SOUL
VA - That's Soul Vol. 1-6 [1995] (6 x CDs)
Released in 1995 by WEA Germany, That’s Soul 1-6 is a six-CD treasure trove that dives headfirst into the rich, emotive world of Atlantic soul. It’s not flashy, not overhyped, just a beautifully curated set that honors the artists, the grooves, and the grit that defined soul music’s golden age. The That’s Soul series was originally released as individual volumes before being compiled into the six-CD box set in 1995. Each disc in the set corresponds to a previously issued compilation, often with identical track lists and artwork. These standalone volumes circulated in Europe throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, primarily on vinyl and CD. The 1995 box set simply brought them together in one cohesive package.
Each volume is packed with classics, deep cuts, and a few surprises, all drawn from the Atlantic, Atco, and Stax catalogs. You’ll find the heavyweights here: Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge, Sam & Dave, Solomon Burke, and Carla Thomas, among others. But what makes this set special is its sequencing, it doesn’t just stack hits. It flows like a well-worn mixtape, moving from dancefloor burners to heartache ballads with ease.
Volume 1 opens with Wilson Pickett’s “Mustang Sally” and rolls through Arthur Conley’s “Sweet Soul Music,” Aretha’s “I Never Loved a Man,” and Eddie Floyd’s “Knock on Wood.” By Volume 3, you’re deep into the groove with King Curtis’s “Memphis Soul Stew,” The Bar-Kays’ “Soul Finger,” and Otis’s “Dock of the Bay.” Volume 5 throws in curveballs like Rex Garvin’s “Sock It To ’Em J.B.” and Arthur Conley’s cover of “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” showing how soul artists reinterpreted pop with grit and flair.
The mastering is clean and respectful, no brickwall compression, no gimmicks. These tracks retain their analog warmth, their tape hiss, their emotional punch. The packaging is modest but functional, and while liner notes are sparse, the music speaks volumes.
For collectors, this set is a goldmine. For newcomers, it’s a masterclass in soul’s emotional range and rhythmic power. And for anyone who believes music should move both body and spirit, "That’s Soul" 1-6 is essential listening. (B)
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Track lists
Vol. 1
01 Wilson Pickett - Mustang Sally 3:08
02 Carla Thomas - Baby 2:55
03 Arthur Conley - Sweet Soul Music 2:21
04 Percy Sledge - When a Man Loves a Woman 2:56
05 Sam & Dave - I Got Everything I Need 2:59
06 Ben E. King - What is Soul 2:21
07 Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) 2:50
08 Otis Redding - Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) 2:43
09 Eddie Floyd - Knock on Wood 3:06
10 Solomon Burke - Keep Looking 2:41
11 Wilson Pickett - Land of 1000 Dances 2:27
12 Joe Tex - Papa Was Too 2:44
13 Percy Sledge - Warm and Tender Love 3:23
14 Drifters - Baby What I Mean 2:35
Vol. 2
01 Aretha Franklin - Spanish Harlem 3:30
02 Brook Benton - Shoes 2:54
03 Persuaders - Thin Line Between Love and Hate 3:25
04 Otis Redding - Give Away None of My Love 2:47
05 King Curtis - Changes, Part II 2:27
06 Clarence Carter - Slipped, Tripped and Fell in Love 2:45
07 Wilson Pickett - Don't Knock My Love, Part I 2:18
08 Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - You've Got a Friend 3:24
09 Beginning of the End - Funky Nassau, Part I 3:05
10 Drifters - Up on the Roof 2:40
11 Sam & Dave - Don't Pull Your Love 3:16
12 King Floyd - Groove Me 2:59
Vol. 3
01 King Curtis & The Kingpins - Memphis Soul Stew 2:59
02 Sam & Dave - I Thank You 2:52
03 Percy Sledge - Take Time to Know Her 3:01
04 Wilson Pickett - Stagger Lee 2:21
05 Aretha Franklin - Since You've Been Gone 2:23
06 Joe Tex - I'll Never Do You Wrong 3:11
07 Arthur Conley - Funky Street 2:23
08 Bar-Kays - Soul Finger 2:20
09 Aretha Franklin - Think 2:19
10 Otis Redding - (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay 2:41
11 Wilson Pickett - She's Looking Good 2:18
12 Percy Sledge - My Special Prayer 3:02
13 Soul Clan - Soul Meeting 3:33
14 Sweet Inspirations - Sweet Inspiration 2:52
Vol. 4
01 Clarence Carter - Funky Fever 2:50
02 Wilson Pickett - Don't Fight It 2:35
03 Aretha Franklin - Rock Steady 3:08
04 King Curtis - Soul Serenade 2:57
05 Drifters - At the Club 2:53
06 Tami Lynn - I'm Gonna Run Away From You 2:50
07 Wilson Pickett - Fire and Water 3:10
08 Otis Redding - My Girl 2:55
09 Sam & Dave - Hold on I'm Coming 2:34
10 Betty Wright - Clean Up Woman 2:45
11 Percy Sledge - Love Me Tender 3:07
12 Solomon Burke - Detroit City 2:46
Vol. 5
01 Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers - Sock it to 'em J.B. (Part One) 2:41
02 Wilson Pickett - Born to Be Wild 2:44
03 Sweet Inspirations - Sweets for My Sweet 2:42
04 Otis Redding - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag 2:29
05 Aretha Franklin - See Saw 2:43
06 Arthur Conley - Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da 3:01
07 Wilson Pickett - Hey Jude 4:06
08 Sam & Dave - Soul Sister, Brown Sugar 2:27
09 Clarence Carter - Snatching it Back 2:53
10 Percy Sledge - Between These Arms 2:45
11 Otis Redding - Love Man 2:20
12 King Curtis & The Kingpins - Games People Play 2:41
Vol. 6
01 Herbie Mann - Hi-Jack 2:59
02 Sister Sledge - Mama Never Told Me 3:07
03 Major Harris - Love Won't Let Me Wait 3:38
04 Black Heat - Question & Conclusions 4:11
05 Ace Spectrum - I Just Want to Spend the Night With You 3:20
06 Eddie Harris - I Need Some Money 2:54
07 Ben E. King - Supernatural Thing, Part 1 3:11
08 Jimmy Castor Bunch - The Bertha Butt Boogie 3:06
09 Gene Page - Satin Soul 2:58
10 Blue Magic - Sideshow 4:05
11 Average White Band - Pick Up the Pieces 2:52
12 Aretha Franklin - Without Love 3:40
13 Spinners - Mighty Love, Part 1 2:55
14 Consumer Rapport - Ease on Down the Road 3:01
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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.
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That Wicked Wilson Pickett is my jam. My uncle had a cassette "The Best Of" I listened to it and was amazed. It was like nothing I'd heard up to that moment. He gave it to me and I wore it out, bought two more. One for him and the other for me.
ReplyDeleteBen E King, Sam & Dave, Arthur Conley, Otis Redding... all good s*it.
HI BLB.
DeleteThose hand-me-down cassettes always carry a kind of magic. I passed along several boxes of cassette tapes to my granddaughter, a bit of musical education, you could say, and she often tells me how the discoveries inside spark real excitement.
Wilson Pickett had that raw, electrifying energy that hits you right in the chest. And you’re spot on with that lineup, Ben E. King, Sam & Dave, Arthur Conley, Otis Redding… pure soul royalty. That’s the kind of music that sticks with you for life. Thanks for sharing the memory.
Cheers.