The Soul Stirrers - Singles Collection 1950-61 (CD)

The Soul Stirrers were one of the most important and influential of the gospel quartets, their career spanning many decades, and their style helping to shape secular doowop and soul music in the post-war decades. This collection focuses on a key decade or more in their career, during which the great soul singer Sam Cooke was a member of the group, not only learning his own trade as a vocalist, but also making a highly distinctive contribution to the group's sound. He was succeeded in the group after he went solo in 1957, by another future major soul start Johnnie Taylor, who contributes to the later titles on the collection. This great value 54-track 2-CD set includes the A and B sides of all the Specialty singles released during the period plus the A and B sides of their releases on Sam Cooke's own SAR label through 1960 and into 1961 accommodating as many as we could within the 2-CD format. It charts a progression from pure gospel through to a style which has much in common with '60s soul, reflecting the impact which the two great vocalists had on their creative approach, and it's a hugely entertaining collection, complete with a substantial booklet with full discographical and chart information.

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. By and By Pt. 1
2. By and By Pt. 2
3. I'm Still Living on Mother's Prayer
4. Feel Like My Time Ain't Long
5. In That Awful Hour
6. I Have a Right to the Tree of Life
7. How Long
8. The Lord Is My Shepherd
9. I'm Gonna Move in the Room with the Lord
10. Faith and Grace
11. Peace in the Valley
12. Jesus Gave Me Water
13. Come, Let's Go Back to God
14. Joy, Joy to My Soul
15. I'm Gonna Build on That Shore
16. Until Jesus Calls Me Home
17. How Far Am I from Canaan
18. It Won't Be Very Long
19. Let Me Go Home
20. Just Another Day
21. Jesus Paid the Debt
22. Blessed Be the Name of the Lord
23. End of My Journey
24. He'll Welcome Me (To My Home)
25. He's My Friend Until the End
26. Come and Go to That Land
27. Jesus, I'll Never Forget

Disc: 2

1. Any Day Now
2. Nearer to Thee
3. Be with Me Jesus
4. I'm So Glad (Trouble Don't Last Always)
5. One More River
6. Wonderful
7. Farther Along
8. Jesus, Wash Away My Troubles
9. Touch the Hem of His Garment
10. In a Few More Days
11. Pilgrim of Sorrow
12. Sinner Run to Jesus
13. Were You There'
14. The Love of God
15. Out on a Hill
16. Loved Ones Are Waiting
17. Until Then
18. When the Gates Swing Open
19. The Lord Laid His Hands on Me
20. Stand By Me Father
21. He's Been a Shelter for Me
22. Wade in the Water
23. He Cares
24. Jesus Be a Fence Around Me
25. I'm a Pilgrim
26. Listen to the Angels
27. Toiling on