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Track Listings
| 1. COUNTRY GIRL aka HOME AT LAST (Take 8) |
| 2. SUFFERING WITH THE BLUES (TAKE 4) |
| 3. I HAD A DREAM AKA JUST A DREAM (Take 7) |
| 4. NEVER LET ME GO (Take 4) |
| 5. IF I LOVED YOU (Take 2) |
| 6. (I NEED) SOMEONE (Take 12) |
| 7. WELCOME TO THE CLUB (Take 8) |
| 8. EARLY IN THE MORNING (Take 8) |
| 9. IN THE DARK (Take 1) |
| 10. CRYING OVER YOU (Take 2) |
| 11. YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE (Take 3) |
| 12. COUNTRY GIRL AKA HOME AT LAST (Alt Take) |
| 13. SUFFERING WITH THE BLUES (Alt Take) |
| 14. I HAD A DREAM aka JUST A DREAM (Alt Take) |
| 15. ENDLESS SLEEP |
| 16. NEVER LET ME GO (Alt Take) |
| 17. WELCOME TO THE CLUB (Alt Take) |
| 18. EARLY IN THE MORNING (Alt Take) |
| 19. IN THE DARK (Alt Take) |
| 20. CRYING OVER YOU (Alt Take) |
Product Description
Album Description
* One of the great lost albums of the 60s finally gets a worldwide CD premiere! Some of the classiest and best mid 60s soul-blues ever committed to tape has remained unheard - until now.
* Recorded for Capitol in early 1966 while Little Willie John was awaiting final sentencing for manslaughter, the album was mired in a raft of contractual arguments and was put `on ice' once it became clear that Willie was going to have to serve a prison term and wouldn't be able to promote it.
* This CD contains everything that Willie cut for Capitol and is enhanced by a selection of stereo mixes and alternate versions from the sessions.
* Arranged and produced by two music legends, HB Barnum and David Axelrod, it features the cream of the mid-60s L.A. session musician scene and is topped off by one of the greatest soul voices. This is a listening experience that no true soul fan will want to miss. And if you don't believe us, ask Richard Hawley - who was enthusing about it during its mastering process... as he mastered his own new album in the studio next door!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Powerful,
By
This review is from: Nineteen Sixty Six (Audio CD)
This is amazing. Sounds fresh and crisp despite 40 years on the shelf. Earl Palmer on drums and Carole Kaye on bass give it a slight Phil Spectoresque flavor, without the muddy production. This is worth all five stars!
n.m.
5.0 out of 5 stars
His epitaph?,
By
This review is from: Nineteen Sixty Six (Audio CD)
This is an intriguing album and one which might have provided a late fillip to Willie John's career if it had been released at the time. It was recorded in 1966 while the courts were considering an appeal to John's conviction for manslaughter after a knifing incident. At the time his career had effectively finished. The series of hits in both the US R&B and National charts, which started in 1955 were virtually over by 1962 though his label, Federal, did keep trying up to `63. I should add that the appeal was turned down. John returned to prison where he died from pneumonia or a heart attack, depending on who you believe, in 1968.When the tracks for the album were laid down, John evidently still commanded considerable respect in the recording world since he was assigned David Axelrod as producer plus the absolute cream of the LA session world as instrumental support. Much of the album is in the heavily orchestrated style with some jazzy touches that we also hear in the later Duke recordings of Bobby Bland or in some of the later Ray Charles (when he stuck more to a blues agenda that is). John is so well on form vocally that many of these tracks could be seen as the epitome of his syle of soul - impassioned blues with loads of orchestral colouration. Because there were relatively few tracks recorded Ace have added a goodly number of alternate takes plus at least one number, "Endless Sleep" which one understands was not intended for release. In some respects that number is one of the most interesting present. Originally a slow, doom filled track from white rocker, Jody Reynolds with almost a David Lynch sound on guitar, and with Reynolds fated to be virtually the epitome of the one hit wonder. The Willie John version ups the tempo with a near latin feel not unlike his famous "Fever" and the performance of the song is almost unrecognisable compared with the original. Another one I have to mention is again, an unlikely presence here, and that is "You are my Sunshine". What is it about this song that both attracts covers and inspires great versions? I know I've said it before but I've rarely heard a bad one. Up-tempo as one might expect with the band obviously enjoying the chance to add some funk to the proceedings. Apart from this one plus a couple of others like "Country girl" and "Early in the Morning" the mood is generally slow and contemplative but with the occasional melodramatic touches like those on "In the Dark". A great recording though one, perhaps, with no absolute standout track. One certainly wonders what might have happened if it had been released at the time of recording.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a bittersweet reminder of what might have been,
By
This review is from: Nineteen Sixty Six (Audio CD)
It's not often that whole albums that have sat in the vault for nearly 45 years turn out to be as good as this. It's to the great credit of Capitol that they thought it worth spending money on recording a singer who hadn't had a hit for 5 years, was still subject to possible (eventually actual) contractual interference from another label and was only out of jail while his case was under appeal. While the actual amount of studio time used was small - 3 half-day sessions across 2 days - someone had clearly worked hard on the arrangements and the musicians and LWJ himself sounds well-rehearsed and motivated.
From a musical point of view, everything goes right here - LWJ is in as good voice as at any point in his career, the arranger/producers (David Axelrod & H.B. Barnum) and musicians (members of L.A.'s most elite sessioneers, a.k.a. the Wrecking Crew) are stellar and on form, the material is good and the recordings themselves are superb. It's a great pity that nothing else went right - a moment of drunken ill-temper in 1964, a previous label that didn't want to record him, but didn't want anyone else to either and finally his death in jail a couple of years later made sure this superb material didn't get issued in the 60s. To aficionados, Little Willie John is known as one of the singers who first defined soul music, before the term existed. Unfortunately his recording career ground to a halt in the early 60s and was prevented from revival by the above factors. On the evidence of this CD, he had the talent to have been one of the greatest soul stars of the late 60s and 70s, given the right material and backing, which he certainly has here. The value of this CD, apart from its sheer quality, is in revealing what LWJ sounded like as a sophisticated but bluesy mid-60s soul singer, as opposed to a 50s/early 60s rhythm & blues/proto-soul singer. It's a huge shame that this really is his last recording, and a monumental might've-been.
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