Collection 1953-62 (CD) – The Staple Singers

The Staple Singers are one of the most celebrated and respected groups to have graced the gospel landscape in the post-war era, their music transcending the boundaries of the genres so that they became equally successful and admired across gospel, soul and R&B in a career that spanned six decades. The patriarch of the Staples family, Roebuck ‘Pops’ Staples, formed the group in Chicago with his children Cliotha, Pervis and Mavis, in 1948 when Mavis was just nine years old, and by 1952 they had signed their first recording deal with United. Over the next decade they recorded for various labels, most notably after United for Vee-Jay, Gospel and Riverside, their music already displaying a commercial bluesy edge which differentiated from much of the mainstream gospel of that era. This 3-CD anthology brings together just about all the records they released on both singles and albums during that formative part of their career when the younger members were maturing and they were honing the style which would bring them classic R&B and pop hits in subsequent decades. As well as the A and B sides of their singles, including one or two on lesser known labels, it includes all the tracks from their albums during that era – albums Uncloudy Day, Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Swing Low, Gospel Program and Hammer & Nails. It’s a marvellous introduction to the group at the start of their glittering career.

Track List

1. It Rained Children
2. If I Could Hear My Mother Pray
3. God’s Wonderful Love
4. Uncloudy Day
5. I Know I Got Religion
6. Let Me Ride
7. I’m Coming Home
8. Help Me Jesus
9. I Had a Dream
10. Since He Lightened My Heavy Load
11. Low Is the Way
12. On My Way to Heaven
13. I’m Leaning
14. Going Away
15. So Soon
16. Downward Road
17. Sit Down
18. Tell Heaven
19. Revive Us Again
20. It’s Gonna Rain
21. I Just Can’t Keep It to Myself
22. This May Be the Last Time
23. This Same Jesus
24. Will the Circle Be Unbroken
25. Don’t Drive Me Away
26. Pray on
27. Too Close
28. Come on Up in Glory
29. Somebody Saved Me
30. Let’s Go Home
31. Don’t Knock
32. I’ve Been Scorned
33. Swing Low Sweet Chariot
34. Sit Down Servant
35. I’m So Glad
36. Born in Bethlehem
37. Stand By Me
38. Two Wings
39. Calling Me
40. Day Is Passed and Gone
41. Good News
42. Hammer and Nails
43. Gloryland
44. Everybody Will Be Happy
45. Hear My Call Here
46. Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen
47. Great Day
48. I’m Willin’ – Part 1
49. I’m Willin’ – Part 2
50. Do You Know Him’
51. New-Born Soul
52. A Dying Man’s Plea
53. New Home
54. Gamblin’ Man
55. Use What You Got
56. The Virgin Had One Son
57. There Was a Star