Essential

James Carr | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 21, 1995)
• Original Release Date: February 23, 1995
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Razor & Tie
• ASIN: B000002Z8V
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #152,920 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. You've Got My Mind Messed Up

2. I'm A Fool For You

3. You Didn't Know It But You Had Me [*]

4. The Dark End Of The Street

5. Lovable Girl

6. Stronger Than Love

7. I Gotta Go [*]

8. Love Attack

9. You Don't Want Me [*]

10. A Man Needs A Woman

11. Coming Back To Me Baby

12. Forgetting You

13. Pouring Water On A Drowning Man

14. These Ain't Raindrops

15. Freedom Train

16. What Can I Call My Own [*]

17. I'm Going For Myself Now

18. Gonna Send You Back To Georgia

19. Let It Happen

20. To Love Somebody

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You've Got My Mind Messed Up, May 29, 2000

By 

David W. Coleman "Sportside Books" (Buckeye, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Essential (Audio CD)

The title above, sadly, is an apt summation of the career of James Carr. You may know of his legend: he's probably the least accomplished singer, in terms of overall career earnings and recognition, that you'll ever hear mentioned as being the greatest soul singer of them all. But you hear this reference to Carr over and over again. The reason is in these grooves. "Pouring Water On A Drowning Man." "What Can I Call My Own?" "To Love Somebody." And no one can touch, "At The Dark End Of The Street" as performed by this tragic figure, though many have tried. James Carr was majestic in both delivery and interpretation. And that is nothing short of astounding, considering how confused he really was, and also the fact that he was totally illiterate. He couldn't even sign his own name. Somehow, the Lord above looked down on him and just took control, and sang through James Carr's voice. It's the only explanation I can think of for the greatness you'll find here.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A man who knows the dark...., January 16, 2001

By 

David Kinney (San Francisco, Ca. United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Essential (Audio CD)

Collections such as this are why this former vinyl snob now embraces the CD.In a year of hunting through thrift shops and auctions and used record stores you would never be able to compile all 20 deep,deep soul treasures available here. That means you might never hear James Carrs's version of "The Dark End Of The Street".I know of at least a half a dozen versions of this Dan Penn-Spooner Oldham classic and they range in quality from clueless ;(Linda Ronstandt," If they would just put a light down at the end of the street it would'nt be so dark"), to pleasant;(The Flying Burrito Bros. did a nice country barroom weeper cover of this song,but they missed the scarier implications lying beneath the surface). Until I heard James Carr I had always thought that Percy Sledge had done the definitive version but while Percy's cut is fine indeed it just can't touch James Carr.Example: when Percy Sledge sings the pivotal lyric "They're gonna find us..!", he seems to be implying "They're gonna find ME and I'M gonna get a fat lip outta the deal".James Carr on the other hand is genuinely heartbroken: "THEY; the devil,the preacher,your husband,my wife are gonna find us and we wiil never ever be together again..".So James Carr owns "...Street". While nothing else on this CD equals that high point there are wonderful deep soul treasures for you to unearth here.Let poor James Carr carry your burdens for you so that you might be uplifted. He's right over there, where there are no shadows.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars classic, NO FILLER, January 26, 2000

By 

"[e-mail]" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Essential (Audio CD)

There is no "fluff" on this album. This is a classic collection of soul, only the sound leaves something to be desired, but certainly not the performance. Southern soul doesn't get any better, and that includes Otis Redding. Buy this and I'll bet you'll agree. However, check out Rhino's Soul Shots series for an alternate version of Pouring Water On a Drowning Man. Man, what a difference in sound quality! Sure wish Rhino would have released this collection.