RFI: Sam and Dave

I still have vivid memories of scalping a ticket to a Lee Atwater(Karl Rove's evil late predecessor who loved soul and blues but not African-Americans) organized inaugural party for the 1st George Bush and seeing Sam Moore do a stunning solo version of "When Something is Wrong With My Baby." As he was stretching out syllables, some square Republican behind me said, "Why is he singing like that," and another said, "Let's leave right before the most popular act so we can beat the traffic." I reviewed the show for Dave Marsh's Rock n Roll Confidential newsletter.

Best tracks not on the original / most common (and still probably best) single disc "Best Of": I Got Everything I Need; I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down; May I Baby; Just Keep Holding On; I've Seen What Loneliness Can Do; Broke Down Piece Of Man; You Left The Water Running; I'm Not An Indian Giver; One Part Love, Two Parts Pain; Baby Baby Don't Stop Now; Don't Pull Your Love; Jody Rider Got Killed; Stop; Shop Around.

They fell out apparently due to all sorts of recriminations and counter-recriminations regarding drug abuse etc. and I believe I'm right in saying that at one time or another Sam (Moore) has toured with a different Dave and Dave (Prater) has toured with a different Sam.

Obviously the blueprint for the Blues Brothers, they tried to reform in 1980 to cash in on the success of the film, but the old tensions soon came back to the surface and they went their separate ways again.

Dave died a few years ago but Sam's still about afaik.

"Knock It Out of the Park" is a weird one done, I believe, for Jerry Wexler at Atlantic, but it's totally cool. I'm sure it's on some comp or another.

Lots of Stax albums have been reissued--I need to get more Little Milton stuff and I even think Gus Cannon's album is available now, so I guess I need to research this.

I'm sure I mentioned this one before, being the soul fanatic that I am, but if you can find Sam Moore's '70 "Plenty Good Lovin'," grab it. It's good.

I've heard only the Redding stuff remains in issue.

Sam is pissed about the Soul Men film, takes legal action. (It's a pretty bad film, but I don't think he has a case.)

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/soul-men-film-is-no-laughing-matter-for-sam--dave-star-981756.html

1st 2 albums reissued on Edsel!

http://theseconddisc.com/2012/03/19/sam-dave-edsel-u-k-label-reissues-stax-duos-early-albums/

Then there’s the two-disc Soul Men & I Thank You…Plus, a two-disc set featuring the duo’s last Stax and Atlantic LPs, four non-LP singles (including “I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down,” later a hit for Elvis Costello & The Attractions in 1980)

Yes, I must confess to only knowing that one song above from Elvis Costello's cover version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAjMecBk3DA

So turns out Soul Men is on spotify -- lots of great album cuts I've never heard.

BTW, does anyone know anything about a Sam & Dave stay-in-school PSA? I've been trying to find it for years, it was on some boxed set a friend had.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK42PMBcESo

I love this version so much. Sam Moore sounds so great still, and Bruce taking on the late Dave's parts is inspired.

but let's face it, I just love this fucking song.

Hahaha Bruce does the "I was educated at Woodstock" line.

But I dunno, this and every other "Soul Man" cover mostly confirm for me that the drumming on the original is maybe 60% of what makes it so great. Max needs to dial it back, and lay back, and...just not be Max, basically.

Lol’ed in the first 2 seconds of that vid as little Steven flubs the iconic opening riff

Maybe not flubs it but makes it easier on himself, I guess

This is great, but wow I think there's a gallon of cocaine-infused sweat left on the stage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYk7NWjsuHI

seen that performance before, legendary

Nice rendition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go6wGFKBh9k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fowldx4hRtI

incredible

RIP Sam Moore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-jk7cxxTvo

Great singer (could do without his right wing politics though)

FWIW, I don't think he has a real political ideology, it's just that he ALWAYS supports whoever's in charge of the country (clearly to a fault), and it's a characteristic that I want to say was probably much more common several generations ago but has dramatically decreased over the past 25 years. tbf not the kind of philosophy I'd ever subscribe to - it's basically blind allegiance - but it could be worse.

Sam and Dave were so great, all that energy and vocal force. A lot of that was great songs and of course Booker T. et al holding it down, but their voices meshed so well and both had so much presence. They sounded like a party.

I got a cheap copy of Plenty Good Lovin'--the obscure 2002 release of Sam's unfinished 1970-1 solo album in the mail today. A truly star-crossed affair, abandoned by Atlantic after the murder of primary producer King Curtis and the failure of the three advance singles (5 of those sides make up half of this release), the master tapes managed to survive forgotten in the vaults until producers from Rhino uncovered them (full story in the booklet) and licensed the set to the very short-lived 2K Sounds label, who fortunately overpressed it so badly that copies are still easily available & absolutely dirt-cheap online.

It's very much worth checking out if you're a fan. The Sam & Dave mojo is still very present, although Dave's voice and dynamic is missed at times. Sam was in terrific voice. The singles are highlighted by hawt versions of "Stop" and a funky reworking of "Shop Around." The unreleased sides--which include covers of "Get Out Of My Life, Woman" and "Heighty Hi" by Lee Michaels--occasionally show signs of incompleteness, empty spaces in the mix clearly reserved for horn and backing vocal overdubs that never came.