STAX SOUL
VA - Stax Singles Volume 4 Rarities & The Best Of The Rest [2018] (6 x CDs)
This six‑disc set closes the Stax Singles series by gathering the loose ends, overlooked sides, and label‑branch material that never fit neatly into the earlier volumes. Issued by Craft Recordings in 2018, it draws from Stax, Volt, Enterprise, Hip, Ardent, and the smaller imprints that orbited the Memphis operation during its most active years. The result is a portrait of the label’s outer edges, where experiment, regional ambition, and commercial uncertainty often produced singles that slipped past wider attention.
The early discs move through soul, funk, and blues‑leaning tracks that show how broad the Stax catalogue became once the label expanded beyond its core roster. Little-known artists sit beside familiar names working outside their usual settings. The sequencing highlights the variety: tight rhythm‑section workouts, gospel‑shaded vocals, instrumental B‑sides, and songs shaped by producers testing new approaches in the studio. These are not the polished hits but the working material of a label in constant motion.
Several standouts emerge across the set. The raw drive of early funk sides, the deep‑soul ballads from lesser‑known singers, and the occasional rock‑leaning tracks from the Hip and Ardent imprints show how far Stax was willing to stretch. Instrumentals from the house musicians add another layer, capturing the sound of the studio when the tape was rolling between major sessions. The Enterprise material brings a different tone, often smoother and more arranged, while still carrying the Memphis feel. (B)
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Track lists
CD1
01 Carla Thomas - Deep Down Inside 2:22
02 Rufus Thomas, Jr. - Yeah, Yea-Ah 2:14
03 Prince Conley - All The Way 2:41
04 Canes - I'll Never Give Her Up 2:29
05 Astors - Just Enough to Hurt Me 2:29
06 Eddie Kirkland - I Found A Brand New Love 2:55
07 Rufus Thomas, Jr. - Fine and Mellow 2:57
08 Booker T. & The MG's - Fannie Mae 2:07
09 Floyd Newman - Sassy 2:10
10 Rufus Thomas, Jr. - I Want to Get Married 2:17
11 Bobby Marchan - That's The Way it Goes 2:27
12 Cobras - Shake Up 2:11
13 Barbara & The Browns - You Belong to Her 2:42
14 Dorothy Williams - Watchdog 2:32
15 Baracudas - Free for All 2:13
16 Barbara & The Browns - I Don't Want Trouble 2:03
17 Gorgeous George - Sweet Thing 2:44
18 Astors - I Found Out 2:41
19 Rufus Thomas, Jr. - We're Tight 2:12
20 Rufus Thomas, Jr. - Chicken Scratch 2:22
21 Ruby Johnson - Weak Spot 2:37
22 Rufus Thomas, Jr. - Talkin' Bout True Love 2:38
23 Mable John - If You Give Up What You Got (See What You Lost) 2:27
24 Sam & Dave - A Small Portion of Your Love 2:34
25 Ruby Johnson - Keep on Keeping On 2:22
26 Rufus Thomas, Jr. - Greasy Spoon 2:36
27 Mable John - Left Over Love 2:32
28 Ollie - Girl, You Have My Heart Singing 2:03
29 Mable John - Don't Get Caught 2:34
CD2
01 Shirley Walton - I’m So Glad You’re Back 2:38
02 Delaney & Bonnie - We’ve Just Been Feeling Bad 2:30
03 Linda Lyndell - I Don't Know 2:27
04 Judy Clay - Love-Eye-Tis 2:38
05 Judy Clay - Remove These Clouds 3:10
06 Staple Singers - Stay With Us 2:36
07 Rufus Thomas, Jr. - So Hard to Get Along With 3:00
08 Jeanne & The Darlings - I Like What You’re Doing to Me 2:40
09 Booker T. & The MG's - Over Easy 4:02
10 Mable John - Shouldn't I Love Him 2:29
11 Judy Clay - Left Over Love 2:59
12 Jimmy Hughes - Sweet Things You Do 2:17
13 Art Jerry Miller - Grab A Handful 2:08
14 Eddie Floyd - Consider Me 3:24
15 Booker T. & The MG's - Soul Clap '69 2:39
16 Jeanne & The Darlings - Standing in The Need of Your Love 2:42
17 Bar-Kays - I Thank You 3:28
18 Soul Children - Make it Good 3:07
19 Ollie - I'll Be Your Everything 2:57
20 William Bell - Let Me Ride 2:51
21 Booker T. & The MG's - Sunday Sermon 4:08
22 Carla Thomas - Hi De Ho (That Old Sweet Roll) 2:34
23 Shack - A Love Affair That Bears No Pain 4:05
24 Nightingales - Just A Little Overcome 3:48
25 Newcomers - Mannish Boy 3:03
CD3
01 Ilana - Let Love Fill Your Heart 3:04
02 Soul Children - Ridin' on Love's Merry-Go-Round 2:42
03 Hot Sauce - I Can't Win for Losing 3:02
04 Lee Sain - Ain't Nobody Like Me Baby 3:41
05 Hot Sauce - Echoes From The Past 2:41
06 Mad Lads - Did My Baby Call 2:53
07 Isaac Hayes - Baby I'm-A Want You 4:40
08 Jean Knight - Pick Up The Pieces 2:33
09 Johnnie Taylor - Stop Teasing Me 3:46
10 Isaac Hayes - Type Thang 3:50
11 John Gary Williams - In Love With You 3:27
12 Major Lance - Since I Lost My Baby's Love 3:18
13 Hot Sauce - Mama's Baby (Daddy's Maybe) 3:12
14 Soul Children - Poem on The School House Door 4:24
15 Rufus Thomas, Jr. - That Makes Christmas Day 4:39
16 Staple Singers - What's Your Thing 4:24
17 Shirley Brown - Yes Sir Brother 2:52
18 Hot Sauce - Funny 4:02
19 Frederick Knight - Let's Make A Deal 4:01
20 Green Brothers - Can't Give You Up (I Love You Too Much) 3:19
21 John Gary Williams - Just Ain't No Love (Without You Here) 3:32
CD4
01 Sid Selvidge - The Ballad of Otis B. Watson 3:22
02 Caboose - Black Hands White Cotton 3:36
03 Dallas County - Love’s Not Hard to Find 3:14
04 Casper Peters - April 4:00
05 Clark Sullivan - Reaching for A Rainbow 2:26
06 Billy Eckstine - I Wanna Be Your Baby 3:12
07 Chuck Boris - Why Did it Take So Long 2:45
08 Barbara Lewis - Why Did it Take You So Long 2:44
09 Finley Brown - Gypsy 2:39
10 O.B. McClinton - Slip Away 2:10
11 Billy Eckstine - When Something is Wrong With My Baby 5:23
12 Ben Atkins - Good Times Are Coming 3:21
13 River City Band - Some Other Man 2:12
14 O.B. McClinton - Don’t Let The Green Grass Fool You 2:34
15 Big Ben - Would I Be Better Gone 3:13
16 Don Nix - Black Cat Moan 3:07
17 Don Nix - She's A Friend of Mine 3:39
18 Larry Raspberry & The Highsteppers - Rock 'N Roll Warning 2:40
19 Chico Hamilton - Conquistadores '74 3:35
20 Cliff Cochran - The Way I’m Needing You 3:07
21 Connie Eaton - Let’s Get Together 3:04
22 Karen Casey - The Way I’m Needing You 3:29
CD5
01 Stop-Quit It - Poor Little Rich Kids 2:31
02 Lonnie Duvall - Cigarettes 2:45
03 Poor Little Rich Kids - It's Mighty Clear 2:18
04 Honey Jug - Warm City Baby 2:00
05 Goodees - For A Little While 2:17
06 Honey Jug - For Your Love 2:49
07 Kangaroo's - Groovy Day 2:51
08 Bobby Whitlock - And I Love You 2:07
09 Southwest F.O.B. - Smell of Incense 2:40
10 Goodees - Condition Red 2:55
11 Billy Lee Riley - Family Portrait 2:46
12 This Generation - The Children Have Your Tongue 2:48
13 Billy Lee Riley - Show Me Your Soul 2:51
14 Waters - Day in and Out 2:04
15 Village Sound - Hey Jack (Don't Hijack My Plane) 2:38
16 Cheques - Cool My Desire 2:36
17 Goodees - Goodies 2:31
18 Paris Pilot - Miss Rita Famous 2:46
19 Knowbody Else - Someone Something 3:14
20 Cargoe - Feel Alright 2:35
21 Big Star - In The Street 2:54
22 Cargoe - I Love You Anyway 3:05
23 Hot Dogs - Say What You Mean 4:17
24 Big Star - O, My Soul 2:50
25 Hot Dogs - I Walk The Line 3:20
26 Big Star - September Gurls 2:39
CD6
01 Dixie Nightingales - The Assassination 2:55
02 Dixie Nightingales - Hush Hush 2:50
03 Dixie Nightingales - I Don't Know 2:55
04 Stars of Virginia - Wade in The Water 3:06
05 Dixie Nightingales - Forgive These Fools 2:59
06 Jubilee Hummingbirds - Our Freedom Song (Free at Last) 3:16
07 Jubilee Hummingbirds - Press My Dying Pillow 3:10
08 Pattersonaires - God's Promise 2:16
09 Rev. Maceo Woods - Hello Sunshine 2:36
10 Roebuck 'Pop' Staples - Tryin' Time 5:15
11 Terry Lynn Community Choir - His Love Will Always Be 3:18
12 Reverend W. Bernard Avant Jr. - Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You (Don't Let The Devil Fool You) 3:28
13 Rance Allen Group - (There's Gonna Be A) Showdown 2:48
14 Rance Allen Group - That Will Be Good Enough for Me 4:33
15 Reverend Maceo Woods - The Magnificent Sanctuary Band (Marching for The Man) 3:40
16 Louise McCord - Better Get A Move On 3:47
17 Charles May - Satisfied 3:01
18 Rance Allen Group - I Got to Be Myself 2:50
19 People's Choir of Operation Push - He Included Me 3:42
20 Rance Allen Group - We're The Salt of The Earth 3:32
21 Louise McCord - Reflections 3:10
22 Rance Allen Group - Ain't No Need of Crying 3:46
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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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