The Best Of The Staple Singers

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The Best Of The Staple Singers album cover
Album Information
EDITOR'S PICK

Total Tracks: 16   Total Length: 60:36

eMusic Review 0

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Alex Abramovich

eMusic Contributor

10.14.09
An essential best-of from the first family of Gospel
2006 | Label: Fantasy Records

Gospel patriarch Pops Staples learned guitar at Charlie Patton’s feet, and started recording in the early '50s, but it took 20 years — and a heavy dose of the Stax Studio sound — for the Staple Singers to finally conquer the pop and R&B charts. With daughter Mavis Staples coming into her full-throated own, and funky, feel-good tracks like "Respect Yourself," "I’ll Take You There" and "You’ve Got to Earn It," how could they have missed? This best-of is essential listening for soul, folk and gospel fans alike.

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If you're not dancing, you're dead!

kayrob

Man, this music makes you move! *I'll Take You There* still rocks the house. As a matter of fact, I recently saw Mavis at the Long Beack Blues Festival and her version of ITYH brought down the house. Everyone was on their feet dancing, moving, shaking! Get this download...you won't regret it.

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Just Get It!

Peacenik

You don't have to be a believer to be inexplicably drawn out of your chair to groove like a heathen stricken with the St. Vitus Dance. (I know this makes no sense, but this music's power defies reason and speaks to your soul.)

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Pure Joy

MGW

If I need lifting up while gettin down there's nothing like the Staple Singers. "Respect Yourself", "I'll Take You There" and "If You're Ready" are some of my all-time favorite songs.

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Sitting...

urthona73

One of my favorites; their version of Sitting on the Dock of the Bay is awesome!

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staple singers

canadachilly

Sure enjoyed memories of warm breezy days listening to the transistor radio. Great Staple classics!

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Staple Singers

avcusa

I was just about to loose faith with this whole site and ran across this great LP. Emusic owes another month to the GREAT Staple singers.

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Does it get any better than this?

coopco95843

Downloaded Heavy Makes You Happy, Respect Yourself, and I'll Take You There. It doesn't get any better than this, does it?

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reviewer: respect yourself

timpysan

give it stars, or give it stars plus comment... what's your beef? reviews are a guide, take them for what they are. frankly, if you cant see this collection for what it is--good shit, never mind genre, taste nor anything else--reviews won't help you. hell, I'm a British-born, whiteboy Canadian--so if I get it anyone can.

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Respectable

jamesjszabo

This album currently has 34 ratings averaging four and a half stars with no reviews. I downloaded Respect Yourself and it sounds good to me. I listened to samples of this track on this album and on Stax Gold and ultimately picked this one because it had a longer running time. I only hold back from 5 stars as I consider this to be a good song but not a great song.

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They Say All Music Guide

The best and most famous cuts from their glory years at Stax. Includes their massive hits “Respect Yourself” and “I’ll Take You There”; less famous but similar gospel-funk fusions like “Touch a Hand (Make a Friend)” and “Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom Boom)”; and less expected items like a cover of “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” It does not, however, have their 1975 number one single “Let’s Do It Again,” which they recorded just after cutting their ties to Stax. – Richie Unterberger