soul Archives - Vinyl From The Vault

Sam & Dave “I Thank You”

sfilzen — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:25:31 +0000

Sam & Dave “I Thank You” 1968. Released on Atlantic but recorded at Stax in Memphis. Soul, with some dashes of funk, I Thank You is a collection of songs that highlight Sam Moore’s and David Prater’s perfectly blended vocals; most are written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, who also both produced the LP. So many great classics! The title track, “I Thank You” was originally released as single in ’68; it was their final release on Stax Records and it went to #9 on the US singles chart and #4 on the R&B chart. “Wrap It Up” is also so good and the b-side to “I Thank You” (the 80’s child that I am, I think I first heard The Fabulous Thunderbirds version from 1986). Another soul-funky (and very Hayes flavored) standout is “Talk to the Man.” Penned not by Hayes & Porter but another Stax artist, Otis Redding, is “These Arms of Mine,” which Redding originally released in 1962. Another great funky soul track is “Don’t Turn Your Heater Down” – those horns! which was written by future Stax owner Al Bell and in-house Stax musician Steve Cropper.

The post Sam & Dave “I Thank You” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

Lenny Kravitz “Let Love Rule”

sfilzen — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 17:17:24 +0000

Lenny Kravitz “Let Love Rule” 1990. 10″ single UK release on limited edition orange vinyl. “Let Love Rule” is the title track from Kravitz’s 1989 debut LP and its lead single. It was in September 35 years ago (the album was released on September 6, 1989) that I first became highly aware of Lenny Kravitz, this song and the album. As a freshman at UW-Madison it became one of my personal soundtracks that Fall, which I listened to on repeat on my cassette-playing knockoff Walkman heading to and from class (sometimes while following – not intentionally! – a hot Kravitz-doppelgänger, likely a sophomore from one of the nearby dorms). “Let Love Rule” was released in July of ’89 and went to #89 in the US and to #39 in the UK. It charted on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks at #23 and the US Modern Rock chart at #5. Actress Lisa Bonet (his then-wife) is in the video. The B-side of the 10″ has two live tracks recorded at the Ritz in NYC. The first is a Jimi Hendrix cover of “If Six Were Nine” with – this still being the 80’s and all – an epically killer sax solo performed by funk and jazz saxophonist Karl Denson. The second is “My Precious Love” which is also on the album Let Love Rule; it’s a soulful rock ballad with a distinctly 60’s flavor. It’s been too long since I’ve listened to the whole record so will be doing that soon (but not on a knockoff shitty Walkman/cassette player).

The post Lenny Kravitz “Let Love Rule” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

Amy Winehouse “Back to Black”

sfilzen — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 17:44:30 +0000

Amy Winehouse “Back to Black” 2006. Island Records. Today, September 14th, would have been Amy Winehouse’s 40th birthday (b. 1983, d. 2011). Back to Black was her second, and final, album. Infused with soul, r&b and 60’s American girl-group spirit, Back to Black was a smash hit, going to the top of the charts almost everywhere (though only to #2 in the US). It won the 2008 Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album, is the UK’s second-biggest selling record of the current century and is on a ton of best-of lists. The LP is packed with top-picks including its singles: the insanely catchy/cheeky autobiographical “Rehab” (#9 US, #7 UK), “You Know I’m No Good” (#77 US, #18 UK), the title track “Back to Black” (#25 UK and then #8 in 2011 after Winehouse’s death), “Love is a Losing Game” (#46 UK) and “Tears Dry on Their Own” (#16 UK). I also really love the sad and sultry “Wake Up Alone.”

I admit to being somewhat late to the Winehouse party. I certainly was aware of some of the singles in 2006 but didn’t really listen to more than what I’d occasionally hear on the radio. But then we spent 10 days in London in 2019, three of those exploring Camden where she had lived. We took a Rock-n-Roll tour of the neighborhood one evening that visited many of the places where Amy hung out (pubs, mostly). Our tour guide, Alison (who I’m still in touch with), knew Amy tangentially I believe and told us a few personal anecdotes (again pubs, mostly, and boys). I also sort of got my picture taken with Amy Winehouse. Alison said that the statue is exactly to-scale of Winehouse – she was soooooo tiny!

The post Amy Winehouse “Back to Black” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

Joey Miserable and the Worms S/T

sfilzen — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 19:58:42 +0000

Joey Miserable and the Worms S/T, 1985. Nightcrawler Productions (aka self-released and I’m pretty sure the inner sleeve is signed by all of the band members).

Though the photo on the cover and member listing (lots of them, a horn section) suggests a ska band, Joey Miserable and the Worms are a sort-of rock-n-roll throwback band, with a lot of 50’s doo-woppy and rockabilly styling (the best on the LP is “Rockin’ is Our Bizness,” a cover from 1951 written by Claude and Cliff Trenier) mixed with 80’s-modern rock. They tag themselves as “rock and soul.” The most soul/doo wop track on the LP is another cover, “I Was Wrong” from 1954 written by Harvey Fuqua and Allen Freed. Not really my jam. The kitschy “Worm Symphony #1369 in the Key of X” is kind of funny – it’s the kid song that goes “Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I think I’ll eat some worms.” Thankfully it’s a really really short track. Also fun is the excellently and grossly named “Pooper-Scooper.”

There isn’t much info available about the group: they’re from New York City’s East Village, formed in 1980 and have two releases: this LP and an EP from ’86, Hanging Out for Your Love. They were supposedly really fun live and someone put up a bunch of their live tracks from ’85 on YouTube, like “Out of Control” from Joey Miserable and the Worms. They have what looks to be a semi-active Facebook page (with just 112 followers) and had a Go Fund Me fundraiser in 2020 called Digging Up Worms! which at least one Worm was involved in (Simon Chardiet aka Joey Miserable, lead vocals and guitar), possibly two (I think Jono Manson, the other organizer, is guitarist Frankie Sominex). I have no idea what, exactly, Digging Up Worms! was supposed to do as the fundraiser is now closed.

The post Joey Miserable and the Worms S/T appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

Aretha Franklin “Lady Soul”

sfilzen — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 18:21:55 +0000

Aretha Franklin “Lady Soul” 1968. Today, March 25th, would have been Aretha’s 80th birthday (b. 1942, d. 2018). Lady Soul was her 12th studio LP and it is considered one of the best albums of all-time. It went to #1 on the Soul Album chart, to #2 on the Pop Album chart and to #3 on the Jazz album chart in ’68 and had four Top 20 hits (two of those went to #1 on the R&B chart). Lady Soul boasts a huge and noteworthy backing band including Eric Clapton, Bobby Womack, King Curtis and Cissy Houston among many others. It is such a classic that to me it feels like a greatest hits record with some of my favorite Aretha songs: “Chain of Fools” (#2 US), “Money Won’t Change You” (originally by James Brown, 1966), “Since You’ve Been Gone” (#5 US), “Come Back Baby” (written by Walter Davis and made popular by Ray Charles) and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” (#8 US). Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, King recorded her own version of “A Natural Woman” for her 1971 Tapestry album. Mary J. Blige recorded it in ’95, scoring a place in the Top 100 and Celine Dion did her version in 1995 as well, going to #31 on the Adult Contemporary chart in the US and to #47 in Canada. Franklin’s version is hands-down the best of the bunch.

The post Aretha Franklin “Lady Soul” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

JD McPherson “Undivided Heart & Soul”

sfilzen — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 18:18:34 +0000

JD McPherson “Undivided Heart & Soul” 2017. New West Records. McPherson’s third album was a big success for an indie release: it went to #130 on the regular Billboard album chart but hit #4 on the Indie Albums chart and, a bit inexplicably in my opinion, made it onto Rolling Stone‘s Top 40 Country Albums of 2017 at #33. It is not country unless one categorizes this record as simply “rockabilly” – which it is not. It definitely is retro and mixes a hearty dose of rockabilly into a mix that also includes soul (especially the crooners “Hunting for Sugar” and “Jubilee“), garagey-blues that sounds very Black Keys-ish (“Lucky Penny” would be right at home on their 2019 album Let’s Rock) and late 40’s/early 50’s rockin’ rhythm-and-blues (the excellent “Crying’s Just a Thing You Do“). There’s even a touch of early 2000’s indie pop (“On the Lips“), some trashy glam (“Style (Is a Losing Game)“) and, for lack of a better description, garage funk (the great title track “Undivided Heart & Soul” which is swinging and sexy). It’s a really great LP and its diversity is tied together by McPherson’s songwriting and feel for a solid rock-n-roll beat.

The post JD McPherson “Undivided Heart & Soul” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

Isaac Hayes “Shaft” soundtrack

sfilzen — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 18:57:33 +0000

Isaac Hayes “Shaft” soundtrack, released 50 years ago this month. Stax Records. Today, August 20th, also would have been Isaac Hayes’ 79th birthday (b. 1942, d. 2008). The Shaft soundtrack went to # 1, as did the the single “Theme from Shaft.” The soundtrack spent an astounding 60 weeks on the Billboard album chart, is part of the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry and won a bunch of accolades including Grammys for the Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical and Best Instrumental Arrangement and the film score as a whole won for Best Instrumental Composition Written Specifically For A Motion Picture or for Television. Hayes also won an Oscar for the theme single and was nominated for best Original Dramatic Score. Hayes had originally wanted to star in the film as John Shaft (Richard Roundtree had already been cast) so got a cameo in the movie instead. The soundtrack, written entirely by Hayes specifically for the film, is mostly instrumentals for specific scenes (i.e. “Shaft’s Cab Ride” and “Cafe Regio’s”) except for the title track, the excellent “Do You Thing” which charted in the top 40, and “Soulsville.”

The post Isaac Hayes “Shaft” soundtrack appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

Stevie Wonder “My Cherie Amour”

sfilzen — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 18:58:36 +0000

Stevie Wonder “My Cherie Amour” 1969, Motown Records (ours is a 1984 reissue on Tamala Motown with an alternate cover). Today’s pull is a soulful, mellow Monday spin of Wonder’s 11th studio album is a mix of originals and wildly eclectic covers including one from The Doors (“Light My Fire”), a Broadway musical (“Hello Young Lovers” from The King and I) and film musicals (“At Last” from Sun Valley Serenade and “The Shadow of Your Smile” from The Sandpiper). The title track “My Cherie Amour” is a Wonder original and single from the LP which went to #4 in the US and the UK. The other single from the album “Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday” is a cover, though not as well known as the other covers (written by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells, first recorded by Chris Clark in ‘66); it went to #7 in the US and #2 in the UK. My top track is the funky groover “Somebody Knows, Somebody Cares” (a Wonder original that he co-wrote with his mom, Lula Mae Hardaway, which in my mind makes the song that much better ❤️).

The post Stevie Wonder “My Cherie Amour” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

Sade “Promise”

sfilzen — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 17:29:48 +0000

Sade “Promise” released 35 years ago today, November 4th, 1985. Smooth, comforting 80′s pop/soul = perfect for a day like today. Promise was Sade’s second release (after ‘84′s smash debut Diamond Life); it went to #1 in both the US and the UK. The sensual lead single “The Sweetest Taboo” went to #5 in the US and stayed in the Top 40 for 13 weeks (it went to #31 in the UK). Sade released two more singles from Promise: “Is It A Crime” (#49 UK, #32 US Adult Contemporary and #55 US R&B) and “Never As Good As the First Time” (#20 US, #89 UK). The entire album is sophisticated and effortlessly cool – listening to the singles as well as gorgeous tracks like “War of the Hearts” and “Mr. Wrong” has helped to slow down my heart rate, unclench my jaw and just chill the f**k out. Thank you, Sade.

The post Sade “Promise” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

Funkadelic “One Nation Under a Groove”

sfilzen — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 19:51:32 +0000

Funkadelic “One Nation Under a Groove” released on this date, September 22nd, 1978. Funkadelic’s tenth studio LP is considered the best funk album of all time, and one of the best records ever released in any category. It was also their biggest seller; it went to #1 on the R&B charts in ‘78 and hit the top 40 of the pop charts. I’m pretty sure this an original pressing (it’s a gatefold) but it’s clearly used – I have no idea who “J.W.” is who rudely inked his/her initials on the cover in black Sharpie – and it no longer has the 7″ bonus EP that came with the original LP’s (though the liner notes list the tracks included on that EP). The title track, “One Nation Under a Groove,” went to #28 on the US Hot 100 chart and #1 on the Soul chart; it hit #9 in the UK. It’s probably Funkadelic’s best-known song and is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as helping to shape the sound of rock music. It’s obviously funky as hell, super-danceable and just plain groovy. I also love “Who Says a Funk Band Can’t Play Rock?!” (definitely not me, this song rocks AND funks hard with serious shred) and “Cholly (Funk Getting Ready to Roll).”. The winner for best track name goes to “Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad (The Doo Doo Chasers)” – I think that might be one of the best song names ever. The gatefold has a comic strip that tells the story of the Funk Wars (the Doo Doo chasers have a starring role who are armed with Dookie Stick Blight Sabers – in case it’s not obvious, Star Wars had just come out a year prior to the album’s recording), which seems relevant today: the start of the text says “Once upon a time…in a faraway parallel universe , existed a intergalactic humbug between the forces of GOOD and EVILE [sic]. And on Planet Splurge, FUNK became THE FORCE to alter the cosmos beyond the limits of time and dimension!” We need the funk more than ever right now.

The post Funkadelic “One Nation Under a Groove” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.