“IMWAN for all seasons.”



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 3 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: [2008-07-28] Hank Ballard "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down" expanded remaster of 1969 album (Soul Brother UK)
PostPosted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 12:18 pm 
User avatar
1966 and all that

Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11834
Location: San Diego Zoo
Image

Product Description
Hank Ballard was working on the Ford Motor assembly line in Detroit before being spotted by Johnny Otis at a talent contest. He achieved great success in the mid 1950’s firstly with the Royals and then with the Midnighters with whom he topped the R&B charts with songs like ‘Work With Me Annie’ (the biggest selling R&B track in 1954 selling over a million copies)and ‘Annie Had A Baby’. He wrote and originally recorded ‘The Twist’ in 1959, but it was Chubby Checker who had the big hit with it a year later. By the late 60’s the Midnighters run out hits had finished and Hank joined his long time friend and label mate James Brown.

James produced Hank’s ‘You Cant Keep A Good Man’ album for King in 1968, and the funkier tracks have Brown’s sound stamped all over them. ‘How You Gonna Get Respect’ featuring instrumentation from the Dapps has a very similar backing track to ‘Lickin Stick’. ‘Unwind Yourself’ was also recorded by Marva Whitney and ‘Funky Soul Train by Bobby Byrd, ‘Come On Wit’ It’ and ‘With Your Sweet Lovin' Self’ are classic late 60’s Brown grooves.

Hank was a great balladeer and the slower tracks on this album bare testimony to that. His gospel tinged bluesy voice can be heard to its best effect on these sides.

Of the bonus tracks ‘Blackenized’ has a great jazzy groove and the black consciousness lyrics that James was writing at the time, after his big hit ‘Say it Loud’, and ‘Butter Your Popcorn’ is another great JB funky track. After King folded Hank recorded a couple of sides for James’ People label, funky re-incarnations of his 50’s/60’s hits ‘Annie Had A Baby’ and ‘Finger Poppin' Time’ and then his classic ‘From The Love Side’ for Polydor in 1972, which was based on the rhythm track of Marva Whitney’s earlier ‘I Made A Mistake’.

Hank appeared on James Brown’s ‘Get On The Good Foot’ album, and later recorded disco tracks for Sylvia Robinson’s Stang label and also for Le Joint. He was inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame in 1990 and he died in 2003.

Laurence Prangell
June 2008.


1. How You Gonna Get Respect (Part 1)
2. Teardrops On Your Letter
3. You're So Sexy
4. Funky Soul Train
5. Slip Away
6. Which Way Should I Turn
7. With Your Sweet Lovin' Self
8. Are You Lonely For Me Baby
9. Thrill On The Hill
10. Woman Is A Man's Best Friend
11. Unwind Yourself
12. Come In Wit' It

Bonus Tracks
13. Butter Your Popcorn
14. Blackenized
15. How You Gonna Get Respect (Part 1) (7" version)
16. Annie Had A Baby
17. Finger Poppin' Time
18. From The Love Side

Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BBYVGQ/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001BBYVGQ/?tag=imwan-21

_________________
"Don't you think the Beach Boys are boss?" - schoolgirl in the film "American Graffiti"


Top
  Profile  
 

IMWAN Admin
 Post subject: [2008-07-28] Hank Ballard "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down" expanded remaster of 1969 album (Soul Brother UK)
PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:09 pm 
User avatar
Helpful Librarian

Joined: Day WAN
Posts: 197040
Location: IMWAN Towers
Bannings: If you're not nice
Bump: added finalised tracklisting to the first post.

_________________
Image


Top
  Profile  
 
 Post subject: [2008-07-28] Hank Ballard "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down" expanded remaster of 1969 album (Soul Brother UK)
PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 7:54 pm 
User avatar
1966 and all that

Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11834
Location: San Diego Zoo
Bear Family have now released a Hank Ballard Complete King Recordings box set, I think.

_________________
"Don't you think the Beach Boys are boss?" - schoolgirl in the film "American Graffiti"


Top
  Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 3 posts ]   



Who is WANline

Users browsing this forum: Apple [Bot] and 9 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  


Powdered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited

IMWAN is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide
a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk.