The Man and His Music

Sam Cooke

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: February 1986
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000002WB4
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #30,842 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
A 28-track best-of giving conclusive proof that soul's doomed golden boy was a singer of exquisite control and grace. Opening with a couple of Soul Stirrers gospel gems, The Man & His Music packs together most of Cooke's great pop sides, from the airily lovely "You Send Me" all the way to the majestic "A Change Is Gonna Come." Some of the cuts are more twee than others--it's rare that he touches the soulful pinnacles of "Bring It on Home to Me" or "That's Where It's At," and too often he descends to dross like "When a Boy Falls in Love." Even on the more winsome hits, though, he remains a peerless vocal artist. And when you finally get to "Change," it's hard not to feel despair at Cooke's premature death. --Barney Hoskyns

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captures Cooke's magic in all its glory, March 14, 2003

By	Daniel Jolley "darkgenius" (Shelby, North Carolina USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Given the fact that this album seems to be hard to find these days, I am very happy to have picked it up when I did some years ago. Sam Cooke was a magically gifted singer whose easy-going, mellifluously liquid voice never fails to lift me from even the darkest of moods. His roots were in gospel music, the powerfully joyous element of which underlies all of his music. He exudes happiness in both his appearance as well as his music; it's impossible to picture Sam Cooke without that bright smile he always seemed to have. Dubbed the king of soul by many music fans, Sam Cooke left a musical legacy of great importance. His influence on past, present, and future singers sometimes goes unspoken and unrecognized but is profound nevertheless. On the liner notes of this CD, you will find a number of quotes from such notable performers as Smokey Robinson, Rod Stewart, Aretha Franklin, and Keith Richards praising Sam Cooke and describing the influence the man and his music has had on their own careers.

The Sam Cooke songs I sometimes hear on oldies radio stations, classics such as Chain Gang, Cupid, Another Saturday Night, Twistin' the Night Away, and Bring It On Home To Me, wonderful as they are, really don't even begin to show the immense talent and diversity of this consummate performer. This CD crams 28 Cooke tracks (all of which he wrote himself) into its grooves, offering a wonderful cross-section of his life's work. Since no track list is listed here, I feel compelled to name the songs included on this incredible compilation album: Touch the Hem of His Garment, That's Heaven To Me, I'll Come Running Back To You, You Send Me, Win Your Love For Me, Just For You, Chain Gang, When a Boy Falls in Love, Only Sixteen, Wonderful World, Cupid, Nothing Can Change This Love, Rome Wasn't Built In a Day, Love Will Find a Way, Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha, Another Saturday Night, Meet Me At Mary's Place, Having a Party, Good Times, Twistin' the Night Away, Shake, Somebody Have Mercy, Sad Mood, Ain't That Good News, Bring It On Home To Me, Soothe Me, That's Where It's At, and A Change is Gonna Come. Whether it's inspiring gospel music, tender love ballads, or toe-tapping "feel good" songs, Sam Cooke did it like no other, with a natural and charming style all his own. If you can find it, The Man and His Music is a wonderful album that captures the heart and soul of one of music's greatest talents.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent collection but there is a better one, March 6, 2004

By	Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Whether Sam really was the first soul singer, I'm not sure, though he has a strong claim to the title. In any event, this is an excellent collection of his music.

Sam made his breakthrough with You send me, which went all the way to number one in America (where it sold a couple of million) though it barely made the top thirty in Britain. In the fifties, when music was often racially segregated, this was quite an achievement. Sam was well aware of the problems, as is clear from his song, A change is gonna come. The change did come (to some extent, at least) though Sam, murdered aged just 33, did not live to see it.

Another important American hit, Only sixteen, fared slightly better than You send me in the UK despite being covered by Craig Douglas who took the song to the very top of the UK charts. Sam's version of Wonderful world, another huge American hit, again only registered in the UK top thirty at the time of its original release, though Brits grew to love this song, with Louis Armstrong and Herman's Hermits both having big hits in the sixties. Sam's version made number two in the UK when re-issued in 1986.

Sam finally achieved success in the UK when Chain gang, Cupid and Twisting the night away all made the top ten. Only two more UK hits followed - Another Saturday night (which Cat Stevens covered in the seventies) and Frankie and Johnny (not included here), both of which made the top thirty. However, Sam had many more (and bigger) hits in his homeland, where his music was better appreciated. There are many other great songs here, too numerous to mention.

I bought this originally on vinyl and later replaced it with the CD. It provides a great selection of Sam's music but there is now an even better compilation titled Portrait of a legend, featuring extensive liner notes and even better sound quality. Many of the songs are the same but there are a few differences, although all the essentials are on both collections.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth 10 Stars!, March 14, 2000

By A Customer

This is the only (and definitive)greatest hits package of Sam Cooke's fabulous music. It's hard to come by but if you are lucky enough to find it, you're really in for a treat! Sam was ahead of his time, writing & arranging alot of his songs and heading up his own publishing firm, unheard of back in the early 60s. Regrettably, Sam's life ended all too soon back in 1964 in a tragic situation that will never be completely solved. This is the only Sam Cooke collection you'll ever need, and if you check back with Amazon to see when (and if)they get it back in stock-click on SEND right away! Highly recommended.