Album: #23 The Exciting Wilson Pickett (1966)
Wilson Pickett
Genre: Soul
Dedicated to MB Member: SATCHMO
1. "Land of 1000 Dances"
2. "Something You Got"
3. "634-5789 (Soulsville USA)”
4. "Barefootin'"
5. "Mercy Mercy"
6. "You're So Fine"
7. "In the Midnight Hour"
8. "Ninety-nine and a Half
9. "Danger Zone"
10. "I'm Drifting"
11. "It's All Over"
12. "She's So Good to Me"
Perhaps no album has ever been more fittingly titled then this 1960’s Rhythm & Blues\Soul classic. Wilson Pickett is pure adrenaline as a performer and in his early but slightly refined days never was it on better display. An album packed with hits that helped tear down the barrier between “black” and “white” music in civil rights era United States. A musical descendant of his greatest idol, Little Richard and a voice refined in the heart of the motor city, Pickett would eventually rise to stardom however with Memphis based Stacks records. This was his breakout performance and though he was not an album oriented artist, there is no denying this collection of songs.
F eaturing perhaps most notably his most synonymous title “Land of 1,000 Dances” which highlights a confident and powerful Pickett shouting his way through the entire horn driven cyclone of a song. Contrasting the more mellow and consistent but equally powerful “Midnight Hour” which is a fantastic groove, Picketts range is on display throughout the album and the early era of his career. Both of the aforementioned titles were chart toppers along with “Ninety-nine and a half won’t do” and “634-5789”. In addition “I’m Drifting” and “It’s all over” along with the cover of Bobby Womack’s “She’s so good to me” make for a pleasant closing group.
There is no hiding from the obvious connection between me and the music of Wilson Pickett. He is one of the artists I most distinctly remember hearing from a young age. In addition his influence is one of those most responsible for the careers of some of my absolute favorites like Van Morrison, who makes direct and indirect references to Pickett throughout his music. Including borrowing several lines of lyrics from “Midnight Hour” mixed within 1972’s “Listen to the Lion”. It’s a shame to think the music of this era has been heavily resigned to “Oldies” stations and Wedding B-Lists, but there are those who still stumble on it and almost inevitable come to love it. It’s infectious, joyous music and we’ll never have enough of that.
Funky Broadway and Land of 1,000 Dances: Hilarious (must see) moment that will make you appreciate what he was doing when he was doing it even more