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Avg: 4.0 (24 ratings)
- Date Released: August 14, 2001
- Genre: Hip-Hop/R&B
- Label: Norton Records / The Orchard
A fiery personality and supple voice compiled
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We Say...
Former pimp, heroin addict and elephant jockey James T. Shaw, aka the Mighty Hannibal, had a fiery personality and a supple voice; they didn't generate much commercial success for him, but they did earn this fascinating individual a sizable reputation. Hannibal’s backing varied: from surging R&B to heartfelt soul, novelty tunes, gritty funk, heartache blues and emphatic message cuts. This 28-tune compilation (including three previously unreleased numbers) simultaneously reveals his strengths and suggests that idiomatic diversity may have hampered his career. You can hear nods to James Brown ("Baby Please Change Your Mind") and Ray Charles ("All Nite Long"), but he's at his best on searing confessional pieces "I Need a Woman ('Cause I'm a Man)" and "Trying to Make it Through." Hannibal released the visionary (1966) anti-war tune "Hymn No. 5," and, four years later, the harrowing sequel "I'm Coming Home," but perhaps his most memorable tune was the 1972 anti-drug anthem "The Truth Shall Make You Free," a stark, powerful piece about rejection, betrayal and survival. He didn't do much crossing over, but the Mighty Hannibal still made fine music.
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They Say...
The first-ever CD compilation of singles from the uncompromising Mighty Hannibal features his groundbreaking antiwar hit, "Hymn No. 5," as well as minor hits like "Jerkin' the Dog" and "I Need a Woman (Cause I'm a Man)." More revealing, perhaps, is the inclusion of several early-'70s tracks that inexplicably could not find a label to release them at the time. However, the sweet and tender declaration of love "We're Gonna Make It" and the good-time party tune "Meet Me at Mary's Place" do not prepare one for the saga of "I'm Coming Home." It is now five years after "Hymn No. 5," and the soldier's younger brother is shipping out, leaving a much more chaotic America behind: Drugs and riots are destroying his home city. He has hope, though, that he will return to a better country than he left. The song is as resonant and remarkable as the similarly themed material Marvin Gaye would release the following year. The fact that this song never saw commercial release is more than a little bit telling of the indifferent music industry Hannibal was forced to contend with. Perhaps if he had the support of a label with the prestige and promotional muscle of Motown, the story would be different. Hannibal's music is classic indie soul at its best.
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28 Total Tracks, 74:51 Total Length
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Credits
- The Mighty Hannibal - Main Performer // The Mighty Hannibal - Liner Notes // Elizabeth VanItallie - Cover Art // Howard Rappaport - Mastering
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