Customer Reviews

Top of the Stax: 20 Greatest Hits

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The Stax/Volt story has two acts: the first, when the label was run by Atlantic Records and featured the royalty of Southern soul (Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Carla Thomas, Booker T. & The MGs) and act two, when Atlantic took its share of the label's masters and, after a short period of continued success, the label faded away.

The reunion of one of popular music's richest libraries occurred some years later. "Top Of The Stax" becomes a one-disc, 20-year joyride of classic R&B from the label's first #1 (Booker T & The MG's groovin' "Green Onions") to its last (Issac Hayes' sweeping signature song, "Theme From Shaft.") Along the way, you hear from father Rufus Thomas (the salacious "Push and Pull") and daughter Carla (the sweet "B-A-B-Y"). Johnny Taylor shows up with two ceritified gold hits, the hard-hitting "Who's Making Love" and the bouncy "Cheaper To Keep Her." The Dramatics and the Soul Children chime in with two Quiet Storm ballads, and Little Milton slaps the blues with the R&B Top 10 "That's What Love Will Make You Do." You'll know these songs; they've been covered by every rock n' roll bad boy from Mick Jagger to Billy Idol to the Blues Brothers. But nothing beats the originals heard here. Highly recommended.

When you listen to this, you cannot help but say to yourself "how incredible the talent roster was for this record label". Not only did you have this very special array of vocalists but, for the most part, it was the same house band playing on all of these memorable songs.

Stax will always have their nemesis, Motown, but they should not be considered competitors. Both labels were great yet they were apples and oranges, completely different. Motown was pretty and melodic while Stax was funky and dirty. Stax also had a much more muscular sound, musically, so their house musicians got a lot more accolades. I enjoy Motown but I love Stax!

There is no need to talk about song highlights since these are all classic hits. The nice thing here is that Stax gave you variety. You have funk, you have duets, you have love gone bad, you have man hating female vocalists, you have bluesman, you have thumping bass and greasy guitar, you have killer horn sections, you got Jean Knight singing "Mr Big Shot"...this has everything...pretty, hard, loud, soft etc.

For the Stax fanatic, you will know all the songs but most people are not fanatics they are simply just loooking for a great compilation. If that is you, you will say to yourself "I did not know all of these great artists and songs came from the same label".

This cd works on many levels. It is a great compilation of classic soul songs, it satisfies the hard core collector who wants all of these tunes, it operates as a GREAT party cd/driving cd and lastly, it is a piece of history that showcases how the South interpreted soul.

If you like this then there is a part II with slightly more obscure tunes, a lot funkier and bluesier, yet just as satisfying.

DO NOT BE FOOLISH, BUY THIS!

Dear Listeners,

This is one of the hottest, funkiest, most thoroughly enjoyable collections I have ever heard. In contrast to the over-produced soul of Motown, this Stax music is grittier and much more emotionally authentic. It's as if you wandered into a very cool down-home club on a Saturday night and, sitting there in the dark, you are amazed as one great artist after another takes the stage and simply blows you away. GET THIS CD !

Immerse yourself in the gorgeous Stax sound from the golden years of soul! Every one of these 20 tracks is a gem, from Sam And Dave's opening number to Isaac Hayes' shimmering Theme from Shaft (1971). Eddie Floyd's Knock On Wood has been much covered, for example by Amii Stewart in the late 1970s, while Mr Big Stuff, also from 1971, is the only track of Jean Knight's besides her later 1980s hit My Toot Toot that I'm familiar with. And what a voice and attitude she has! The instrumental hit Green Onions is well known to all, as is Otis Redding's classic Dock Of The Bay. Little known classics include Mel & Tim's Starting All Over Again and In The Rain by The Dramatics, the latter with thunder and rain sound effects. My favourites on this essential album include The Staple Singers' addictive Respect Yourself and I'll Take You There, a delicious marriage of gospel and soul. The Stax sound was a bit more rootsy than Motown, but the melodies were just as beautiful. This precious music just improves with age.

This collection is filled with songs from well-known artist from the gospel oriented Staple Singers to the sweet harmony of the leser known duo, Mel and Tim.You will experience many emotions listening to this compilation. This collection will have you dancing, crying, cussing, and shouting before it is half through. We will hurt right alone with William Bell as he admits that he did not do what was necessary to keep his woman in "I Forgot To Be Your Lover." Mel and Tim were luckey: They got the chance to be "Starting All Over Again." We will feel btter about the world once we know that there is a peaceful place where there are no smiling faces or lyng to the races as in "I'll Take You There" by the Staple Singers. If that does not make you dance then "Shaft" by Isaac Hayes will do the job. Each selection is a Rhythm and Blues/Soul music classic. I love them all, for I grew up listening to thes songs.

When all my friends were digging Motown I was digging Otis and Johnny and Sam and Dave and Eddie and Carla and so on and so on.
Motown is good. It's black folks making music for white folks, but Stax was black folks and white folks making music for folks who like their R&B stripped down and basic and raw. There never was and never will be a singer better than Otis Redding. There will never be a back up band better than Booker T and the MGs or the Bar Kays.
Stax (an amalgam of Stewart and Axton the founders) and the affiliated Volt label put out the best ever music. It stands the test of time. It was a moment in time that was brief but golden. This album is just a sample but if it peeks your interest, and if you love soul music, it will, then go from here and appreciate Otis Redding and Johnnie Taylor and Eddie Floyd and all the great talents that passed through the Stax/Volt studios and came under the guiding inflence of the legendary Steve Cropper and company.

I love R&B music of the 60s and 70s. Although I live in Memphis, I have always enjoyed Motown music the most and never bothered to study the Stax music made right here in Memphis. Wow! The body of Stax records is incredible and it's interesting to listen to this music and compare to Motown's music. The sounds are both great but very different. I strongly recommend this album and encourage you to listen and compare to the writers and musicians from Motown. It competes very favorably.

Stax record label exemplified what real soul music was all about. They had some of the finest artist that you will ever want to hear from this genre of music. Isaac Hayes and David Porter are two of the most talented song writers there was in the business at that particular time. These songs are just pure classic. Highly recommended cd to have in one's collection.