As a follow up to my last blog, a second Stax compilation was issued this week and while the first one focused on Stax artists visiting the vast musical catalog of the rival Motown empire, this cleverly-created collection features cover versions of classic tunes written and performed originally by The Beatles. In the interests of full disclosure, let me say I’m a Brit who grew up listening to the Fab Four at the height of their initial fame. The Beatles not only influenced my hairstyle (when I literally swept my hair to the front in a bold gesture and to the horror of my British mum went to school the next day with my new ‘Beatle’ cut, gaining instant popularity among my schoolmates!) but their cultural impact on the nation (and indeed the world) was immeasurable. Thus, I have always considered any recordings of their songs – with some notable exceptions (such as Aretha’s “Let It Be”) – somewhat sacrilegious!

That said, it is true that the new Stax compilation offers some varied and interesting interpretations of the compositions of Lennon, McCartney and in a couple of instances, George Harrison. The first cut also happens to be the first Stax recording I can recall of a Beatles’ tune, (The Big ‘O’) Otis Redding’s furiously fast’n’funky rendition of “Day Tripper,” specifically a fourth previously unreleased take on the song which was issued on his 1966 LP, “Dictionary Of Soul.” Isaac Hayes’ typically lush version of George Harrison’s “Something,” the eleven-minute-plus closing track on his 1970 set “The Isaac Hayes Movement” is performed with appropriate soulfulness; while songwriting partner David Porter puts his stamp on “Help.” There are two versions of “With A Little Help From My Friends” on “Stax Does The Beatles, as different as they could be, offered by Stax super guitarist Steve Cropper and the ever-adventurous Bar-Kays on a seven-minute-plus opus being made available for the first time. Likewise, The Bar-Kays (represented with a total of three cuts on this fifteen-song set) do their ‘thing’ with “Yesterday,” as does Carla Thomas in a live, previously unreleased rendition from her 1966 shows in Europe as part of The Stax/Volt Revue.

That Booker T. Jones had a great deal of admiration for The Beatles is evident: in 1970, Stax issued an entire album by Jones & The MGs entitled “McLemore Avenue,” versions of all the songs on the Beatles’ famous “Abbey Road” LP. The cover art showed all four members of the group walking across McLemore Avenue (where the Stax studios were located in Memphis) in the same way the British group’s album cover showed them crossing Abbey Road where they recorded their most memorable material. Four songs are included by Booker & co. on the new collection, “Got To Get You Into My Life” (previously unissued), “Eleanor Rigby,” “Michelle” and “Lady Madonna.”

The CD is a reminder of just how much impact the Beatles had on the worldwide music scene – and yes, there’s even a version of the afore-mentioned “Let It Be” by The Mar-Keys included! Not sure how much Beatles’ purists will dig it but Stax peeps will no doubt enjoy hearing these songs reworked with that special Memphis touch.

David Nathan
a/k/a “The British Ambassador Of Soul”
Owner, www.soulmusic.com, www.soulmusicstore.com, www.soulmusicglobal.com
Secretary, The Rhythm & Blues Foundation (www.rhythm-n-blues.org)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 26th, 2008 at 6:56 pm and is filed under News, Music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.