Customer Reviews

Christmas in Soulsville

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New compilation from Concord, including the tracks from an earlier Stax compilation. Great stuff! Initially sold exclusively through Best Buy. Track listing:

1. Merry Christmas, Baby [take 1] : Otis Redding
2. Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas : The Staple Singers
3. Winter Wonderland [take 2] : Booker T & The MG's
4. The Mistletoe And Me (Album Version) : Isaac Hayes
5. Black Christmas : The Emotions
6. Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin' (Album Version) : Albert King
7. White Christmas : Rance Allen Group
8. I'll Be Your Santa Baby : Rufus Thomas
9. Please Come Home For Christmas : Little Johnny Taylor
10. What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas : The Emotions
11. Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin' (Album Version) : Mack Rice
12. Winter Snow (Album Version) : Isaac Hayes
13. It's Christmas Time Again (The Christmas Song) : The Temprees
14. Christmas Comes But Once A Year : Albert King
15. That Makes Christmas Day : Rufus Thomas

I have a n old vinyl copy of this so when it came out on CD-Hark the Herald Angels sing! All pretty great stuff from the heyday of soul at Stax . Completely worth the price of admission for one cut alone, the hard to find original version of "Santa Clause Wants Some Lovin'" by Sir Mack Rice. Otis's Merry Christmas Baby also is THE Version of this song, a must have! Staples/Little Johnny Taylor/Albert King/Rufus Thomas best Xmas songs!

Never knew anything such as this existed until I found it one day. There were certainly a good share of soul oriented holiday collections in the family music collection,on both CD and cassette tape. However I never had one in my own collection. As a matter of fact before this I never had ANY Christmas albums on CD until this particular collection. Stax had a wide range of performers. And their contributions to soul,funk,rock and just about everything in between them is...part of music history. And when you think about it,considering the gospel source of soul music Christmas songs are actually an excellent choice of interpretative material for that genre. And this offers up every side of their repetoire doing what they do best,for one particular time of year.

Otis Redding starts off with "Merry Christmas,Baby". Associated with Albert King he re-harmonizes this song into his own gospel-soul hybrid. But when it comes to Albert King nobody forgot about him. He offers up from funkier blues on "Christmas Comes But Once A Year" and more of his own style of blues with "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'". Ike Hayes bring his cinematic grooves to his own "Winter Snow" and "The Mistletoe And Me"-both two strong compositions for him. The Staples shine on their own gospel-funk of "Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas?",adding a doubling meaning on an emotional/spiritual level and what people often forget. Rufus Thomas delivers his own heavy funk on "I'll Be Your Santa Baby" while Rance Allen,The Emotions and the Temprees all come at a series of interpretations in the pop/soul-gospel sort of vein. Not to mention Booker T & The MG's typically lean n mean take on "Winter Wonderland"

If your a soul/funk/R&B music lover such as myself and are looking for a holiday album for your collection,I'd highly recommend this record. Every single song here is wonderful and will have you singing,dancing and probably both. And at the very least,it'll put a smile on your face. When it comes to the most thoughtful end of human end of emotional expression,Stax and it's artists are right up their with the best of them. And the fact that soul music and the holidays seem to go together so well is only have the joy this album has to offer. They even include the rare bonus track of Rufus & Carla Thomas "That Makes Christmas Day" for good measure. One can actually enjoy this album a lot even outside the context of Christmas because the music is so strong,grooving and spirited.

This was a present this holiday season from my sis and bro in law. Pretty cool as you see at the gifting, they are super good. I'm really delighted with something to play that's kind of listening luscious. And real. My favorites....well I love the two versions of "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin" we just all know he does. Both unique. I've played them both five times back to back just now. I'm still not sure which santa gets the top spot. Isaac Hayes talks us through it yeh, ummm ....The Emotions are so smooth you might as well down that Russian and get up and do a soulful karaoke. Yeah....the kids fear it, I'm clearing the room now. White Christmas gets soul.That made me laugh. No one will hear it if you go in the bathroom and play these. In fact in a few minutes I'm going to go give my evening the farewell to the season here on January 5th and listen then put away for next year. (I may have to get this package in the mail I've been stalling around sending these gifters.) Hard to top. Have to make em a bowl I think. Ok that was unnecessary detail.

Get this. If you need a fairly cool holiday selection for the Scrooge. Put it in and try and musicate that edge off. Get a little soul santa Baby.