Staple Singers Collection 1953-62 CD

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.

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