James Carr - The Best Of

James Carr - The Best Of

ACE Records

A 14-track vinyl album by the man regarded by many as the greatest-ever soul singer.

James Carr was born in 1942 in Mississippi where he sang as a young man with a variety of gospel groups and later with the Jubilee Hummingbirds. Through a friend, he was introduced to the independent Goldwax Records in Memphis, run by songwriter/producer Quinton Claunch. There he recorded his key work between 1964 and 1970, including ‘You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up’, ‘Pouring Water On A Drowning Man’ and his best-known song ‘The Dark End Of The Street’. Plagued by bi-polar disorder, James recorded only sporadically over the next two decades, until reuniting with Claunch for two albums in the early 90s. His death in 2001 robbed us of one of the very best soul voices.

James was truly one of soul music’s finest singers, up there with Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin and Jackie Wilson in the pantheon of the greatest soul music makers. It’s a shame he didn’t make more records but those he released on Goldwax between 1965 and 1971 have few equals.

Tracklisting:

A1. The Dark End of the Street
A2. Love Attack
A3. Freedom Train
A4. Pouring Water on a Drowning Man
A5. A Lucky Loser
A6. You Hurt So Good
A7. Let's Face Facts

B1. You've Got My Mind Messed Up
A2. A Man Needs A Woman
A3. To love Somebody
A4. I'm A Fool For You
A5. Your Love Made A U-Turn
A6. I Don't Want To Be Hurt Anymore
A7. Let It Happen