Soul Dressing

Booker T. & The MG's | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 5, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic / Wea
• ASIN: B000002ISO
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,638 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #44 in Music > R&B > Soul > Memphis Soul
  • #47 in Music > R&B > Soul > Southern Soul

Track Listings

1. Soul Dressing

2. Tic-Tac-Toe

3. Big Train

4. Jellybread

5. Aw' Mercy

6. Outrage

7. Night Owl Walk

8. Chinese Checkers

9. Home Grown

10. Mercy Mercy

11. Plum Nellie

12. Can't Be Still

Editorial Reviews

Classic grooves back on vinyl from the Stax house band at their mid-'60s peak: Tic-Tac-Toe; Home Grown ; the title track and 9 more funky essentials. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Soul Dressing, History Lesson, July 1, 2004

By 

thestaxman (Jackson, MS United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Soul Dressing (Audio CD)

This album is like one terrifically funky soundtrack to a great movie. If you want a dose of early MGs, this their second album, is the place to go. Their first album came about after they had an unplanned number one smash, the immortal "Green Onions". This really is their first cohesive release as a band. Because this was released in 1964, it is a collection of tracks recorded over a two-year period. This was before their fellow Stax Records studio rat Isaac Hayes would become a solo star and revolutionize the album market.
Every track, save one, here is an original, and you have surely heard some of these gems in movies, including the home grown sounds of "Home Grown", the very memorable "Chinese Checkers", and "Can't Be Still" (probably original bassist Lewie Steinberg's finest moment).
The title cut is one of my favorite MGs songs ever. If I could point to the one song that made me fall in love with drumming of Al Jackson, this is it. This is the man who would later co-write and light the fire under such Al Green classics as "I'm Still In Love With You" and "You Ought to Be With Me". There are lots of people in a variety of fields and walks of life that I respect, but I don't know if there's anyone I have such an admiration and affinity for as the late Al Jackson. "Soul Dressing" appeared on the soundtrack to Billy Bob Thornton's critically acclaimed 1996 film Sling Blade.
Prime time MGs bassist Duck Dunn is listed in the liner notes as playing, but they don't specify which tracks, and Steinberg is listed as a co-writer on all the originals; including "Outrage", which features fancy organistics by late Memphis area musician William Allan in place of Booker T. Jones. This was actually released as the B-side to a song called "Boot-Leg", which was the first MGs single co-written by Dunn and actually had Isaac Hayes in Jones's chair.
The album's tone is largely set by the young Steve Cropper, whose guitar is a blazin' throughout. Especially on the title track, the "Green Onions" rework "Jellybread", and the fabulous "Plum Nellie", which is also highlighted by great organ and trombone work by the multi-talented Jones.
This album isn't as timeless as their later work, but it is a great trip back to a more soulful time.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A funky delight!, April 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Soul Dressing (Audio CD)

"Soul Dressing" was album that followed "Green Onions," the MG's debut. It's a much better album than "Green Onions" was. This was one of the few MG's records--the others were "Melting Pot" and the "Up Tight" soundtrack--that featured only original material. But, unlike those albums, the original material on "Soul Dressing" is all top-notch. This is where the MG's began to make good on the promise of the "Green Onions" single. Nearly ever song cooks along in the same edgy, funky manner. Lewie Steinberg was still the bassist in the band and these are his finest moments with the MG's.

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT album. why doesn't this cost 6.99 like the others?, March 6, 2011

By 

David A. Ryals "dickless, looking at the sky" (Global Peepshow courtesy of the Patriot Act & the UN/WHO division of the SS) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Soul Dressing (Audio CD)

Sophomore effort from the Stax records house band, Booker T & the MGs, 1965's Soul Dressing. A tight, rhythmic & groovy sound had developed by this point, one might call it proto-funk. Fabulous musicianship, inspired performance, & slinky grooves make this LP a five (5) star rarity, no doubt about it.

Why then are we music buyers repeatedly abused by this inflated cost? Traditionally, rare & obscure gems in our collective musical past are very expensive for the collector. At this point in our technological advance, however (not to mention the decay of the industry's profits in the last two decades), we must Demand the digitization, remastering, & extensive restoration of our favorite artists' oeuvre in a Low Cost Package. There is No viable excuse for this title & other such 'rarities' to continue to be held back from low cost editions & restorations in order to keep issues rare & prices high. This is an Abomination, and an Insult to all customers. They are gouging us. Don't buy this! I would strongly suggest searching this and other websites that sell used items, taking your time and wait for a steal... You'll save money & Dignity!