100 ESSENTIAL MUSCLE SHOALS SONGS #30> 11   Concludes Sunday.

A Caffè ☕️Lattè Spotlight on:

 

THE 100 ESSENTIAL

MUSCLE SHOALS

SONGS

In the 1960s, a new approach to rhythm and blues and popular music was created by the fusion of the surrounds and the chemistry of talented session men. This deeper, grittier attitude to Southern Soul emerged from Alabama- to be precise- Muscle Shoals; a place renowned for its undeniable impact on some of music’s most legendary performers. Despite the civil rights struggles elsewhere in the U.S.A., colour was not an issue at Muscle Shoals. This freedom helped spawn some of the best moments in soul and pop music.

For the purposes of this list, the tracks had to have been recorded down in Alabama. In other words, here are 100 of the best tracks cut at Muscle Shoals:

 

Listen to the 100 songs on the Spotify Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ViuwDPv5gpj4HvBkdAShC?si=c062b2791ab049ed&pt=76663dc18ea2b3a9edaf5a035dabc09c

 

 

30 BROWN SUGAR The Rolling Stones

29 IF YOU’RE READY (COME GO WITH ME) The Staple Singers

28 THE SAME ROPE Etta James

27 GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY Bob Dylan

26 I’M YOUR PUPPET James & Bobby Purify

25 (IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG) I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT

           Luther ingram

24 OLD TIME ROCK AND ROLL Bob Seger

23 SEE SAW Aretha Franklin

22 KODACHROME Paul Simon

21 TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT (GONNA BE ALRIGHT) Rod Stewart

 

The FAME Recording Studio became the epicentre of the Muscle Shoals sound. Rick Hall moved operations to 603 Avalon Avenue in that town of Alabama. Beginning in 1961, within its walls, he and the exceptional session musicians that gravitated there, changed music forever. Over subsequent decades, many recording acts from a myriad of genres and origins came to Muscle Shoals, hoping to soak up some of its unique sound.

first, it was the talent that was the in-house band at Fame Studios. They shaped the Muscle Shoals sound. Among them were: keyboard player Spooner Oldham, guitarist Jimmy Johnson, drummer Roger Hawkins, bassist David Hood and keyboardist Barry Beckett.

aretha franklin put Muscle Shoals on the map. She was crowned the Queen of Soul after cutting the classic “Respect”. Columbia had never put her vocals to effective use. She switched to Atlantic Records and magic was the result of her meeting with Alabama’s proficient session musicians.

many other musicians made the pilgrimage to Muscle Shoals, hoping to inject its unique sound into their own compositions. The acts as varied as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Cher, Lulu, Paul Simon and Rod Stewart spanned the R&B, rock and pop genres.

 

20 I’LL TAKE YOU THERE The Staple Singers

19 SLIP AWAY Clarence Carter

18 LOVES ME LIKE A ROCK Paul Simon

17 MISTY BLUE Dorothy Moore

16 SAILING Rod Stewart

15 I’D RATHER GO BLIND Etta James

14 MY LITTLE TOWN Simon & Garfunkel

13 (SWEET SWEET BABY) SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE

             Aretha Franklin

12 WILD HORSES The Rolling Stones

11 THINK Aretha Franklin