Soul Folk in Action

The Staple Singers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 5, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Stax
• ASIN: B000000ZKZ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,173 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. We've Got to Get Ourselves Together

2. (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay

3. Top of the Mountain

4. Slow Train

5. The Weight

6. Long Walk to D.C.

7. Got to Be Some Changes Made

8. The Ghetto

9. People, My People

10. I See It

11. This Year

12. The Lady's Letter [#][*]

13. Pop's Instrumental [#][*]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Staples Getting Themselves Together, May 10, 2010

By 

Andre S. Grindle "Andre' Grindle" (Brewer Maine) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Soul Folk in Action (Audio CD)

Pops,Pervis,Cleotha and Mavis found Stax records of 1968 a very fertile ground to create. The label was on the rebound after the unfortunate events they experienced the previous year and the Staples found themselves not only part of that change but change for themselves as well. The world around them was looking at things from a different perspective. This was recorded the same year as the death of MLK and all of the songs make continual references to people feeling a bit lost and confused. The Staple Singers were perfecting their classic Stax sound right out of the box here with the in the pocket funky soul of the MG's supplying the rhythm section along with Pop's classic reverved,bluesy guitar riffs. One thing about this music is it represents a turn away from the faster,horn heavy memphis soul Stax tended to specialize in during the Otis Redding era and towards a slower,more stripped back funk style that would not merely define the labels new direction but that of the Staples themselves. It's only fitting that the two cover songs here reflect that change. Mavis's take on "Dock of The Bay" offers a definative female version of Redding's classic original and honestly it's not that different except more rhythm oriented than based on horn arrangements. Same goes for a version of The Band's "The Weight", a very old timey production originally but in the hands of the Staples it becomes this extremely well recorded modern gospel/funk anthem with Mavis's husky grunts and rangy vocal excersises. There are also some other amazing songs on here that defined them more individually such as the hefty grooves of "We've Got To Get Ourselves Together",'Top Of The Mountain","People My People" and "Got To Be Some Changes Made". All of these songs are in the heavy funk/soul/gospel vein that would typify the sound they would maintain for several years to come. "The Ghetto" is one of the softer,slower songs on this album along with the closing "This Year" and again both these offer some sense of consolation on what seemed like a very uncertain social environment. Other songs such as "Long Walk To DC" and "I See It",the latter with an almost psychedelic trail off playing "The Star Spangled Banner" emphasize a type of political message with a more traditionally gospel musical style and that's illustrated as well on the almost countryish "Pop's Instrumental" presented as a bonus track. The other bonus track "The Lady's Letter" is again another sort gospel/soul type tune. Although many have tried over the years to try at a sound like there always seems to be a style and individual flavor that just doesn't always seem to come to the same musical conclusion. One reason might be that,for it's time the recording quality of this album even as enhanced by the remastering process is incredible and not the least bit primative sounding. Musically and production wise this album looks more to the future of the gospel funk/soul subgenre than it's past and in all areas this totally succeeded at getting the ball rolling for the Staples upon arrival at Stax.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SOUL FOLK IN ACTION - STAPLE SINGERS CD, July 7, 2009

By 

Barry Kingston "ROCKWELL" (BRIGHTON, U.K.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Soul Folk in Action (Audio CD)

Yes... it's an oldie but now available on CD and a worthy release. My favourite track is definitely "I see It" but good to have back in my collection after having my original vinyl album stolen. Wonderful harmonies from a tremendous soul family.