The Very Best of the Staple Singers [Stax]

by The Staple Singers

Overview

Back in 1990, when the Fantasy Records conglomerate owned the Stax imprint, they issued a 16-cut Best of the Staple Singers. Fast forward to 2007 and the label, Fantasy and all its associated labels -- Riverside, Milestone, Prestige, etc -- are owned by Concord. This later issue of Very Best of the Staple Singers contains four more songs than the original Stax release but unfortunately, it doesn't entirely replicate it. First the positives: the sound has been dramatically improved. The remastering job captures the group dynamics in full, from the rich harmony vocals by Cleotha, Pervis, and later Yvonne, to the wonderful lead presences of both Pops and Mavis. All of these cuts were singles, and the vast majority of them charted. The wonderful familiars are here, with "Heavy Makes You Happy, (Sha-Na-Boom-Boom)," "Be What You Are," and "I'll Take You There" among them. The different cuts, such as "Long Walk to D.C.," the Delaney Bramlett penned "The Ghetto" (from 1968 when the group first joined the label), the Al Kooper penned "Brand New Day" (from the film The Landlord), "When Will We Be Paid," "Who Took the Merry out of Christmas," Delbert McClinton's "Back Road into Town/There Is a God" and "I Got to Be Myself," do not appear on the original best-of yet are worthy and welcome additions here. The hard part is that other well-known Staples favorites, such as their version of Robbie Robertson's "The Weight," "We'll Get Over," "Oh La De Da," and the group's amazing reading of Don Covay's "This Old Town" are missing. While it is a trade-off, those serious about collecting the Staples' singles may favor this, though perhaps owning both -- despite replication -- may be the best notion indeed. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	06/19/2007
Label:	Fantasy / Stax
UPC:	0888072302952
Rank:	69388

Tracks

1. Long Walk to D.C.
2. The Ghetto
3. (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay
4. When Will We Be Paid
5. Brand New Day (Theme from the Landlord)
6. Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom-Boom)
7. Love Is Plentiful
8. Who Took the Merry out of Christmas
9. You've Got to Earn It
10. Respect Yourself
11. I'll Take You There
12. This World
13. Oh La de Da
14. Be What You Are
15. If You're Ready (Come Go with Me)
16. Touch a Hand, Make a Friend
17. City in the Sky
18. My Main Man/There Is a God
19. Back Road into Town
20. I Got to Be Myself

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Staple Singers   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Kirk Felton   Remastering
Rob Bowman   Compilation Producer,Liner Notes
Phillip Mitchell   Composer
Randall Stewart   Composer
Otis Redding   Composer
Stuart Kremsky   Project Assistant
Al Kooper   Composer
William Robinson   Composer
Steve Cropper   Composer
Bobby Bloom   Composer
Crutcher   Composer
Luther Ingram   Composer
Charles Chalmers   Composer
Jeff Barry   Composer
S. Rhodes   Composer
Schapiro   Composer
Marvell Thomas   Composer
Friedman   Composer
D. Rhodes   Composer
Raymond Jackson   Composer
Larissa Collins   Art Direction
Arthur Nakata   Design
Rikka Arnold   Project Assistant
Jennifer Peters   Project Assistant
Herb Shapiro   Composer
Marshall Jones   Composer
Osbie Burnett McClinton   Composer
Alvertis Isbell   Composer
Sir Mack Rice   Composer
Bettye Crutcher   Composer
Bill Belmont   Licensing
Bobby Manuel   Composer
Bonnie Bramlett   Composer
Cheryl Pawelski   Compilation Producer
Chris Clough   Project Coordinator
Cornelius Grant   Composer
Carl Hampton   Composer
Don Nix   Composer
Carl William Smith   Composer
Homer Banks   Composer
Deanie Parker   Composer
David Gorman   Design