 Sad Mood (02:28) 11 Having a Party (02:27) 12 Bring It On Home to Me (02:43) 13 Win Your Love for Me (02:46) 14 You Were Made for Me (02:54) 15 Nothing Can Change This Love (02:36) |
| The Best of Sam Cooke : Allmusic album Review : The problem with issuing compilations of Sam Cooke material is one of licensing, since his early gospel work with the Soul Stirrers is owned chiefly by Specialty Records; his first secular pop hits like "You Send Me," "(What A) Wonderful World," and "Only Sixteen" are owned by Keen Records; his middle pop period and songs like "Chain Gang," "Cupid," "Twistin the Night Away," "Having a Party," and "Bring It on Home to Me" are owned by RCA Records; and recorded material from the last year of his life, which includes the magnificent "A Change Is Gonna Come," is controlled by ABKCO Records. Any collection hoping to make a full survey of Cookes career is thus extremely difficult to assemble. This set gets you part way there, at least on the secular side of things, combining Cookes early pop hits for Keen Records ("You Send Me," "[What A] Wonderful World," and "Only Sixteen") with some of his later hits for RCA Records (“Chain Gang,” "For Sentimental Reasons,” and “Sad Mood”), and making a pretty cool playlist out of it. A lot of key tracks from Cookes secular catalog are absent here, however, including RCA sides "Cupid," "Twistin the Night Away," "Having a Party," and "Bring It on Home to Me," as well as the ABKCO-owned "A Change Is Gonna Come," so there’s a lot more to the story. Any Sam Cooke beats no Sam Cooke, though, and this set is full of enough classics to more than get the point across. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 46 Title: Twistin’ the Night Away Released: 1962-06 Tracks: 12 Duration: 29:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Twistin’ the Night Away (02:42) 2 Sugar Dumpling (02:20) 3 Twistin’ in the Kitchen With Dinah (02:11) 4 Somebody’s Gonna Miss Me (02:34) 5 A Whole Lotta Woman (02:23) 6 The Twist (02:30) 7 Twistin’ in the Old Town Tonight (02:10) 8 Movin’ and a’Groovin’ (02:38) 9 Camptown Twist (02:16) 10 Somebody Have Mercy (02:58) 11 Soothe Me (02:10) 12 That’s It—I Quit—I’m Movin’ On (02:31) |
| Twistin’ the Night Away : Allmusic album Review : This was one of Cookes more successful LPs, only his second ever to chart (the first was his 1957 debut long-player), and from here on, all of his albums would sell in serious numbers. Twistin the Night Away remains one of Cookes most accessible records, despite the fact that it was a "twist" album, aimed by the producers at cashing in on that craze, and Cooke was shoehorned into doing numbers like "Camptown Twist," "Twistin in the Kitchen With Dinah," and "Twistin in the Old Town," as well as his version of Hank Ballards "The Twist." Around them, the singer is at his most soulful, exciting, and passionate, on the bluesy "Somebody Have Mercy"; the romantic lament "Somebodys Gonna Miss Me"; the ebullient "Sugar Dumpling"; the achingly beautiful, yearning "A Whole Lot of Woman"; the soaring "Soothe Me" (with Lou Rawls); and the slow dance number "Movin and Groovin ." One of the great dance albums of its period, but a brilliant soul album as well, which is why it holds up 40 years later. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 46 Title: Night Beat Released: 1963 Tracks: 12 Duration: 37:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen (03:25) 2 Lost and Lookin’ (02:13) 3 Mean Old World (03:48) 4 Please Don’t Drive Me Away (02:14) 5 I Lost Everything (03:25) 6 Get Yourself Another Fool (04:07) 7 Little Red Rooster (02:53) 8 Laughin’ and Clownin’ (03:37) 9 Trouble Blues (03:24) 10 You Gotta Move (02:39) 11 Fool’s Paradise (02:34) 12 Shake Rattle and Roll (03:17) |
| Night Beat : Allmusic album Review : Saddled with soaring strings and vocal choruses for maximum crossover potential, Sam Cookes solo material often masked the most important part of his genius -- his glorious voice -- so the odd small-group date earns a special recommendation in his discography. Thankfully, Cookes voice took center stage on this admirably low-key session from February 1963, recorded in Los Angeles with a quartet of studio veterans. Unlike so many session crews and producers of the time, these musicians gave him plenty of space and often simply framed Cookes breathtaking vocals. (On one of the best tracks here, "Lost and Lookin," hes barely accompanied at all; only bass and cymbals can be heard far in the background.) The results are wonderful -- except for his early Soul Stirrers sides, Night Beat is the best place to marvel at one of the two or three best voices of the century. The songs are intimate blues, most taken at the pace of a late-night stroll, but despite the dark shading and heart-rending tempos, Cookes voice is so transcendent its difficult to become depressed while listening. Cooke also wrote three of the songs, including the excellent "Mean Old World," and rendered the traditional "Nobody Knows the Trouble Ive Seen" practically unfamiliar with his own re-arrangement. Cooke also stretches out on a pair of jump blues classics, "Little Red Rooster" and "Shake, Rattle and Roll," summoning some honest grit for the former and putting the uptown swing into the latter. He also allows some solo space, from Barney Kessels simple, unadorned solo on "Get Yourself Another Fool" to Billy Prestons playful organ vocalizing on "Little Red Rooster." If Sam Cooke had lived longer, there wouldve been several more sessions like this, but Night Beat is an even richer treasure for its rarity. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 46 Title: 3 Great Guys Released: 1963 Tracks: 12 Duration: 29:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Can’t Say a Word (02:17) 2 No, No (02:22) 3 I’m Gonna Forget About You (02:18) 4 Tenderness (02:15) 5 The Endless Night (02:13) 6 Too Late (02:45) 7 Laugh, Laugh, Laugh (02:25) 8 I Remember (02:21) 9 I Ain’t Gonna Cheat on You No More (02:20) 10 Talkin’ Trash (02:12) 11 Without Your Love (02:58) 12 Another Day, Another Heartache (02:35) |
 | Album: 15 of 46 Title: Mr. Soul Released: 1963 Tracks: 12 Duration: 36:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Wish You Love (02:26) 2 Willow Weep for Me (02:29) 3 Chains of Love (02:51) 4 Smoke Rings (03:27) 5 All the Way (03:31) 6 Send Me Some Lovin’ (02:40) 7 Cry Me a River (02:49) 8 Driftin’ Blues (03:19) 9 For Sentimental Reasons (03:17) 10 Nothing Can Change This Love (02:40) 11 Little Girl (02:37) 12 These Foolish Things (04:02) |
| Mr. Soul : Allmusic album Review : Sam Cooke released two albums in 1963, and the second, Night Beat, is often cited as the best of all his long-players. But the first, Mr. Soul, shouldnt be ignored, despite some flaws in its conception and execution. At the time, the powers-that-were at RCA Victor didnt know which audience to aim for with Cookes albums. LPs were seldom huge sellers among teenage listeners, so the notion of trying to connect to an adult audience -- à la Nat King Cole -- probably seemed logical, and Mr. Soul suffered somewhat from this uncertainty of purpose and audience; it is a soul album, to be sure, but by the standards of the time a somewhat tentative one in many spots. Unlike Night Beat, which was an exercise in production restraint, Mr. Soul is over-produced and relies too much on strings where they arent needed and choruses that are overdone, even when they work. But Cooke rises above all of it, and turns even some of the more questionably arranged songs, such as "Send Me Some Lovin," into mini-masterpieces. A couple of tracks off of this album, "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" and "Nothing Can Change This Love," were part of Cookes live repertoire at the time and have, indeed, found a separate life on various compilations, but the rest was unavailable for over 45 years, until Sony/BMG re-released most of Cookes RCA library. The best of that rest -- which is most of it -- shows him still rising to the peak of his powers, his voice wrapping itself around lyrics and melodies that might seem too familiar ("Cry Me a River," etc.) and bland, and making them much more significant and powerful than they seemingly have a right to be. The strings are overworked at times, but where they are held back, as on "Little Girl," their presence only adds to the impact of the track -- and elsewhere, Cooke quietly overpowers them. Modern listeners should bear in mind that, as a soul album, this is a fairly laid-back record -- those expecting anything like the exuberance of Otis Redding, or Clyde McPhatter or Ben E. King, may be disappointed at first; Cooke does work up a sweat on various parts and phrases, but a lot of what is here, by virtue of the labels wishes for a crossover record, is what might be terms "cool" soul -- smooth and sometimes bluesy, in a low-key way, quietly emotive on numbers such as "These Foolish Things," with the hot moments in special abundance on numbers like "Chains of Love" and "Send Me Some Lovin." But even in these cool, restrained settings, Cookes was still one of the finest voices of his century, and worth taking in for every breath and nuance. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 46 Title: Ain’t That Good News Released: 1964 Tracks: 12 Duration: 33:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 (Ain’t That) Good News (02:30) 2 Meet Me at Mary’s Place (02:43) 3 Good Times (02:28) 4 Rome (Wasn’t Built in a Day) (02:34) 5 Another Saturday Night (02:42) 6 Tennessee Waltz (03:12) 7 A Change Is Gonna Come (03:13) 8 Falling in Love (02:46) 9 Home (When Shadows Fall) (02:32) 10 Sittin’ in the Sun (03:18) 11 There’ll Be No Second Time (03:03) 12 The Riddle Song (02:29) |
| Ain’t That Good News : Allmusic album Review : The last of his studio albums released in his lifetime, Sam Cookes Aint That Good News offers a lot of superb material, pointing in several directions that, alas, were to go largely unexplored. The central number is, of course, the earth-shattering "A Change Is Gonna Come," with its soaring gospel sound and the most elaborate production of any song in Cookes output. The rousing though less substantial title track also came out of a gospel tradition, as does Cookes treatment of "Tennessee Waltz," which is one of his finest adaptations of contemporary pop material. "Falling in Love" was the work of Harold Battiste, an old friend of Cookes who had recently re-entered his orbit and was partly responsible for encouraging the singer in exploring the New Orleans sound that was evident on "Rome Wasnt Built in a Day" and "Meet Me at Marys Place." And then theres "Good Times," a bittersweet, introspective party number, and the pensive successor to "Twistin the Night Away." There are a few moments where the spell is almost broken by the intrusion of what seems like pop material, but even Cookes version of "The Riddle Song" is worth owning as a glimpse at how he could turn a folk song into a something so quietly soulful that its origins disappeared. With the exception of "Another Saturday Night," which had been released as a single early in the previous year, Aint That Good News comprised the first material that Cooke had recorded in the six months following the drowning death of his 18-month-old son Vincent; it was also the first album that Cooke recorded and released under his new contract, which gave him greater freedom in choosing repertory and sidemen than hed ever had, and so it offered a lot of pent-up emotional and musical expression, and, as it turned out, was tragically unique in the singers output. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 46 Title: Try a Little Love Released: 1965 Tracks: 12 Duration: 32:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Try a Little Love (02:44) 2 Don’t Cry on My Shoulder (02:46) 3 Bridge of Tears (02:59) 4 I Fall in Love Every Day (02:16) 5 You’re Always on My Mind (02:18) 6 Love Song From “Houseboat” Almost in Your Arms (02:03) 7 When a Boy Falls in Love (02:37) 8 To Each His Own (03:09) 9 Tammy (03:34) 10 The Gypsy (02:30) 11 The Little Things You Do (02:19) 12 You Send Me (02:48) |
 | Album: 18 of 46 Title: Shake Released: 1965 Tracks: 12 Duration: 32:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Shake (02:42) 2 Yeah Man (02:32) 3 Win Your Love for Me (02:20) 4 Love You Most of All (02:19) 5 Meet Me at Mary’s Place (02:40) 6 It’s Got the Whole World Shakin’ (02:42) 7 A Change Is Gonna Come (02:36) 8 I’m in the Mood for Love (03:23) 9 You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You (02:56) 10 Comes Love (02:28) 11 I’m Just a Country Boy (02:40) 12 (Somebody) Ease My Troublin’ Mind (02:53) |
| Shake : Allmusic album Review : Sam Cooke had been killed the previous month with a current single, "Shake," ready for release. A brilliant up-tempo song with dazzling vocal acrobatics and a great beat, it was issued less than two weeks after Cookes death and soared into the Top Ten, but there was no accompanying LP, and Cooke had not left behind enough unissued studio material to create one. Instead, starting within days of Cookes death in order to get this album out for January of 1965, RCA reached back as far as six years, to Cookes sides for Specialty records and the Keen label ("Win Your Love for Me," "Comes Love"), up through songs from early 1964s A Change Is Gonna Come album and the handful of numbers hed finished late in the year. They threw on the shortened single version of "A Change Is Gonna Come," as edited for the B-side of "Shake," to create the first in an ever-weaker series of pastiche albums in Cookes catalog. This actually isnt a bad selection of material, and some of whats here was among his latest sides, thus representing some facet of where his music was heading during his last year alive, in what amounted to an unfinished career in an unfinished life, in an unsettled time. Its just not a terribly relevant album in terms of anything it says about Cookes music, apart from its diversity over time. Most of the material on this album has reappeared in more recent years on either The Man Who Invented Soul box or the Keep Movin On CD. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 46 Title: The One and Only Released: 1968 Tracks: 10 Duration: 30:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Jamaica Farewell (02:36) 2 Don’t Get Around Much Anymore (03:14) 3 Far Away Places (03:32) 4 Little Girl Blue (03:00) 5 The Song is Ended (but the Melody Lingers On) (02:11) 6 Bali Haʻi (03:24) 7 Trouble in Mind (03:02) 8 They Call the Wind Maria (03:00) 9 Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (03:11) 10 Since I Met You Baby (03:05) |
| The One and Only : Allmusic album Review : Another of RCAs late-60s reissues of Cookes catalog, ten short numbers recorded with the Glenn Osser and Sammy Lowe orchestras. Still Cooke makes even the slightest material (mostly Broadway show tunes backed with limp arrangements) worthy of a listen, such as "Far Away Places" and "Bali Hai." These certainly dont come from the same session as "Dont Get Around Much Anymore" and "Trouble in Mind," where Lowes big band leaps into a swingin mode and Cooke follows suit. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 46 Title: The Two Sides of Sam Cooke Released: 1970 Tracks: 12 Duration: 30:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Last Mile of the Way (03:00) 2 Touch the Hem of His Garment (02:06) 3 Jesus Gave Me Water (02:33) 4 Were You There (02:32) 5 Pilgrim of Sorrow (02:38) 6 He’s My Guide (02:37) 7 I’ll Come Running Back to You (02:16) 8 I Don’t Want to Cry (02:53) 9 Lovable (02:26) 10 That’s All I Need to Know (02:26) 11 Forever (03:01) 12 Happy in Love (01:59) |
 | Album: 21 of 46 Title: Forever: 32 Hits Released: 1975 Tracks: 32 Duration: 1:22:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Shake (02:42) 2 Cry Me a River (02:49) 3 Frankie and Johnny (02:38) 4 You Send Me (02:45) 5 Sad Mood (02:21) 6 Chain Gang (02:35) 7 You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You (02:56) 8 Soothe Me (02:05) 9 Good News (02:30) 10 Basin Street Blues (02:47) 11 Feel It (01:55) 12 For Sentimental Reasons (02:36) 13 Another Saturday Night (02:18) 14 Wonderful World (02:05) 15 Having a Party (02:26) 16 A Whole Lotta Woman (02:34) 1 Bring It On Home to Me (02:43) 2 Good Times (02:25) 3 That’s Where It’s At (02:36) 4 Baby, Baby, Baby (02:30) 5 Only Sixteen (02:01) 6 Love Will Find a Way (02:15) 7 Twistin’ the Night Away (02:38) 8 Sugar Dumpling (02:45) 9 Tennessee Waltz (03:10) 10 Send Me Some Lovin’ (02:44) 11 A Change Is Gonna Come (02:36) 12 Cousin of Mine (02:27) 13 Driftin’ Blues (03:15) 14 Willow Weep for Me (02:29) 15 Little Red Rooster (02:53) 16 Cupid (02:28) |
 | Album: 22 of 46 Title: Gospel in My Soul Released: 1977 Tracks: 12 Duration: 31:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 That’s Heaven To Me (02:58) 2 Deep River (02:51) 3 I Thank God (03:01) 4 Heaven Is My Home (02:42) 5 God Is Standing By (02:24) 6 Pass Me Not (02:41) 7 Steal Away (02:33) 8 Must Jesus Bear His Cross Alone (02:45) 9 Lead Me Jesus (01:58) 10 Trouble In Mind (02:24) 11 Sometimes (02:50) 12 Somebody (02:16) |
 | Album: 23 of 46 Title: 20 Great Hits Released: 1981 Tracks: 20 Duration: 49:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Send Me (02:47) 2 Stealing Kisses (02:13) 3 Ol’ Man River (02:35) 4 All of My Life (02:26) 5 Steal Away (02:12) 6 Win Your Love for Me (02:44) 7 There I’ve Said It Again (02:00) 8 Only Sixteen (01:56) 9 Little Things You Do (02:19) 10 Love You Most of All (02:21) 11 One One (Can Ever Take Your Place) (02:21) 12 I Thank God (03:01) 13 Desire Me (02:25) 14 Let’s Go Steady Again (02:33) 15 Summertime, Part 1 (02:18) 16 Summertime, Part 2 (02:21) 17 Wonderful World (02:08) 18 Tammy (03:34) 19 Darling, I Need You Now (02:30) 20 You Were Made for Me (02:53) |
 | Album: 24 of 46 Title: The Man and His Music Released: 1986-02 Tracks: 28 Duration: 1:10:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Touch the Hem of His Garment (02:01) 2 That’s Heaven to Me (02:01) 3 I’ll Come Running Back to You (02:13) 4 You Send Me (02:45) 5 Win Your Love for Me (02:53) 6 Just for You (02:20) 7 Chain Gang (02:35) 8 When a Boy Falls in Love (02:32) 9 Only Sixteen (01:56) 10 Wonderful World (02:06) 11 Cupid (02:30) 12 Nothing Can Change This Love (02:38) 13 Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day (02:29) 14 Love Will Find a Way (02:15) 15 Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha (02:36) 16 Another Saturday Night (02:25) 17 Meet Me at Mary’s Place (02:41) 18 Having a Party (02:27) 19 Good Times (02:28) 20 Twistin’ the Night Away (02:40) 21 Shake (02:48) 22 Somebody Have Mercy (03:02) 23 Sad Mood (02:28) 24 Ain’t That Good News (02:30) 25 Bring It On Home to Me (02:43) 26 Soothe Me (02:11) 27 That’s Where It’s At (02:36) 28 A Change Is Gonna Come (03:13) |
| The Man and His Music : Allmusic album Review : When this 28-song compilation (two LPs/one CD) originally appeared, it was the first serious exploration of Sam Cookes catalog ever done. Whats more, a lot of care went into the selection, if not the packaging -- despite the fact that it has no annotation, or even release dates on its 28 songs, The Man and His Music is still the only comprehensive single-volume collection of the hits and highlights of Cookes career from the mid-50s to his last sides in 1964. Whats more, its out of print, and it is likely to be the last such compilation that well ever see, because in the years since its release, the ownership of Cookes post-1963 sides (comprising his most advanced and ambitious soul recordings) shifted from RCA to ABKCO, and the chances are next to non-existent that either company will ever license its portion of Cookes catalog to the other. There are better-sounding collections and better-annotated collections, to be sure, and fuller collections -- in 2000, RCA issued The Man Who Invented Soul, a four-CD that goes deeper into Cookes output from 1958 through 1963; and in 2002, ABKCO issued Keep Movin On, a single-disc compilation covering Cookes 1964 sides, including his final hits. But The Man and His Music is the only Sam Cooke compilation that covers all of the major phases of his career, from his gospel work with the Soul Stirrers through all of the early pop hits and his move into soul music, culminating with his final classic soul sides. The Soul Stirrers classic "Touch the Hem of His Garment" slides effortlessly into and through sides like "You Send Me" and "Chain Gang," to the early soul numbers like "Nothing Can Change This Love," "Rome Wasnt Built in a Day," and the achingly beautiful "Just for You," to "Having a Party" and the wrenching balladry of "Sad Mood," and through to the transcendent final sides, the rousing "Shake" and the Civil Rights ode "A Change Is Gonna Come" (the latter showing up for the first time in decades, and the first of only two times on CD, in its full-length version). There are better collections with all of these songs and more on them, but none handier than this in presenting every facet of Cookes work -- the only flaw, if there is one, is the absence of one of the better tracks off of the Harlem Square live album. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 46 Title: Wonderful World Released: 1987 Tracks: 16 Duration: 39:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Wonderful World (02:06) 2 Everybody Likes to Cha Cha (02:37) 3 Only Sixteen (02:03) 4 You Send Me (02:44) 5 Around the World (01:58) 6 Ol’ Man River (02:33) 7 Mary, Mary Lou (02:48) 8 Love You Most of All (02:15) 9 Win Your Love for Me (02:44) 10 Danny Boy (02:42) 11 I’ll Come Running Back to You (02:12) 12 I Don’t Want to Cry (02:46) 13 Lovable (02:22) 14 That’s All I Need to Know (02:19) 15 Forever (02:56) 16 Happy in Love (01:53) |
 | Album: 26 of 46 Title: Swing Out Brother! Released: 1987 Tracks: 12 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I’ve Got a Right to Sing the Blues (?) 2 Good Morning Heartaches (?) 3 ’Taint Nobody’s Bizness If I Do (?) 4 Comes Love (?) 5 Lover Come Back to Me (?) 6 That Lucky Old Sun (?) 7 They Can’t Take That Away From Me (?) 8 Moonlight in Vermont (?) 9 When I Fall in Love (?) 10 Solitude (?) 11 Talk of the Town (?) 12 Crazy in Love With You (?) |
 | Album: 27 of 46 Title: The Wonderful World of Sam Cooke Released: 1988 Tracks: 24 Duration: 58:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Send Me (02:45) 2 Chain Gang (02:35) 3 I’ll Come Running Back to You (02:13) 4 Win Your Love for Me (02:55) 5 Only Sixteen (01:55) 6 Wonderful World (02:06) 7 Cupid (02:31) 8 Nothing Can Change This Love (02:37) 9 Everybody Likes to Cha Cha Cha (02:37) 10 Having a Party (02:27) 11 Twistin’ the Night Away (02:41) 12 Somebody Have Mercy (03:03) 13 Sad Mood (02:30) 14 Bring It On Home to Me (02:43) 15 There I’ve Said It Again (01:58) 16 Touch the Hem of His Garment (02:03) 17 That’s Heaven to Me (02:03) 18 Love You Most of All (02:19) 19 Just for You (02:21) 20 Moonlight in Vermont (02:37) 21 Good Morning Heartaches (02:05) 22 The Little Things You Do (02:18) 23 God Bless the Child (02:33) 24 Soothe Me (02:12) |
| The Wonderful World of Sam Cooke : Allmusic album Review : Here are 16 Sam Cooke sides recorded for Keen, including "There Ive Said It Again," "When I Fall in Love," "Ol Man River," "Around the World," "Aint Misbehavin," "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha," "Someday," "Mary, Mary Lou," "Only Sixteen," and, of course, the classic title song. | ||
 | Album: 28 of 46 Title: An Original Released: 1988 Tracks: 16 Duration: 41:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Great Pretender (03:06) 2 Unchained Melody (03:30) 3 The Song From Moulin Rouge (02:42) 4 Cry (02:18) 5 Chain Gang (02:35) 6 Out in the Cold Again (02:26) 7 You Belong to Me (02:47) 8 Goin’ Home (03:11) 1 Love Man (Oh Where Can You Be) (02:28) 2 Crazy She Calls Me (02:36) 3 Ain’t Misbehavin’ (02:02) 4 Lover, Come Back to Me (02:13) 5 They Can’t Take That Away From Me (02:32) 6 I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues (02:33) 7 Tain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do (02:27) 8 Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off (02:20) |
| An Original : Allmusic album Review : One of many Sam Cooke compilations. It doesnt have anything thats not on any of the others, but the sound quality is respectable. Theres really little to recommend from one compilation to the next until Cooke gets the boxed set treatment he deserves. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 46 Title: A Portrait of Sam Cooke Released: 1989 Tracks: 20 Duration: 49:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 You Send Me (02:45) 2 Summertime (02:25) 3 Win Your Love for Me (02:47) 4 Love You Most of All (02:18) 5 Everybody Likes to Cha Cha Cha (02:40) 6 Little Things You Do (02:16) 7 Only Sixteen (02:08) 8 Let’s Go Steady Again (02:35) 9 There I’ve Said It Again (02:01) 10 Wonderful World (02:06) 11 Along the Navaja Trail (03:08) 12 When I Fall in Love (02:45) 13 Ol’ Man River (02:38) 14 Moonlight in Vermont (02:40) 15 Around the World (01:58) 16 Danny Boy (02:43) 17 Ain’t Misbehavin’ (01:58) 18 Someday (02:19) 19 I Cover the Waterfront (02:16) 20 Mary, Mary Lou (02:48) |
 | Album: 30 of 46 Title: In the Beginning Released: 1989-11-27 Tracks: 16 Duration: 37:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 He’s My Friend ’Til the End (03:04) 2 I’m Gonna Build on That Shore (02:35) 3 Jesus, Wash Away My Troubles (02:08) 4 Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone (02:50) 5 Jesus, I’ll Never Forget (02:37) 6 Nearer to Thee (03:05) 7 Any Day Now (02:29) 8 Touch the Hem of His Garment (02:05) 9 I Don’t Want to Cry (02:42) 10 Lovable (02:25) 11 Forever (02:59) 12 I’ll Come Running Back to You (02:14) 13 That’s All I Need to Know (02:16) 14 Happy in Love (01:54) 15 I Need You Now (01:54) 16 Happy in Love (alternate take) (?) |
| In the Beginning : Allmusic album Review : Aces In the Beginning is an excellent collection of recordings the Soul Stirrers made in the early 50s. The disc is augmented by several solo cuts from Sam Cooke, making it an excellent distillation of the essence of the groups stirring, extraordinary music. | ||
 | Album: 31 of 46 Title: 20 Greatest Hits Released: 1992 Tracks: 20 Duration: 49:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Wonderful World (02:07) 2 You Send Me (02:45) 3 Chain Gang (02:33) 4 Twistin’ the Night Away (02:38) 5 Only Sixteen (01:55) 6 Cupid (02:28) 7 Having a Party (02:26) 8 Win Your Love for Me (02:52) 9 Just for You (02:20) 10 Bring It On Home to Me (02:43) 11 I’ll Come Running Back to You (02:13) 12 Sad Mood (02:28) 13 That’s Heaven to Me (02:02) 14 Touch the Hem of His Garment (02:02) 15 Somebody Have Mercy (03:00) 16 Soothe Me (02:05) 17 Nothing Can Change This Love (02:37) 18 Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha (02:36) 19 Love You Most of All (02:20) 20 You Were Made for Me (02:54) |
 | Album: 32 of 46 Title: Sam Cooke with The Soul Stirrers Released: 1992-04-06 Tracks: 25 Duration: 1:05:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Peace in the Valley (02:44) 2 It Won’t Be Very Long (02:33) 3 How Far Am I From Canaan? (02:51) 4 Just Another Day (02:44) 5 Come and Go to That Land (02:37) 6 Any Day Now (02:29) 7 He’ll Make a Way (02:40) 8 Nearer to Thee (03:04) 9 Be With Me Jesus (02:29) 10 One More River (03:10) 11 I’m So Glad (Trouble Don’t Last Always) (03:14) 12 He’s So Wonderful (02:21) 13 Farther Along (02:28) 14 Touch the Hem of His Garment (02:03) 15 Jesus, Wash Away My Troubles (02:07) 16 Must Jesus Bear This Cross Alone? (02:50) 17 That’s Heaven to Me (02:24) 18 Were You There (02:32) 19 Mean Old World (02:36) 20 Lord Remember Me (03:00) 21 Lovable (02:23) 22 Forever (02:55) 23 I’ll Come Running Back to You (02:10) 24 That’s All I Need to Know (02:19) 25 I Don’t Want to Cry (02:44) |
 | Album: 33 of 46 Title: The Legend of Sam Cooke Released: 1993 Tracks: 24 Duration: 59:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 You Send Me (02:45) 2 What a Wonderful World (02:07) 3 Steal Away (02:12) 4 Only Sixteen (01:56) 5 Love You Most of All (02:20) 6 Win Your Love for Me (02:44) 7 Little Things You Do (02:17) 8 Stealing Kisses (02:12) 9 Summertime, Part 1 (02:17) 10 Summertime, Part 2 (02:21) 11 Tammy (03:33) 12 No One Can Ever Take Your Place (02:22) 13 Let’s Go Steady Again (02:32) 14 Desire Me (02:23) 15 I Thank God (02:59) 16 Ol’ Man River (02:33) 17 You Were Made for Me (02:55) 18 All of My Life (02:25) 19 There I’ve Said It Again (01:59) 20 Darling I Need You (02:29) 21 I’ll Come Running Back to You (02:13) 22 I Don’t Want to Cry (02:51) 23 Lovable (02:22) 24 Forever (02:56) |
 | Album: 34 of 46 Title: The Great Sam Cooke Released: 1993 Tracks: 14 Duration: 36:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Send Me (02:45) 2 (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (03:16) 3 You Were Made for Me (02:53) 4 Lonely Island (02:32) 5 Win Your Love for Me (02:46) 6 Love You Most of All (02:18) 7 Only Sixteen (01:55) 8 Wonderful World (02:06) 9 Cupid (02:30) 10 Having a Party (02:27) 11 Bring It On Home to Me (02:43) 12 Somebody Have Mercy (03:03) 13 Frankie & Johnny (02:39) 14 Little Red Rooster (02:53) |
| The Great Sam Cooke : Allmusic album Review : This album lives up to its grandiose title. Sam Cookes smooth, velvet-tenor croons oh so soulfully on 14 tasteful morsels. The reason for the Cooke hype will become crystal-clear to neophytes after listening to "You Send Me," "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons," "Cupid," "Wonderful World," "Bring It on Home to Me," "Little Red Rooster," and the cookout favorite "Having a Party." | ||
 | Album: 35 of 46 Title: You Send Me Released: 1993 Tracks: 20 Duration: 47:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Send Me (02:45) 2 Stealing Kisses (02:10) 3 Ol’ Man River (02:40) 4 All My Life (02:24) 5 Steal Away (02:26) 6 Everybody Likes to Cha Cha Cha (02:40) 7 Only Sixteen (02:01) 8 Win Your Love for Me (02:46) 9 There I’ve Said It Again (01:59) 10 The Little Things You Do (02:14) 11 I Love You Most of All (02:17) 12 God Bless the Child (02:32) 13 I’ve Got a Right to Sing the Blues (02:31) 14 Good Morning Heartache (02:04) 15 ’Tain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do (02:22) 16 Comes Love (02:23) 17 Lover Come Back to Me (02:10) 18 Wonderful World (02:06) 19 Moonlight in Vermont (02:38) 20 When I Fall in Love (02:44) |
| You Send Me : Allmusic album Review : The title track was Sam Cookes first pop hit, and in many ways the song that symbolizes the change from the earnest, frenzied gospel he had done to the sentimental, coy pop that made him a celebrity. Theres some beautiful singing throughout this album; it just isnt the great, transcendent stuff he had done. | ||
 | Album: 36 of 46 Title: Sam Cooke’s SAR Records Story 1959–1965 Released: 1994-09-27 Tracks: 67 Duration: 2:27:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Wade in the Water (chatter) (00:13) 2 Wade in the Water (03:05) 3 I’m a Pilgrim (03:00) 4 Praying Ground (02:25) 5 Somebody (chatter) (00:07) 6 Somebody (02:12) 7 Sometimes (02:46) 8 Amazing Grace (03:22) 9 Pass Me Not (02:37) 10 Oh Mary, Don’t You Weep (chatter) (00:50) 11 Oh Mary, Don’t You Weep (02:52) 12 Since I Met the Savior (03:03) 13 God Is Standing By (02:19) 14 Lead Me to Calvary (rehearsal) (01:24) 15 Listen to the Angels Sing (03:01) 16 Don’t Leave Me Alone (02:15) 17 Stand by Me Father (02:42) 18 Jesus Be a Fence Around Me (02:22) 19 Lead Me Jesus (01:54) 20 Free at Last (03:00) 21 Looking Back (chatter) (00:52) 22 Looking Back (03:02) 23 Born Again (02:08) 24 Wait on Jesus (02:17) 25 Times Bring About a Change (02:31) 26 Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone (02:41) 27 Yield Not to Temptation (chatter) (00:25) 28 Yield Not to Temptation (02:27) 29 Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray (02:27) 30 Somewhere There’s a God (02:14) 31 That’s Heaven to Me (02:52) 1 You Send Me (demo) (01:44) 2 Just for You (02:20) 3 Somewhere There’s a Girl (02:28) 4 You Were Made for Me (02:53) 5 When a Boy Falls in Love (02:54) 6 Soothe Me (02:16) 7 That’s Where It’s At (chatter) (00:14) 8 That’s Where It’s At (02:06) 9 Everybody Wants to Fall in Love (02:25) 10 Keep On Loving You (02:45) 11 I’ll Always Be in Love With You (02:15) 12 Baby, We’ve Got Love (chatter) (00:13) 13 Baby, We’ve Got Love (02:07) 14 Baby, Lots of Luck (02:41) 15 Put Me Down Easy (02:29) 16 Rome (Wasn’t Built in a Day) (02:34) 17 Greazee, Parts I & II (04:22) 18 I Gopher You (02:21) 19 I Gopher You (chatter) (00:05) 20 You’re Always on My Mind (02:04) 21 I Need Lots of Love (02:44) 22 Don’t Throw Your Love on Me So Strong (02:42) 23 Black Night (02:38) 24 Damper (02:19) 25 You Can Run (but You Can’t Hide) (02:45) 26 Meet Me at the Twisting Place (chatter) (00:14) 27 Meet Me at the Twisting Place (02:53) 28 Good Good Loving (02:03) 29 The Wobble (02:31) 30 Lookin’ for a Love (chatter) (00:14) 31 Lookin’ for a Love (02:30) 32 I’ve Got Love for You (02:29) 33 I’ve Got a Girl (chatter) (00:25) 34 I’ve Got a Girl (02:14) 35 Tired of Living in the Country (02:44) 36 It’s All Over Now (02:51) |
| Sam Cooke’s SAR Records Story 1959–1965 : Allmusic album Review : Sam Cookes SAR Records Story is a double-disc set presenting material recorded for the legendary soul singers own SAR label from 1959-1965, much of it produced by Cooke himself and including a few of his rough, unreleased demos. The first disc covers the labels religious side, with a multitude of cuts from Cookes former group the Soul Stirrers (now with Jimmie Outler on lead vocals), plus a generous helping of songs by R.H. Harris & His Gospel Paraders and the Womack Brothers. The second disc covers essentially the same gospel-derived soul territory but with a secular bent, featuring future stars Bobby Womack (with the Valentinos), Billy Preston, and Johnnie Taylor, plus L.C. Cooke, Johnnie Morisette, the Simms Twins, and Mel Carter. All in all, its an excellent look at a lesser-known portion of Cookes career, and theres some great, underappreciated music to boot. | ||
 | Album: 37 of 46 Title: 16 Most Requested Songs Released: 1995-10-09 Tracks: 16 Duration: 41:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Send Me (02:45) 2 Bring It On Home to Me (02:43) 3 Little Red Rooster (02:51) 4 You Were Made for Me (02:52) 5 Wonderful World (02:06) 6 (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (03:15) 7 Nothing Can Change This Love (02:36) 8 Only Sixteen (01:54) 9 Chain Gang (02:34) 10 Cupid (02:30) 11 Twistin’ the Night Away (02:40) 12 Another Saturday Night (02:32) 13 Shake (02:49) 14 Send Me Some Lovin’ (02:44) 15 Having a Party (02:26) 16 Summertime (02:22) |
| 16 Most Requested Songs : Allmusic album Review : Velvety smooth, cool Sam Cooke left behind a legacy of recordings with his most renown located here on the tightest 16-track collection youd find. The CD is a sing-along from the first selection, "You Send Me," to the last, "Summertime." The styles are blues, R&B;, soul, and inspirational, and Cooke handles them all with the assurance of a master technician. There are other Sam Cooke compilations, but this one is super-sweet. | ||
 | Album: 38 of 46 Title: The Rhythm and the Blues Released: 1995-10-24 Tracks: 20 Duration: 59:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Get Yourself Another Fool (04:08) 2 Driftin’ Blues (03:15) 3 Fool’s Paradise (02:34) 4 Smoke Rings (03:26) 5 Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home (02:14) 6 Please Don’t Drive Me Away (02:14) 7 Nothing Can Change This Love (02:38) 8 But Not for Me (02:34) 9 Don’t Get Around Much Anymore (03:15) 10 Trouble in Mind (03:01) 11 Little Girl Blue (02:58) 12 I Lost Everything (03:26) 13 Chains of Love (02:52) 14 Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out (03:25) 15 Since I Met You Baby (03:05) 16 Cry Me a River (02:48) 17 Trouble Blues (03:24) 18 Little Red Rooster (02:53) 19 Out in the Cold Again (02:26) 20 One More Time (02:25) |
| The Rhythm and the Blues : Allmusic album Review : From the title, you might infer that this 20-track compilation -- taken from early-60s sessions, and principally composed of LP-only cuts -- aims to showcase Cookes most soulful side. Thats true to some degree, but this isnt his funkiest stuff; for that, look to Live at the Harlem Square Club 1963, or even his most up-tempo singles. Most of this is, in fact, suave pop/R&B, the emphasis sometimes falling on the pop, with lightly swinging, jazzy arrangements, and some orchestration. Cooke didnt write most of the material here, and while "Little Red Rooster" (a hit single) represents the earthiest extreme that the CD touches upon, there are also quite a few songs that were originally performed by jazz/popsters from the 20s, 30s, and 40s. Certainly these are decent offerings; Cookes a great singer and interpreter, and the arrangements are smooth without being overdone. But its neither Cooke at his very best (the hits compilation Man and His Music is much better), or his grittiest (that honor belongs to Harlem Square). It does restore much of his better obscure material to wide availability, and is recommended to those who have the above-mentioned albums and want more Cooke, although the 1963 LP Night Beat (reissued on CD in 1995) is a bluesier and better one to check out first. | ||
 | Album: 39 of 46 Title: Greatest Hits Released: 1998-02-24 Tracks: 21 Duration: 55:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Send Me (02:45) 2 (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (02:40) 3 You Were Made for Me (02:58) 4 Win Your Love for Me (02:51) 5 Love You Most of All (02:19) 6 Everybody Likes to Cha Cha Cha (02:43) 7 Only Sixteen (02:14) 8 Wonderful World (02:06) 9 Chain Gang (02:43) 10 Sad Mood (02:40) 11 That’s It, I Quit, I’m Movin’ On (02:39) 12 Cupid (02:37) 13 Twistin’ the Night Away (02:43) 14 Having a Party (02:37) 15 Bring It On Home to Me (02:43) 16 Sugar Dumpling (02:18) 17 Nothing Can Change This Love (02:38) 18 Somebody Have Mercy (03:06) 19 Send Me Some Lovin’ (02:48) 20 Frankie and Johnny (02:46) 21 Little Red Rooster (02:53) |
| Greatest Hits : Allmusic album Review : Although it isnt as sublime as the definitive The Man and His Music, Greatest Hits still does a good job of rounding up the majority of Sam Cookes biggest pop hits. Ironically, it doesnt have enough gospel or R&B; cuts, skipping over such essentials as "Touch the Hem of His Garment," "Aint That Good News," and "A Change Is Gonna Come" in favor of such pop hits as "Sugar Dumpling." However, it has just enough songs that arent on The Man and His Music to make it worth exploring for fans who havent been able to hear some of this material before, since some of these songs had been out of print for years. Nevertheless, the curious and the novice should be aware that this is not a good introduction to Sam Cooke, because it doesnt provide a full portrait of his career and it overlooks too many necessary songs. | ||
 | Album: 40 of 46 Title: All Hits Released: 1999 Tracks: 22 Duration: 57:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Send Me (02:45) 2 I’ll Come Running Back to You (02:13) 3 (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (03:16) 4 You Were Made for Me (02:53) 5 Lonely Island (02:32) 6 Win Your Love for Me (02:46) 7 Love You Most of All (02:18) 8 Everybody Likes to Cha Cha Cha (02:42) 9 Only Sixteen (01:56) 10 Wonderful World (02:06) 11 Chain Gang (02:35) 12 Cupid (02:30) 13 Twistin’ the Nite Away (02:42) 14 Bring It On Home to Me (02:43) 15 Having a Party (02:27) 16 Nothing Can Change This Love (02:38) 17 Somebody Have Mercy (03:04) 18 Send Me Some Lovin’ (02:45) 19 Another Saturday Night (02:34) 20 Frankie & Johnny (02:39) 21 Little Red Rooster (02:53) 22 Shake (02:50) |
 | Album: 41 of 46 Title: Hits! Released: 2000 Tracks: 21 Duration: 55:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Chain Gang (02:35) 2 Sad Mood (02:40) 3 That’s It, I Quit, I’m Movin’ On (02:39) 4 Hold On (02:48) 5 Cupid (02:37) 6 It’s All Right (02:45) 7 (Don’t Fight It) Feel It (02:00) 8 Twistin’ the Night Away (02:40) 9 Sugar Dumpling (02:17) 10 Having a Party (02:37) 11 Somebody’s Gonna Miss Me (02:47) 12 Bring It On Home to Me (02:43) 13 Soothe Me (02:20) 14 Nothing Can Change This Love (02:38) 15 Somebody Have Mercy (03:06) 16 Baby, Baby, Baby (02:29) 17 Send Me Some Lovin’ (02:48) 18 Another Saturday Night (take) (02:44) 19 Frankie and Johnnie (02:45) 20 Lost and Lookin’ (02:13) 21 Little Red Rooster (02:53) |
 | Album: 42 of 46 Title: The Man Who Invented Soul Released: 2000 Tracks: 96 Duration: 4:33:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Send Me (02:45) 2 Summertime, Part 1 (02:23) 3 For Sentimental Reasons (02:40) 4 Desire Me (02:26) 5 Lonely Island (02:31) 6 You Were Made for Me (02:53) 7 Win Your Love for Me (02:34) 8 Love You Most of All (02:16) 9 Everybody Likes to Cha Cha Cha (02:43) 10 No One (Can Ever Take Your Place) (02:22) 11 Only Sixteen (02:14) 12 With You (02:34) 13 Crazy in Love With You (02:33) 14 I Got a Right to Sing the Blues (02:34) 15 Comes Love (02:30) 16 Ain’t Nobody’s Business (02:27) 17 Little Things You Do (02:17) 18 There, I’ve Said It Again (02:01) 19 When I Fall in Love (02:44) 20 Let’s Go Steady Again (02:33) 21 Wonderful World (02:05) 1 Chain Gang (02:36) 2 I Belong to Your Heart (02:20) 3 Teenage Sonata (02:42) 4 Love Me (02:21) 5 Sad Mood (unreleased version) (02:34) 6 If I Had You (02:19) 7 You Belong to Me (02:47) 8 Sad Mood (02:40) 9 Tenderness (02:22) 10 That’s It, I Quit, I’m Movin’ On (02:39) 11 Hold On (02:50) 12 Cupid (02:37) 13 Tenderness (unreleased version) (02:27) 14 Don’t Get Around Much Anymore (03:15) 15 Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out (03:26) 16 Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home (02:14) 17 Trouble in Mind (03:01) 18 Out in the Cold Again (02:26) 19 Exactly Like You (02:10) 20 Since I Met You Baby (03:05) 21 I’m Just a Lucky So and So (03:17) 22 But Not for Me (02:35) 23 You’re Always on My Mind (02:18) 24 Feel It (01:55) 25 It’s All Right (02:45) 26 Twistin’ the Night Away (02:43) 27 One More Time (02:24) 28 Don’t Cry on My Shoulder (02:43) 1 Somebody’s Gonna Miss Me (02:48) 2 Somebody Have Mercy (03:06) 3 Sugar Dumpling (02:18) 4 Nothin’ Can Change This Love (unreleased version) (02:17) 5 Talkin’ Trash (02:16) 6 Movin’ and a’Groovin’ (02:56) 7 Soothe Me (02:20) 8 Having a Party (02:37) 9 Bring It On Home to Me (02:43) 10 A Whole Lotta Woman (02:34) 11 I’m Gonna Forget About You (02:30) 12 Nothin’ Can Change This Love (02:40) 13 Baby, Baby, Baby (02:30) 14 Send Me Some Lovin’ (02:48) 15 All the Way (03:31) 16 Smoke Rings (03:27) 17 I Wish You Love (02:26) 18 Driftin’ Blues (03:19) 19 Little Girl (02:37) 20 Cry Me a River (02:49) 21 These Foolish Things (04:02) 22 Frankie and Johnny (02:38) 23 I Ain’t Gonna Cheat on You No More (02:26) 24 Another Saturday Night (previously unreleased take) (02:46) 25 Love Will Find a Way (02:16) 26 Cool Train (02:32) 1 Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen (03:25) 2 Lost and Lookin’ (02:13) 3 Mean Old World (03:48) 4 Please Don’t Drive Me Away (02:14) 5 I Lost Everything (03:25) 6 Get Yourself Another Fool (04:07) 7 Little Red Rooster (02:53) 8 Laughin’ and Clownin’ (03:37) 9 Trouble Blues (03:24) 10 You Gotta Move (02:39) 11 Fool’s Paradise (02:34) 12 Shake, Rattle and Roll (03:31) 13 Feel It (03:46) 14 Chain Gang (03:11) 15 Cupid (02:44) 16 Medley: It’s All Right / For Sentimental Reasons (05:11) 17 Twisting the Night Away (04:19) 18 Somebody Have Mercy (07:16) 19 Bring It On Home to Me (03:04) 20 Nothing Can Change This Love (03:46) 21 Having a Party (05:25) |
| The Man Who Invented Soul : Allmusic album Review : Although the title is a bit misleading, the songs and vocals are the real deal. Not every Sam Cooke album from the 60s was great, but every one had plenty of great performances, and that was also the case with this one, even if theres a recycled feeling about several numbers. | ||
 | Album: 43 of 46 Title: Keep Movin’ On Released: 2001 Tracks: 23 Duration: 1:02:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Good News (02:30) 2 Rome (Wasn’t Built in a Day) (02:35) 3 Meet Me at Mary’s Place (02:43) 4 Basin Street Blues (02:47) 5 Cousin of Mine (02:29) 6 Tennessee Waltz (03:13) 7 Falling in Love (02:46) 8 When a Boy Falls in Love (02:36) 9 Good Times (02:28) 10 Shake (02:52) 11 Yeah Man (02:33) 12 It’s Got the Whole World Shaking (02:45) 13 The Riddle Song (02:33) 14 I’m Just a Country Boy (02:29) 15 Try a Little Love (02:41) 16 There’ll Be No Second Time (03:02) 17 Another Saturday Night (02:42) 18 Sugar Dumpling (02:45) 19 That’s Where It’s At (02:37) 20 You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You (03:02) 21 (Somebody) Ease My Troublin’ Mind (02:55) 22 A Change Is Gonna Come (03:13) 23 Keep Movin’ On (02:19) |
| Keep Movin’ On : Allmusic album Review : This 23-song rarities compilation stands in Sam Cookes output roughly where the four posthumous LPs released by Otis Redding stand in his catalog, with the major difference that Cookes work included far fewer leftovers and sides that were justified simply by being available -- he seemed to throw a special effort into almost everything that ever recorded, and that goes double for this discs content, which encompasses the final year of his recording career. This was a period in which he explored several promising musical directions and broke through both to an extraordinarily sophisticated synthesis of his gospel roots with topical songwriting within a pop context. Listeners wont find his most popular songs -- "You Send Me", "Chain Gang", "Only Sixteen", etc. -- here, a result of the split control of his catalog between RCA and ABKCO, but they will find his most important and influential songs. Cooke was inactive in the studio for a significant chunk of 1963, following the drowning death of his infant son, and when he resumed work late in the year it was under a new contract that was to ultimately give control and ownership of his recordings to him (or, as events worked out, his manager, Allen Klein). Represented here is his foray into a New Orleans sound, on "Basin Street Blues" etc., which hed never explored before (and which he shaped his own way) as well as his poignant recording of "The Riddle Song", which was a way of his coming to terms musically with the death of his son; and "Good Times", the somber-toned party song of Cookes that the Rolling Stones chose to cover, and the equally pensive and compelling "Another Saturday Night", a relic of the first half of 1963 that fits equally well with this later material. On any other R&B collection, all of those tracks would be perceived as extraordinarily fine records, but Cooke himself raised the bar so high during the final months of his career, that they pale next to the most important of his songs: "Shake", which embodied a harder, more visceral soul sound than Cooke had ever embraced before; and "A Change Is Gonna Come". The latter, written by Cooke in the wake of his hearing Bob Dylans "Blowin in the Wind", seemed to tie up his origins as a gospel singer with all that he had learned and experienced in the ensuing decade and, channeled through the topical subject of civil rights, became his greatest musical achievement -- not his biggest hit, or his best known song even today, but his most accomplished piece of composition, singing, and recording. Cooke never had a chance to follow up either, and died before he could even assess the impact of either song -- ironically, it was Otis Redding (who died almost three years later to the day) that took them into his repertory most successfully; so this disc not only brings us to the final, magnificent phase of Cookes career, but also shows the door that he opened for Otis Redding and others. Keep Movin On should probably not be the only Sam Cooke compilation that a neophyte fan should buy, mostly because it covers only his late career and leaves out a lot of essential material, but it is an absolutely essential companion (along with the Harlem Square Club live set) to his finest compilation, Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964, or the box set Man Who Invented Soul, finishing the story that they start. Most of whats here had never been available digitally before, and even the tracks that had are improved so significantly in the quality of their transfer, that theyre like new releases. | ||
 | Album: 44 of 46 Title: The Complete Specialty Recordings Released: 2002 Tracks: 84 Duration: 3:49:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Come, Let Us Go Back to God (02:51) 2 Peace in the Valley (02:44) 3 I’m Gonna Build on That Shore (02:19) 4 I’m Gonna Build on That Shore (02:34) 5 I’m on the Firing Line (02:55) 6 I’m on the Firing Line (02:47) 7 Joy, Joy to My Soul (02:08) 8 Until Jesus Calls Me Home (02:44) 9 Jesus Done Just What He Said (02:19) 10 Jesus Gave Me Water (02:30) 11 He’s My Rock (Wait on Jesus) (02:34) 12 How Far Am I From Canaan? (03:02) 13 Christ Is All (02:35) 14 It Won’t Be Very Long (02:36) 15 It Won’t Be Very Long (take 2 – alternate) (02:44) 16 It Won’t Be Very Long (take 3 – alternate) (02:38) 17 Jesus Will Lead Me to That Promised Land (take 1 – alternate) (03:05) 18 Jesus Will Lead Me to That Promised Land (incomplete – take 2 – alternate) (00:35) 19 Jesus Will Lead Me to That Promised Land (02:43) 20 Just Another Day (02:43) 21 Let Me Go Home (take 1 – alternate) (03:15) 22 Let Me Go Home (02:38) 23 Jesus Paid the Debt (02:53) 24 Jesus Paid the Debt (take 2 – alternate) (02:47) 25 How Far Am I From Canaan? (02:51) 26 How Far Am I From Canaan? (incomplete – take 1 – alternate) (01:47) 27 How Far Am I From Canaan? (take 3 – alternate) (02:56) 28 Someday Somewhere (02:17) 29 Someday Somewhere (03:04) 1 End of My Journey (02:55) 2 He’ll Welcome Me (03:06) 3 He’s My Friend Until the End (03:04) 4 He’s My Friend Until the End (take 2 – alternate) (03:00) 5 I Have a Friend Above All Others (02:21) 6 Come and Go to That Land (02:38) 7 Come and Go to That Land (take 1 – alternate) (02:39) 8 Come and Go to That Land (take 3 – alternate) (02:36) 9 I’d Give Up All My Sins and Serve the Lord (02:32) 10 I’m So Happy in the Service of the Lord (02:22) 11 All Right Now (01:49) 12 All Right Now (take 2 – alternate) (03:44) 13 All Right Now (take 4 – alternate) (02:52) 14 He’ll Make a Way (02:40) 15 He’ll Make a Way (take 2 – alternate) (03:01) 16 Jesus, I’ll Never Forget (02:38) 17 Jesus, I’ll Never Forget (take 5 – alternate) (02:33) 18 Any Day Now (02:29) 19 Any Day Now (take 6 – alternate) (02:38) 20 One More River (03:14) 21 Nearer to Thee (03:05) 22 I’m So Glad (Trouble Don’t Last Always) (03:14) 23 Be With Me Jesus (02:29) 24 He’s My Guide (take 4 – alternate) (02:47) 25 He’s My Guide (incomplete – take 12 – alternate) (01:38) 26 He’s My Guide (take 13) (02:36) 27 Pilgrim of Sorrow (02:38) 28 Pray (incomplete) (01:41) 29 The Last Mile of the Way (incomplete – take 1 – alternate) (01:02) 30 The Last Mile of the Way (take 2A – alternate) (02:57) 1 The Last Mile of the Way (03:01) 2 He’s So Wonderful (02:22) 3 Touch the Hem of His Garment (02:05) 4 Jesus, Wash Away My Troubles (02:07) 5 Farther Along (02:30) 6 Must Jesus Bear This Cross Alone? (02:50) 7 Pilgrim of Sorrow (02:20) 8 Happy in Love (01:58) 9 I Need You Now (02:00) 10 I’ll Come Running Back to You (02:15) 11 Lovable (02:27) 12 I Don’t Want to Cry (02:48) 13 That’s All I Need to Know (02:23) 14 Forever (02:55) 15 Lord Remember Me (03:00) 16 That’s Heaven to Me (take 1 – alternate) (03:14) 17 That’s Heaven to Me (02:25) 18 Were You There? (false starts – takes 1 thru 4) (01:16) 19 Were You There? (take 5 – alternate) (02:33) 20 Were You There (02:33) 21 Mean Old World (take 3 – alternate) (02:37) 22 Mean Old World (02:37) 23 I Have a Friend Above All Others (03:39) 24 Be With Me Jesus (07:47) 25 Nearer to Thee (08:35) |
 | Album: 45 of 46 Title: Portrait of a Legend 1951–1964 Released: 2003-06-17 Tracks: 31 Duration: 1:19:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Touch the Hem of His Garment (02:04) 2 Lovable (02:26) 3 You Send Me (02:45) 4 Only Sixteen (02:03) 5 (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (02:40) 6 Just for You (02:22) 7 Win Your Love for Me (02:47) 8 Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha (02:43) 9 I’ll Come Running Back to You (02:14) 10 You Were Made for Me (02:55) 11 Sad Mood (02:40) 12 Cupid (02:37) 13 (What a) Wonderful World (02:09) 14 Chain Gang (02:35) 15 Summertime (02:23) 16 Little Red Rooster (02:53) 17 Bring It On Home to Me (02:43) 18 Nothing Can Change This Love (02:39) 19 Sugar Dumpling (02:45) 20 (Ain’t That) Good News (02:30) 21 Meet Me at Mary’s Place (02:43) 22 Twistin’ the Night Away (02:43) 23 Shake (02:53) 24 Tennessee Waltz (03:12) 25 Another Saturday Night (02:42) 26 Good Times (02:28) 27 Having a Party (02:37) 28 That’s Where It’s At (02:37) 29 A Change Is Gonna Come (03:13) 30 Jesus Gave Me Water (02:31) 31 Soul (00:32) |
| Portrait of a Legend 1951–1964 : Allmusic album Review : Some 46 years after his first pop hit, and 39 years after his death, comes only the second attempt at a comprehensive Sam Cooke collection. Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964 eclipses RCAs early-80s The Man and His Music, going it better in running time but losing some important recordings -- "Thats Heaven to Me" and "Soothe Me," arguably one of Cookes most important songs -- in the process of summing up his career. From 1951s Soul Stirrers gospel classic "Touch the Hem of His Garment" through to 1964s "A Change Is Gonna Come" and "Shake," we get highlights of Cookes career presented in state-of-the-art digital audio; superior in every way possible to the audio quality of The Man and His Music. Whats more, this is a hybrid disc with SACD capability, and the sound on that layer is almost as much of a jump above the quality on the CD layer as this remastering is from the old The Man and His Music disc; and either the standard CD or the SACD playback makes that 1980s-issued compilation sound faint and anemic. Theres also annotation here -- which was totally lacking on the earlier CD -- by Peter Guralnick, which delves very effectively into the background of each song. And the producers have taken the trouble to be a little inventive in the programming -- it would have been easy enough to follow a strict chronological approach, but instead the disc opens and closes with tracks that reveal Cookes gospel roots, which is pretty much where his music started and where it ended up, bookending his first hit with songs from his first session ever. | ||
 | Album: 46 of 46 Title: Specialty Profiles Released: 2006-08-29 Tracks: 14 Duration: 36:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 I’ll Come Running Back to You (02:26) 2 Forever (02:58) 3 Jesus I’ll Never Forget (02:36) 4 Peace in the Valley (02:45) 5 Just Another Day (02:44) 6 Touch the Hem of His Garment (02:04) 7 Lovable (02:26) 8 Farther Along (02:27) 9 Jesus Gave Me Water (02:30) 10 The Last Mile of the Way (03:00) 11 That’s All I Need to Know (02:20) 12 Any Day Now (02:29) 13 I Don’t Want to Cry (02:46) 14 I’m Gonna Build Right on That Shore (02:31) |