Memphis/Southern Soul 4
White and Black Stax musicians who became known as Booker T. and the MG's
As Peter Guralnick notes in Sweet Soul Music (1986), the sound of Stax and the sound of Southern soul, in general, were born out of the impulse towards integration. White and Black musicians comprised both the Stax rhythm (Booker T. and the MG's) and horn sections (the Memphis Horns). While all were engaged in the creation of African American music, the racial composition of the band invariably meant that many pop, rock, and country influences also played a part in the creation of the Stax sound and, by extension, Southern soul music. Most notable among these are guitarist Steve Cropper's use of open sixths An interval spanning five steps, as the interval from C to A. A sixth above C would be A.(typically used by country guitarists such as Chet Atkins) and bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn's tendency to craft melodic, contrapuntal bass lines (Paul McCartney was a significant influence in this regard).
Some additional performers of Southern soul music include Wilson Pickett and his recording"In The Midnight Hour" (released 1965 on Atlantic Records) .
Wilson Pickett - In The Midnight Hour (1965) [ 00:00-00:00 ]
This song was in response to a new dance known as the Jerk (introduced by the vocal trio "The Larks" and became a component of virtually every Stax recording through the end of the decade.
The Larks "The Jerk" [ 00:00-00:00 ]
Between November 1967 and January 1971, there were numerous Southern soul hits. These included soul records released on a variety of local and national labels by:
| Name | Track |
|---|---|
| James Carr ("The Dark End of the Street" 1967) | Listen here |
| James and Bobby Purify ("I'm Your Puppet" 1966) | Listen here |
| Oscar Toney Jr. ("For Your Precious Love" 1958) | Listen here |
| Bobby Womack ("Across 110th Street" 1973) | Listen here |
| Solomon Burke ("Cry to Me" 1962) | Listen here |
| The Sweet Inspirations ("Sweet Inspiration" 1967) | Listen here |
| King Curtis ("Memphis Soul Stew" 1967) | Listen here |
| Joe Tex ("I GOTCHA" 1972) | Listen here |
| Joe Simon ("Drowning in the Sea of Love" 1972) | Listen here |
| The Masqueraders ("I'm Just an Average Guy" 1969) | Listen here |
| Arthur Alexander ("You Better Move On" 1962) | Listen here |
| Roy Hamilton ("Don't Let Go" 1958) | Listen here |
Long Walk to D.C.
It's a long walk to DC but I've got my walking shoes on
I can't take a plane, passer train, because my money ain't that long
America we believe, oh that you love us still
So people I'm gonna be under to wipe away my tears
A Change is Gonna Come
I was born by the river
In a little tent
Oh, and just like the river, I've been runnin'
Ever since
It's been a long
A long time comin', but I know
A change gon' come
Oh, yes it will