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Monday, October 21, 2024

Sam & Dave – Soul Men - classic Stax soul album from 1967

 


Sam & Dave were an American soul and R&B duo who performed together from 1961 until 1981. The tenor (higher) voice was Sam Moore (born 1935) and the baritone/tenor (lower) voice was Dave Prater (1937–1988).

Nicknamed "Double Dynamite", "The Sultans of Sweat", and "The Dynamic Duo" for their gritty, gospel-infused performances, Sam & Dave are considered one of the greatest live acts of the 1960s. Many subsequent musicians have named them as an influence, including Bruce Springsteen, Al Green, Tom Petty, Phil Collins, Michael Jackson, Steve Van Zandt, Elvis Costello, The Jam, Teddy Pendergrass, Billy Joel, and Steve Winwood. The Blues Brothers, who helped create a resurgence of popularity for soul, R&B, and blues in the 1980s, were influenced by Sam & Dave – their biggest hit was a cover of "Soul Man", and their act and stage show contained many homages to the duo.

The Soul Men LP (October 1967) was Sam & Dave's third Stax LP (R&B #5/Pop #68). Musicologist Rob Bowman called Soul Men "One of the greatest soul music albums of all time." "Don't Knock It" from the LP was released as a single in France, but other songs were not released as U.S. singles due to the long run by "Soul Man" on the Pop charts (15 weeks), by which time "I Thank You/Wrap It Up" was ready for release. "May I Baby", the B-side of "Soul Man", is also regarded as a classic song on the LP by Whitburn's "Top Pop Singles" guide, and was a popular live song performed frequently by Sam & Dave.

1 Soul Man

2 May I Baby

3 Broke Down Piece Of Man

4 Let It Be Me

5 Hold It Baby

6 I'm With You

7 Don't Knock It

8 Just Keep Holding On

9 The Good Runs The Bad Way

10 Rich Kind Of Poverty

11 I've Seen What Loneliness Can Do


Sam & Dave – Soul Men

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