Customer Reviews

King & Queen

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Memphis has produced many great musicians. Sam Phillips' Sun Studio, launched in February 1952, boasted Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison. Beale Street started BB King's career. And then there was Stax/Volt, home to Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Johnnie Taylor and Rufus Thomas. These Stax acts, ably backed by one of the greatest studio bands of all time, otherwise known as Booker T. and the MGs, have left us unmatched rhythm and blues. (Now, I'm not going to get into the argument of which had the greatest studio band, Detroit's Motown, Atlantic's Muscle Shoals, or Stax: I'm just not competent to do so, unfortunately. I'm just going to say that with Booker T and the MGs behind him, Otis Redding has to be on the short list for greatest rhythm and blues singer, greatest Southern soul singer, however you prefer to characterize his music.) "Sitting on The Dock of the Bay," "Knock on Wood," "Try a Little Tenderness," "I'm Coming Home:" the man had range. What he didn't have, on his own, was humor: that's where Carla Thomas, daughter of Rufus, came in. "Tramp" is an exuberant corn-pone-flavored duet: once heard, it lingers in the mind, or at least in mine. It's funny. The rest of this record, first released in 1967, lingers well, too: the covers of several rock and roll masterpieces like "Tell It Like It Is," "It Takes Two,"and "Bring It On Home to Me," are crisp, light-handed, and sure-footed.

People say that the late, great Marvin Gaye never sang better than when he was paired with Tammi Terrell; that's a matter of personal taste, and I wouldn't say the same about Otis Redding and Carla Tucker. I would say they sang superbly together: if you love 1960's Southern soul, you want to get this rare record before it goes out of print.

Otis Redding & Carla Thomas recorded one album together, but it is an R&B gem. Motown started the duet album trend by pairing Marvin Gaye with Mary Wells, Kim Weston & most famously Tammi Terrell, so this was Stax/Volt's rebuttal. The album is made up of mostly covers, but Mr. Redding & Ms. Thomas attack the songs with a ferocity and verve that makes them sound all there own. Mr. Redding's smooth voice easily mingles with the sass of Ms. Thomas' and this is no better illustrated than on "Tramp" which is pure Southern Soul. They do a tender take on Sam & Dave's "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" and Aaron Neville's "Tell It Like It Is" while ripping it up on Eddie Floyd's "Knock On Wood" & "Lovey Dovey". It is interesting to hear them do the Gaye/Weston song "It Takes Two" as there is always was a rivalry between Motown & Stax/Volt. King & Queen was a boastful title and the two more than live up to the claim.

I had to write this because I couldn't believe that none of the people that already reviewed it mentioned "Are You Lonely For Me, Baby?" Definately the best song on the album and one of the best Otis ever recorded. The rest kick ass too.

How can anybody from Georgia - even the South - not think that Carla Thomas & Otis Redding are sui generis. The song "Tramp" with their clever exchange of lyrics, and gold digger/dirt farmer jokes is a hoot. "Otis," says Carla, "you ain't nuthin' but country." Otis replies, "That's right, baby. Yes I is." She complains, "You can't buy me diamonds or minks." And he comes back, "Why, woman, I can buy you anything you want - rat, squirrell, frog, anything!" The romantic songs are as good as it gets, as well.

A fairly swell collection of duets between Otis and Carla. They fit together like, well, King and Queen. If you like the Stax/Memphis sound and Otis Redding and/or Carla Thomas, you can't go wrong on this one. Their version of Eddie Floyd's "Knock on Wood" is an absolute classic. Great Album. Buy it before it goes out of print!

Even though things would change drastically with the upcoming demise of both Otis Redding himself and the original Stax (in the latter case at least temporarily) his career was firing on all cylinders at this point with this album. In keeping with some of the uptown duet albums Marvin Gaye had released with many different female performers during this time Otis and labelmate Carla Thomas did the same thing on this album. The major difference here is approch of course. Whereas the Motorcity duet albums were slick uptown R&B this of course is the same sort of funky southern soul both artists had been doing from the outset. This approch is most evident in the funkified "Tramp",wherin Carla lovingly mocks Otis for being "country" in different ways from his overalls to his cash in hand set to some of Al Jackson's most economically funk rhythms. The two also take on the Marvin Gaye/Kim Weston duet "It Takes Two",of course this version far heavier on the classic MG's style rocking soul/gospel horns and rhythms.

A good majority of the rest of the cuts aside from the fast paced,high octane rendition of "Knock On Wood" and the closing "Ooh Carla Ooh Otis" the rest of the album tends towards slower Memphis soul balladry such as "Let Me Be Good To You",a version of Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me" and the longing "New Years Resolution",celebrating both the urgent and the pleading side of their nature and,trust me those are two very different things. Even if this is the only proper duet album Otis Redding recorded it showcases how well he works the male/female back and forth while still very much maintaining his own style. Considering the output we now see it seems like Otis Redding spent a good majority of the year 1967 recording in the studio when he wasn't on the road. Perhaps all that performing helped with these inspired sessions but either way this is another one of Otis's great albums and,from what I hear he never was around long enough to make a bad one.

I had this album when it first came out and loved it. Although dated, it still pleases the mind, soul, and body.

...the hilarious "Tramp" was the jam, but you really want to hang 'round for their version of the classics "When Something is Wrong with my Baby" and "It Takes Two"...

What a Great Album? So Many Jams Non-Stop.Tramp still Bumps Too this day.Otis Redding&Carla Thomas Sound Fantastic TOgether.The Music&Production are Right On TIme.

The problem with all of Otis Redding's recordings is they are all in MONO, only one was recorded in STEREO. Otis Blue is in stereo if you get the double CD version because one CD is stereo, the other the original MONO.

Personally, I hate listening to anything is MONO even Otis, and I love the man's voice.