Let's be frank--Wilson Pickett's voice could strip the chrome off a Buick. Gritty, raw, and capable of emphatic shrieks and woeful moans, Pickett's voice is, in some ways, the paragon of Southern soul style. More consistent and packed with hits than its predecessor, IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR, THE EXCITING WILSON PICKETT showcases the man's formidable vocal talents to the point of near perfection.
Two Chris Kenner songs--the blazing, dance-floor-filling "Land of 1000 Dances" (a certified soul classic) and the sprightly groove-laden "Something You Got"-- kick off the set. Pickett co-wrote much of the material here with Stax staff member Steve Cropper, among others. The timeless "In the Midnight Hour" (presented here in its single version) and the mid-tempo jam "Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won't Do)" are two such collaborative highlights. The great Don Covay-Ronald Miller tune "Mercy, Mercy" and Robert Parker's driving "Barefootin'" are included here, too, making THE EXCITING WILSON PICKETT the soul man's most solid and satisfying studio album.
Personnel: Wilson Pickett (vocals); Steve Cropper, Jimmy Johnson, Chips Moman (guitar); Charles "Packy" Axton, Charlie Chalmers (tenor saxophone); Floyd Newman (baritone saxophone); Gene "Bowlegs" Miller (trumpet); Joe Hall, Spooner Oldham, Isaac Hayes (piano); Donald "Duck" Dunn, Tommy Cogbill (bass); Al Jackson, Roger Hawkins (drums); John Peck.
The Memphis Horns: Andrew Love (tenor saxophone); Wayne Jackson (trumpet).
Recorded in Memphis, Tennessee and Muscle Shoals, Alabama in 1965 and 1966. Originally released on Atlantic (8129). Includes liner notes by A. Scott Galloway.
- Format: Vinyl
- Genre: Funk / Soul
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Track Listing:
A1 Land Of 1000 Dances 2:23
A2 Something You Got 2:50
A3 634-5789 2:52
A4 Barefootin' 2:16
A5 Mercy, Mercy, Mercy 2:25
A6 You're So Fine 2:30
B1 In The Midnight Hour 2:29
B2 Ninety-Nine And A Half (Won't Do) 2:35
B3 Danger Zone 2:06
B4 I'm Drifting 2:49
B5 It's All Over 2:17
B6 She's So Good To Me 2:15
