Reviews (page 13 of 14)
Sam Cooke , great voice, so smooth, but the album seemed a bit repetitive
Adequate. But not great
Pretty good. Not my favorite but pretty good.
*Feel It (Don’t Fight It)
1 flaw. There's not enough. This Man has soul and grit. The quality of live recording is excellent for its age too. Brilliant listening.
Rating: 7/10 One of the best live albums ever, king of soul. What a voice!
I usually hate live albums but this was incredible! Only wish I could have been there myself. Recognized a few songs and found a few new songs I dig as well. My first 5 star!
A passionate and energetic performance, with the comfortable feel of a hometown show, sing alongs and all.
Lo puse de sonido de fondo.
Great energy!
Great energy on the recorded show
Iconic live album with a peep into the past
album maravilhoso, a voz dele é incrivel!! minhas favs: cupid nothing can change this love medley: it’s all right / for sentimental reasons twistin’ the night away
Nice live album. Very groovy. Amusing that it was viewed as "too gritty" for his then-public image and archived by RCA for twenty years.
Boppity bop bop. Never listened to Sam Cooke before.
It hasn't changed my life, but it was an enjoyable listen
Bop
It’s fine. Basically a greatest hits album. 3/5
God damn that man knew exactly how to swing and work a crowd
Excellent album with such a fun energy. He knows how to work the audience and they eat it all up. This makes me wish that newer groups would record live albums in the same fashion. They always want to make it perfect with a lot of polish and shine but it tends to lose out on the raw and visceral feeling of seeing it live.
Normally enjoy live albums but the audience/mixing took away from an otherwise electric performance. Appreciate this was recorded at an intimate venue but I found it difficult to listen to.
The live aspect of this album is great. Would have loved to have been there.
This is amazing! What a vibrant live recording... I don't think I've ever enjoyed a live album as much as this. Sounds amazing. I've also read up a bit on Sam Cooke and it's so sad how his life and career ended!! Loved this and loved the audience reactions, truly feels like you're there.
What a performer! Dude made me wanna love my wife better lol. Like a guide on how to love a woman. Guy gives it 100%
Maybe I'm biased since I heard so many of these songs growing up, but I really liked this one even though I don't usually like live albums. I did go through Sam Cooke's discography after and enjoyed most of it.
Not really what I would normally listen to, but as far as live albums go this is fantastic. Really warm sound, and a nice amount of crowd noise. Sam Cooke's voice is great and it sounds like he put on a brilliant show. It's quite funny that the label thought this was too "raw and gritty" for release in the 60s. Maybe it was the bit where he asks the crowd to wave around their handkerchiefs that pushed it over the line.
Such an incredibly soulful album with outrageously good vocals, especially considering that it's a live album. Man that must've been a hell of a concert to be a part of. 9/10.
Pretty good, Still not the biggest fan of live music.
I had never heard this, but it is fantastic! A great live album - electric energy, an amazing audience, and banging songs throughout. It also has a cool history, being recorded and then shelved for two decades. I now want to listen to more Sam Cooke (I know, I'm super remedial when it comes to early Soul!) to compare it. Great album, would absolutely listen to again and again.
I haven't really listened to Sam Cooke before, so don't know how this compares to the studio versions. As a live recording, this is pretty good. The way you can hear the crowd throughout, and you can tell they were just having a ball. You can imagine what it would have been like to be there. Sam has a strong, raspy kind of voice, well suited to this kind of music. The songs did get a bit "samey" for me, but all clipped along at a nice pace and kept the part-vibe going.
Recognized the song Cupid because Carly Rae Jepson sampled it in one of her songs which is a little embarrassing for me. Enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
energetic
4.25
This would have been a spectacular concert.
Sam was a hell of an entertainer
Classic soul by one of the genre's great artists. Nice, but sadly not my kind of music. 2.5/5
Jazzy, crunchy, showman, kæmpe swing, kæmpe live lyd
Twisting the Night Away is fantastic. Classic song. I love the live performance as well. Full of energy and soul. However, most song are very similar and started to blend together after awhile.
"One Night Stand - Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club 1963" is one of the best live albums you'll ever hear. Period. This album is so good, it should come with a warning label. No, seriously, it's that hot. From the moment you hit play, you're transported straight to the club, with the sounds of the crowd, the band, and Sam Cooke himself, filling your ears and your soul. It's like being right there in the front row, feeling the heat and energy of the performance. And let me tell you - it's electric. It's got all the makings of a legendary live show: backup singers that could make angels weep, a band that's tighter than my pants after Thanksgiving dinner, and of course, Sam Cooke, who's a force to be reckoned with. This album is a tribute to the power of live music, and a testament to Sam Cooke's incredible talent. It's raw, it's unpolished, and it's absolutely brilliant. It'll have you dancing in your living room, singing along, and feeling like you're part of the coolest party in town. Trust me, this One Night Stand is one you won't regret.
Is anyone else tempted to find people who give 1-star reviews for classic albums (for brilliant reasons like "nope", "live album", or "he was a jerk") and revoke their music privileges? I'm sorry you can't handle a live album. Music is supposed to be listened to live. The sterile, overproduced, autotuned recording is a relatively recent development in human history and was primarily developed to make money for record companies. I can't listen to Sam Cooke live because he's mortality-challenged. So I'm going to treasure this live album. If your response to a soul album is "nope", you don't have one. You've abdicated your humanity privileges. If you are trying to retrospectively cancel an artist because they did ________ in the year ______, just chuck your entire music catalog. To quote Captain Malcom Reynolds, "It's my estimation that every man ever got a statue made of him was one kind of sumbitch or another". I look forward to the good people of 2083 finding every aspect of YOUR existence wanting. That said, I'm now inspired to invent a time machine, if only because I can use it to go back to January 12, 1963 to go see this show.
Otis Redding was a huge admirer of Sam Cooke and this live album showcases why - masterful performer, beautiful vocalist, soulful delivery. Where Redding was gritty and soulful, Cooke is clean and soulful - note perfect, still from the heart, with an audience enraptured, practically eating out of his hands. And damn it if Cooke's Bring It On Home to Me isn't a near perfect song. And whilst this isn't a perfect album it is pretty special and a remarkable document in the story of soul.
De los inicios del rock. Buena voz, con enganche con el público y con algo de instrumentos que acompañan bien
Genres: Soul Formed: Chicago, Solo Career 1957 Run time: 10 songs, 36 min 33 sec What a wonderful velvety voice! This live recording shows what a great rapport he had with the audience. Great energy and fantastic material. There is a long list of great songs from this and other albums. What a gift he shared with us. In 1964, the great man’s career was cut short when he was shot and killed by the manager of a motel in LA. The courts ruled Cooke's death to be a justifiable homicide. I can’t help but feel if he was a successful white singer, it would have been a very different ending. Being part of the civil rights movement probably didn’t help.
Beaucoup aimé l’énergie du spectacle, du live – quoique, parfois, le côté « work the crowd » tourne à vide quand il s’étire, sur un tel enregistrement. Entraînant, joyeux même quand les émotions sont profondes.
Loved this. What a gem! Can't believe I'd not heard it before.
Today I learned that I prefer live Sam Cooke.
One of the best live sets of all time.
How about it for Sam Cook, ladies and gentlemen. A perfectly executed live album. although not the tightest musical performance in places, the control he exercises over the crowd and his bandmates is an absolute masterclass.
Nice old-timey music
Leuk sfeertje, en dat merk je ook aan de reacties van het publiek
ok
Classic soul. Beautiful. One if the best live performances ever.
Man, that's really solid. Sam Cooke sure knew how to work a crowd. Do I wish they'd included a studio album from Cooke? Yes, absolutely. But I think I understand the desire to show off the performer side of Sam. He's truly something else.
I don’t generally like live albums because of the sound and the songs are played differently and audience sounds. However this one was brilliant. The sound was clear and crisp and showed just what a voice Sam Cooke has.
I actually like Feel It (Don't Fight It) Don't usually like live albums but hearing the singer go "I love this song" in the middle of his song is quite fun As well as hearing him feed the audience the lyrics before he sings them! Probably wouldn't listen again but it wasn't bad, just not really my thing
A solid soul performance
Live version not my favorite
What a wild time Sam Cooke’s live shows must have been! His passion and intensity are felt through every note of this album, as he wrings sincerity from each song.
Lindo, jazzero tranca.
No cuenta como disco pero volver a los viejos sonidos nunca está de más. No tiene nada que no haya escuchado, esto se debería a que es un álbum en vivo. Igualmente, las buenas vibras y la energía no faltan. No me vuelan la cabeza, las letras, las instrumentales, ni la voz de Sam, pero es un record sólido del que está bueno saber. Disfruté todas las canciones. Si le tuviera que dar un puntaje del uno al diez sería un seis, pero al ser solo unca escuchada lo dejo un poco más abierto y no como un simple seis definitivo.
One of the greatest singers. I love the energy of this live recording.
His voice is so incredible and what a killer band. This would’ve been such a fun show.
What an incredible album. His voice is even better live. This must have been so much fun to be at. Only criticism is I wish it were longer!
So much life in this performance.
Feel it- 8 Chain Gang- 9 Cupid- 9 It's All Right- 10 Twistin' The Night Away- 9.5 Somebody Have Mercy- 8 Bring It on Home to Me- 8.5 Nothing Can Change This Love- 8 Having a Party- 9
Never really got into live albums. But Sam seems like as good as anyone to break that trend. Ok that man has charisma in spades. Really liked it actually, but I think the nature of live albums means its gonna be a 3. But I can see circumstances where I might play this. PS: This activity makes you crave short albums, but ironically if you really love an album you have no problem with a longer run time. 40 mins may be the perfect run time though.
A great live album. A wonderful performance and you can feel the atmosphere. Terrific.
-All very catchy and nice 50s/early 60s style songs. -No complaints, fun to listen to, not mind-blowing
I was really impressed by this album. Sam interacts with the crowd a lot more than I was expecting, and is very charismatic and seems to be having a good time. He feels like he can sing all of his songs effortlessly, and still be energetic the entire time. I really like his voice, and his songs are fun and entertaining. Favorite Tracks: Chain Gang, Cupid, Somebody Have Mercy
Talented.
I would have loved to be in the room for this performance! Just listening to him and already I think he's one hell of a performer. The record gets better with every song, carried by his infectious energy and a soulful voice that's guaranteed to make you smile. The passion seeps through the speakers. I'm not usually one for live albums, but when they sound THIS good I have to stand (or dance) in awe. That back half in particular is incredible. Standout tracks are his medley of It's All Right & For Sentimental Reasons, and those last three songs. So good!
Bajas expectativas, pero es de lo mejor que he escuchado en vivo
Fun jams! Good to have a live recording in this mix. Favorite track: Twistin the Night Away
Live albums are very hit or miss for me, but this is one of the good ones. I like that it feels raw & unpolished. I don't know where I stand with the circumstances surrounding his death though. Did he attempt to rape a girl or are the conspiracy theories right? I don't want to dismiss rape allegations, but I do believe things should have been investigated better.
Lekker hoor
Live at the Harlem Square Club is an authentic piece of music history. Old classics performed in their heyday often don't sound as good to the modern ear. So listening to is has to be done as a historical activity. In that context, this is 1001 list worthy.
Live Sam Cooke album. I did not know this album but knew practically every song. It is a live album which I do not think should belong to the list. Hence 3 stars but the music is obviously 5 stars.
Very good live album: good recording, lively atmosphere, solid band, energetic vocal performance. The lyrics are a bit annoying.
I love the energy of this live performance.
Blissfully smooth
Loved. Classics
Every song was energetic and performed with love. I can only imagine what a great time the audience must have had that night. I had no issue whatsoever sitting down and listening to every song.
sam cooke's voice is classic
Love albums like this. Brilliantly performed, brilliant soul. Favorite track: Chain Gang
3.8
Dude's never sounded better. Great collection of songs too. Cooke could command a room. That velvety voice just effortlessly bounces off the band. He was a consummate showman playing to the audience and making live music pop! Even the slow songs are mesmerizing as long has he's singing. Twistin' the Night Away is the high water mark. It is a jam! My only complaint is that this album is not long enough.
Oh my God, this is an amazing album! Before today I didn't think I knew Sam Cooke, but after listening to this album, I recognized a few songs. Sam Cooke (affectionately called Mr. Soul, and for good reason) is a Soul singer, accredited with inventing the genre! I loved every moment of this record; the way Sam interacted with the audience to keep them pumped up, the electricity of the audience, the dabbling of the band, Sam's phenomenal vocals... Overall a stellar album! I will absolutely put this in heavy rotation. This music just has a way of making you feel good! Favourite songs: Having a Party, Twistin' the Night Away, Chain Gang, Cupid, Feel It (Don't Fight It), Medley: It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons, Somebody Have Mercy Least favourite song: Bring it On Home to Me (just because of the 2 and a half minute preamble before the song starts. The song itself is awesome) 5/5
Some people are called geniuses because they leave a legacy that never ceases to amaze humanity... this album is one of those cases! Try to listen to the whole album and stand still!
I always have thought of Sam Cooke as a calm, soothing sound. This was an emery I didn’t realize he had and is making me dive into him even more. Such a fun listen.
Soul Twist - 1 star Feel It (Don't Fight It) - 3 stars Chain Gang - 3 stars Cupid - 3 stars Medley: It's All Right / For Sentimental Reasons - 3 stars Twistin' The Night Away - 3 stars Somebody Have Mercy - 2.5 stars Bring It on Home to Me - 1 star Nothing Can Change This Love - 3 stars Having a Party - 2 stars
It's hard to rate live albums too highly for me because if it's bad I'd rather listen to the studio songs, but if it's good then I'd rather have been there. This was definitely the latter. Just seems like it was a fun time.
Perfectly pleasant, until he insisted on getting the audience to sing but had to tell them the lyrics and rushed saying the line. I don't care about hearing Katie from Miami voice...
Great sounding record, as good as a greatest hits if it only had What A Wonderful World!
Love It
Einfach supergut!
Music is a bit too honky tonky. +1 for It’s All Right and Bring It On Home To Me these are certified bangers.
It's often called "sweet" soul music for a reason, as this recording makes abundantly clear. What SC says from the stage is not to be fully trusted as the tempo differences between the fast ones and the slow ones are simply not that great. He's fully committed, but smoother and more genteel than say James Brown. There's an innocence and ebullience that's easy to like and infectious (cue the crowd noise); this is the stuff of which Saturday nights were made for a generation of Americans that largely got us started on this musical journey.
Great
I liked this more than I thought I would, given that it is an old live album. I really don’t know much about Sam Cooke, but I liked the songs. Not much else to say about it.
this is hot!
Live album
not bad but live... wtf
Didn't know Sam Cooke before this but after listening to the album, many songs sounded very familiar. Loved the Jazz and his voice is so good and clear.
Great tracks. 4,5,7,9,10
Although not a style I’d normally listen to, I really ended up liking this. Tons of energy and put me in a good mood each time I listened.
Ordinarily, I feel like I should really dig this album, but it didn’t live up to what it could have been for me. I think I just don’t love this kind of early rock and roll stuff, but it’s a solid album for sure
Really enjoyed this one.
Feels like the kind of album I want to sit down and give a more active listen to.
Fajne
i'm glad he doesn't have leukemia. sounded like a right ole knees up in there.
Good this. Hahahaha when he just goes "I ain't got leukaemia". 5 stars for that alone.
Today's album. The track Somebody Have Mercy has a phenomenal line towards the end. It's live, so I doubt an official lyric, but it's well worth checking out.
I did not enjoy this at all. I know it’s old but, that’s no excuse for how lame this is, the live aspect didn’t help at all. Smooth voice but the backing band wasn’t exciting enough to carry these lame singalong lyrics about shaking your wife awake for some reason. This sucked 2 stars
De eerste liveplaat die we hebben opgekregen? Altijd weer een heel andere sfeer dan het studiowerk. Kennelijk een vrij intieme setting dit optreden, met kolkend publiek. Heerlijke warme soulmuziek van een van de groten. Ik word er heel erg blij van. Nu al de derde keer dat ik hem luister :-)
Zeg ik bij het vorige album nog dat ik niet zo'n zoetekauw ben wat muziek betreft. Word ik nu toch erg vrolijk van deze zoete klanken. Zo vrolijk dat ik het album direct nog een keer opzet. Had ik hier bij willen zijn? Jazeker!
Ik dacht dit wordt weer zo'n typisch snobistisch plaatje, maar het swingt lekker en sam cooke heeft een dijk van een stem. Muziek die je vrolijk stemt, een uitstekende opkikker!
Solid listen. Everything was well performed, the band was tight. Sam Cooke was definitely on top of his performing game. A downside would be some of the lackluster tunes from the singers perspective and would have loved to hear a band let loose a bit and do some extended breaks and improvisation. But dancey. Regardless, performance was good, the audience was into it and the quality of recording is excellent for a live album from the time period.
I really want to be at this show. Really love the laughter and yelling of crowd interaction. Great incidental vocals! Counts off “ah 1 ah 2 ah put it anywhere” lol. Improvises “It ain’t that leukemia” on Somebody. Vocals are impeccable. Edits between songs are a little abrupt at times. Its almost all I could want from a live soul party record. Fun, free, on-point. can almost feel the heat from the room. A lot of insight to Sam’s sense of humor, and a more satisfying/revealing listen than album cuts in many cases. Glad to know this album. Would rank along side James Brown Live at The Apollo. Thumbs up. 👍
I'm not really loving it, as it's not my groove, but I am loving the passion and the energy. It sounds like it would have been a grand old time.
bien qsy, 6/10
The "King" moniker is dropped and earned early. The recording choice is inspired: close and raw, as close to the songs as one can get. It's a trip back in time to living versions of what are now stodgy standards. And do they ever live. Lots of musical reference points close-packed and shimmering.
This album is pretty good. The music is good, but I'm personally not a fan of live albums. But the music is pretty good, although some of the songs do sound similar. But overall it's pretty good. Favorite song: Having a Party Worst song:Twistin' the Night Away
Don't fight the feeling, baby! Don't fight the feeling! This album rocked!
Would have been amazing to see live
Sam Cooke works better with the little bit of grit in his smooth voice that turns up live as opposed to the highly polished studio version of Sam Cooke. This live set is an absolute barnburner, and Sam and the band are firing on all cylinders. You've probably heard all of the songs in this set before many, many times, but listening to Sam Cooke add that extra bit of energy in the live setting transforms them into something better. This is one of the few live albums that justifies why live albums should exist in the first place.
very good, loves the vocals but i don’t understand how the intro is the 4th most streamed
electrifying performance, definitely one of the best live rnb albums, and albums in general, that ive ever listened to, clears live at the apollo by james brown. cooke's vocals are amazing, actually insane that they thought this wasnt good enough to release. white pipo 🤦♂️
Sounds like a good gig!
No, I don't think I will live at the Harlem Square Club
This is what Elvis was trying to emulate but Sam did it so much better. Some real bangers here. Short and sweet but a top playlist
Sam Cooke’s voice is even better live
Not sure if it just caught me at the right time or if it put me in the right frame of mind, but this was a banger. This kind of music needs to make a comeback
This might be one of the best live albums I’ve ever listened to. I enjoyed it thoroughly and plan on listening to more Sam Cooke in the future
It's a pretty cool album. It's from a time in American History when POC and Socialists derived an actually solidarity. Class warfare is Race warfare. Legendary Soul music. Legendary set.
Excellent live recording for its era!!
Great energy and great songs. Good stuff!
I was introduced to Sam Cooke through animal house and I’ve enjoyed his music ever since. His music evokes memories as if I was in high school 40 years before I was born. This was a good live album too and twistin and bring it on home were the standouts obviously
What a gem - this makes me feel like I'm there in the club - you can hear the audience, Sam's interacting with them, the guitar's slightly out of tune... makes a person want to be there! And god, his voice is so amazing, so vibrant and present and powerful. Love it!
Sam's voice sounds a little rougher here than I'm used to. I'm a big fan of his studio work, and while it would have been a great pleasure to be present at this performance, I feel like the recording doesn't really capture the full range of dynamics. That's largely due to the technology of the time, so you just have to be happy to at least have this document.
Maybe one of the few albums that is likely better live than if it were studio recorded, you can definitely feel the energy. None of the big tracks that I know were on this, but it was a pleasant energetic listen.
Who doesn’t love Sam Cooke?
Absolute blast of an album. Makes me wish I was at the performance.
Love Sam Cooke, this is a really good live album.
Proto-James Brown meets fictional character Shy Baldwin. Huh, A Huh Huh, A Step Back!
Nice to hear some energetic live music from Harlem. Sam is in good humour and pulls out the hits, the songs are good but just a bit simplistic.
C'est pas mal, je suis pas habituée à ce style. 3
Holy cats, that voice.
I'm not a fan of live albums, but the recording quality of the early 60's isn't generally better than a live album anyway. Also, since I don't know these songs, I can't tell how they have changed in performance versus the studio. Sam Cooke is pretty good. I didn't expect to like 'soul', but I do. It's much better than 'jazz'. It feels like the inspiration for a lot of modern pop music.
I don’t know why, but I don't enjoy live albums. Other than that this was great.
good
Great rock n roll It's a pity I heard the 2005 release which has the crowd cut back, lessening the live feel of the album but still rockin'
Astonishing.
Definitely would have been killer to be there live. Great album.
Lovely. You can see everyone is having a good time
It does what it says on the tin and that's great if you like that sort of thing. (3.0)
Really appropriate mix in the week before my wedding. Great voice and energy. Band is kinda far back in the mix behind Sam. Pacing is a bit...intense. Will definitely listen again.
tres bonne fi d' album
Really cool actually, very nice music.
Good jams Favorites: Cupid, It’s All Right/ For Sentimental Reasons & Bring it on home to me
I didn't find this as ground-breaking as other people seem to think.
not memorable
Honestly one of the best live albums I've listened to.
Good fun.
you know I'm a sucker for old school soul. And a live album to boot
Standouts: Chain Gang, Cupid, Twistin' The Night Away, Others: Bring it On Home to Me, Having a Party
Not for me but not terrible.
5. Great live album. Classic Some Cooke.
I know I've heard Sam Cooke before, but I am by no means an avid listener, and damn. I can't remember how his voice sounds from studio albums, but you can just hear the rawness in his presentation on this album. His interaction with the crowd is fantastic as well and for a live album, I love that the mix includes the background noise from the audience; it pulls you into this intimate performance. For those wanting to get into Sam Cooke a bit more and dig into his brief discography, this may be the greatest greatest hits album to start with. Top song pick upon first listen would be the medley of It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons; love how the crowd gets more into it as Sam pulls people in and engages them.
Très bon album live. Très bonne musique soul. Honnêtement divertissant et le genre d'album live qui vaut la peine. Il faut que je familiarise plus avec lui.
A lot of artists record live albums, often in big arenas. Something is definitely lost with that approach, and that's the intimacy of an album like Sam Cooke's Live At The Harlem Square Club. You really feel like you're in the room with Sam Cooke here, it's such a pleasure to hear. Both Cooke and his band are in top form, and the ambient sounds of the crowd really bring a feeling of pure joy. That's the whole point of making a live album, to transport the listener to the in-person experience. Sam Cooke nails it here. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Bring It On Home to Me, Nothing Can Change This Love, Having a Party, Twistin' the Night Away, Cupid, Chain Gang, Somebody Have Mercy, Medley: It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons, Feel It (Don't Fight It), Soul Twist/Introduction
Good shit to get moving
Absolutely amazing live album. Sam Cooke was a genius, and I wish we go so much more from him.
ALBUM RATING: 3.4 ALBUM GRADE: C+ TRACK RATINGS: 1. Soul Twist / Introduction - 3.0 2. Feel It (Don’t Fight It) - 3.5 3. Chain Gang - 3.0 4. Cupid - 3.5 5. It’s All Right / For Sentimental Reasons - 3.5 6. Twisting’ the Night Away - 3.0 7. Somebody Have Mercy - 3.5 8. Bring It On Home to Me - 3.5 9. Nothing Can Change This Love - 3.5 10. Having a Party - 3.5
Amazingly clear vocals that really cut through the live mix. Excellent right band that really starts grove by the end of the opening tune. You can hear how good he would have been as a performer just from the vocals. Guitar is clearer than typical for this era, especially for a live recording.
I'm not a big fan of live albums. Sam Cooke is great, though.
Love it
No es el tipo de música y grabación que me gusta escuchar
Okay album. Good individual songs but as a whole gets very similar. Would be great to have seen live.
6/10 not my style but definitely appreciate the musical geniusness
First Sam Cooke album. I have heard the name before, and I have heard a few of his singles in passing, but this is the first occasion where I listened to an album. The first thing I noticed was the energy in the venue, followed by how raw the production quality is, contrasted by the clean instrumentals. Cooke certainly has a way with words as he carries the energy between songs. In the entire 38 minute run time, I don't think the energy slowed at all. In fact, I was hoping to hear a few more songs before it was all said and done. As mentioned in another review, this album was recorded in January 1963 (just two years before his death), but released in 1985. According to the wikipedia, the record label did not want to tarnish Cooke's pop-soul reputation by releasing the record. They deemed it too raw sounding.
Not my favorite thing in the world but I would listen again. I think I need to be in a particular mood in order to listen to it.
I really enjoyed this album. Truly an album with some amazing Soul vibes mixed in with some African American gospel and topped off with some organic R&B. My only complaint is that there wasn’t a lot of songs. Ps: As a history major I enjoyed the little lesson I learned; “originally recorded in the 60s but not released until the 80s”
Absolutely loving the energy and the crowd interaction. Great audio quality too. “Imma GOin down to tha BUS station BaBAYYY - with a SUITcase in MY HANDUH…I ain’t got leukemia, that ain’t it” One of dozens of singers Zep copied from, specially Bring It On Home to me
Awesome version of bring it on home to me, I absolutely love Cupid and thought this chain gang was cool too
Enjoyed, probably 5* if it was the studio version
Enjoyed it.
Does he tell the crowd he doesn’t have leukemia in the middle of Somebody Have Mercy? That’s weird
Love these old live rock and roll albums that pop up on this list now and again. Just a great time. Electric energy. Shirt and sweet.
favourite tracks - feel it - cupid - nothing can change this love - chain gang a good listen and didn't have issues listening to it from beginning to end. 4.2
Not for me
what a vibe
My parents were Sam Cooke fans so very familiar with a lot of his music. Even have an old 45 hanging on the wall of our rock n roll/Elvis bathroom. Anyway, thought he sounded great live with awesome energy. How awesome would it have been to see this concert!! Solid 3.5 for me. Probably closer to 4 Really liked entire album, but my favorites, Bring it on home to me, Nothing can change this love and Somebody have Mercy If you're a fan, Do NOT listen to the podcast Disgraceland, about him.
This era of soul and Jazz normally impresses me and I love Sam Cooke but this was fine. Well performed and fun but I wasn’t able to get into this one like I the James Brown one (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ BTW). It didn’t help that he didn’t play any of my favorites by him. All in all pretty serviceable but tired. Favorites: Soul Twist, Chain Gang, Twistin The Night Away, Bring it On Home to Me
4 So what I'm learning from this list is that live soul albums were something missing from my life. Both this and James Brown Live at the Apollo have been absolutely fantastic records with artist/crowd synergy unlike anything I've ever heard before on a live album. Sam Cooke sounds amazing here, and I can only imagine how much fun being at the show must have been - It almost made me nostalgic for a period that existed 35 years before my birth. Despite trying to review each album in a vacuum, I was originally gonna write about how the circumstances of Cooke's death tainted the album a bit for me, but after doing some further research, I've learned the matter is more open-ended than I originally believed. While originally on the fence about re-listening, I did again afterwards was able to enjoy in a much more objective manner... and I think I'll be listening again. All said and done, this album really just feels like a good time for good times' sake. Favorite songs: Feel It (Don't Fight It), Cupid, It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons, Bring it on Home to Me
Sterke songs, fantastische muzikanten maar zo live op een of andere manier pakt het me niet.
This album just makes want get up and dance my ass off
It was fun to listen to, but did not have as much impact on me as Miles Davis' album. Twistin' the Night Away is still one of my favourite songs :)
Skipped through most of the songs - didn't find them particularly interesting or exciting.
Alright but didn't blow me away
Fun album, but I probably wouldn't go back to it.
Great soul!!
As a complete amateur when it comes to soul or R&B, it's no surprise that I have never heard of Sam Cooke. Apparently during his short life he was good enough to be called King of Soul. I have done this 'research' before listening to this album. I've also read that this recorded concert is treated as one of the best in the history of music, and Sam Cooke himself was more raw and unleashed on it, then during his studio albums. So I approached it with some expectations and hope. It quickly turned out that even the greatest Soul albums are not for me. I could hardly concentrate on the songs, as it was definitely not appealing to me. Sam could sing, that is a given, his band had some talented musicians, but they were in a different Solar System then I usually operate in. I feel ashamed of giving this album such a bad note, but as point of this exercise, I have to rate it as I enjoyed, and unfortunately, I didn't enjoyed it at all. Maybe my musical taste will expand with time.
Sam Cooke nous a cuisiné un album live très sympathique mais sans doute trop juste en terme de blagues, Tom Waits et Johnny Cash le distançant nettement sur ce terrain-là.
Déjà trop présent au sein du générateur priate, Sam Cooke vient ici en plus marcher sur les plates bandes du générateur des 1001. A fuir.
I don't mind the music, but it's one of those albums where the live element gets annoying
Solid performance - maybe too much crowd noise in the recording but it was from the sixties
Fuck the record executives who kept this classic in the closet for 20 years.
Great vibes, passion and spirit
I liked the music but not really a fan of live albums.
It was good; it felt like he was rushing through some of the songs though.
nt
4.8
Not really a fan of the live album releases
Sounds like some old soul music for sure but being a live performance there was a whole different energy cause he was goin crazy with it
one of the greatest (if not the greatest) live albums of all time.
Oh yeah, here’s an album I can really twiddle my handkerchief to!
Great live recording, felt like I was there in the club
Usually I'm not a fan of live recordings at all - but this one has me convinced in some ways. I've always liked Sam Cooke as a great singer - but not overly much, as I always found his songs a bit too polished, a bit too controlled. Here he's really letting loose and some songs just sound so much better this way. For example Twisting The Night Away really benefits from the live rawness at the harlem square club and Cupid doesn't sound nearly as sappy as on studio recordings (although I think it's sped up a bit too much in this live version). Still, there are aspects of live recordings I just don't like. Sure, crowd interaction is great when you're part of the crowd at the concert. But I just don't care for hearing it in recorded when I want to listen to music - and there's way too much of it on this album. Still, a very good record.
Absolutely wild, I never heard this before. What an amazing good time gig. What else can you say about Sam Cooke. Who knows if this would be the peak of his powers. Absolute tragedy that 18 months later he'd be killed.
Again, not sure live albums should be on this list. But, he’s a great singer/performer and this would have been a great fucking show.
Very upbeat and bounces along with vibrancy - even when singing ballads. Reminds me how much inspiration Otis Redding must have taken from Sam Cooke’s stage-craft and singing techniques. A proper crowd-pleasing set incorporating crowd noise and extremely tight, virtually gap-free transitions between songs. Excellent sweet soul music.
Nice and fun album. Sam Cooke seems like he would be really fun to see live and he interacted with the crowd in a really cool way. He’s obviously a great singer and this is the best way to listen to him in my opinion
Good Live album. Cupid and Twistin' the Night Away were featured on Inner space and Back to the Future soundtracks, so I remember them well. But all great jams. Classic 50s rock and roll.
Pure soul. In contention for best single disc love album
Fun live performance... hard to feel down when Sam is clearly having such a good time.
i like it
Great energy
Classic. CLASSIC. So good.
Sam Cooke (and many other Soul musicians, for that matter) is an artist I've heard by name countless times, but haven't ever sat down to listen to in any substantial way. I really enjoyed this live album, particularly the contagious energy that Cooke and the rest of the musicians brought to their performance. You can really hear that energy reflected back in the audience's enthusiasm - I can't imagine how much fun this concert would have been to experience live in person. "Feel It", "It's All Right" and "Bring It on Home to Me" were standouts that I can definitely see revisiting frequently.
track 2 (feel it) was SO fun to listen to chain gang has a really nice hook so far one of the best live albums ive ever listened to each track so far has been super melodic and a whole experience ok so i just finished the full album really good for my first soul album and i can definitely see the influence in later music 8/10
looooooooooooooove this album faveourite track: it's all right / for sentimental reasons, the anti-domestic violence tune
Daggone this sounds like it was a great show.
One of those instances where the performer isnt so good live
24th June 2022 Listened across the weekend as I was still ill, finished first thing Monday morning. Sam Cooke is arguably the greatest male soul singer ever but it’s way more energetic and James brown-y here than I would have thought. Taking nothing away from the vocal performance though.
Great live album
Superb piece of filthy raw, gritty soul. Loved this, you can feel the relationship with the audience.
Amazing! I loved this one.
pretty good blues and soul album, and the live part really adds to the atmosphere
Ovo je dost zabavan album, onak valjda njegove najpoznatije pjesme? Nisam ga nikad slušao, al mi je ovo dobro.
wasn't super excited for it, but I loved the energy he brought to the crowd. Great music, great live energy, well captured live album.
Oh no live album. But oh yes Sam Cooke. I'd still rather listen to the songs themselves (live albums have no place here for me - maybe make a book called 1001 Live Shows you Probably Missed Out On But Can Listen To a Facsimile of on Tape to Tolerate Before You Die) but this is certainly a high paced, energetic run through some absolute classics - though putting Chain Gang and Cupid back to back was a daft move! But I'm just going to put Sam Cooke on properly later and really enjoy it.
Nice, very nice.
Love the energy! Another surprise hit.
I think that I'm in a classical week! I know Sam Cooke by name but I never heard a whole album from him and now I have a new favorite album for my list of best albums. Nuff said!
Wow, ce publique est très enthousiaste et participatif. Je me demande par contre, puisqu’il est supposément l’inventeur du Soul, si c’est un album aussi tard dans sa carrière qu’il faut écouter. Autrement, c’est bien.
Un autre live... Ici, par contre je peux comprendre pourquoi. Malgré une performance musicale qui n'est pas parfaite, les enchaînements sont assez réussis et l'énergie du publique est contagieuse. La prise de son est bonne. Avec des écouteurs, j'ai l'impression d'y être. Pour un live, il y a juste le bon dosage de publique. La fin de Cupid est quelque chose. Je sais pas qui s'est perdu dans la pièce, mais Sam Cooke réussit tout de même à faire atterrir le tout sans trop de dommage 😂. Je vais écouter ses autres albums pour comparer, mais j'ai l'impression que l'énergie de ce disque va me manquer.
I'm having a party 5
i really hate live recordings. this is not an exception to that rule. i really enjoy cooke, but i can't give this a fair rating when i'm so bothered by the setting. meh.
1963. Chain Gang
Not something I would’ve picked, but really enjoyed it.
I'd have loved to have been there to see this live. But simply listening to it falls pretty flat.
This set is really hot. Love his voice and the band really cooks (pardon the pun). The atmosphere sounds incredible and his interplay with the audience natural. It's a great performance. 4 🌟
INTRODUCTION - Coolt. FEEL IT (DON'T FIGHT IT) - Bluesig. Modern melodi särskilt på refrängen. Sam kan ju sjunga. CHAIN GANG - Sam kan sjunga. Helt okej låt. Måste säga att denna skiva hittills är mer behaglig att lyssna på än den förra (bananplattan). CUPID - Den här var väldigt lik chain gang. Ungefär samma tempo, startackorden är samma fast i annan tonart. Kärlekslåt. Mmmmm. Snyggt slut. MEDLEY: IT'S ALL RIGHT - Shake them up som han säger så skakas man när man hör detta. I alla fall om man levde på 60-talet. 60-tals powerballad. Let's get romantic. Sam vet hur man underhåller publiken i alla fall. TWISTIN' THE NIGHT AWAY - Dags att twista till denna. Refrängen har bluesform. Annars är versen klassisk I-vi-IV-V ackordgång. Folket älskade nog detta back then. SOMEBODY HAVE MERCY - Allt var fan blues back then. Så inflytelserik. Börjar bli sömnig. BRING IT ON HOME TO ME - Ja. Vad ska man säga. Soul i små doser tack. hmmm. Men rösten goddamn. NOTHING CAN CHANGE THIS LOVE - Alla låtar lät fan likadant och Sam skriker mycket. HAVING A PARTY - Off with a bang. NON STOP ACTION. GE MIG ETT BREAK!
Timeless
ok
Sounds like a good fun time. Sam holds the room nicely. Fave: Cupid, and Nothing Can Change This Love
This is brilliant. Loved it.
Would've loved to be in the room - sounds like a hell of a night was had by the crowd! Sam Cooke makes it all seem effortless, and has a ball in the process. Weird that this is his only album in the list... Fave track - "Chain Gang", maybe, or "Somebody Have Mercy"
Though I firmly believe live albums should not be on this list, this is a beautiful album that must be on it. One of the exceptions of the rule I guess. This is one of the top 10 should albums and it delivers everything Sam Cooke has to deliver and that's lot lot of fantastic songs.
classic
Such a great album. The classic songs, amazing energy of this live performance and passionate signing from Sam Cooke! This will be in heavy rotation for years to come.
Wonderful -like sinking into a warm bath
I wish I could give this 10 stars. Sam Cooke is a legend. Listening to this live show is incredible. It's more than a concert. It's like a variety show. The call and response is so uplifting that you leave listening, feeling optimistic about the world and how it might be better. Even though you know what's coming next, he is able to infuse an air of suspense that is palpable. I also love the conversational tone of his banter with the crowd. It pulls you in as if you were an old, close friend. The standout tracks for me were "Twistin' The Night Away," "Tennessee Waltz" and "If I Had A Hammer." However, there is no song I would take off and so many gave me goosebumps, like when he croons "give" on "When I Fall In Love" and when he says "away" in "Blowing In The Wind." Such a special album.
Best live album
Hollywood's contemporary model for the music biopic means we won't get a film of Sam Cooke's life in the foreseeable future. The current template emphasises the redemptive nature of their music, of musicians who battled their demons successfully and performed exquisite music that justifies all the torment they suffered (e.g., Ray, Walk the Line, Bohemian Rhapsody). With Sam Cooke, the outstanding pioneer of soul music, his unfortunate, sordid end precludes your standard music biopic. The only way it could happen is if it ends with a triumphant performance of A Change Is Gonna Come, and just puts a small note at the end saying he was shot through the heart by a hotel manager after an apparent drunken brawl with a prostitute. Still, I neither want nor need a Sam Cooke biopic, and I am rather glad that Sam Cooke won't be contorted through the Hollywood sausage process. Anyway, this album is wonderful for the extremely simple reason that Sam Cooke performs wonderful songs in a wonderful fashion. That's it. That's enough. I had earlier reviewed James Brown's coeval Live at the Apollo, to which I gave 4 stars. I stand by that rating; the album is great fun, if perhaps not quite a masterpiece. I have no such hesitancy with this. It's pure pleasure, pure joy. That it was shelved for two decades just bewilders the modern listener. The record label deemed it to be a bit too passionate and heartfelt for its initial release. Yes, the money men behind the label have always ruined everything with their valueless stupidity. Thankfully, you're now in a position to treat yourself by giving this a blast, so you should take advantage of that right now. Now! I mean it!
fantastic !
Great soul music and a fun early live album
If you've heard one song on this album, you've heard them all
I love Sam Cooke! And enjoyed this live recording. Wish I could have seen him perform live.
I like this style of singing for a few songs, but a whole album is too much.
Sure!
I wish I could have been there live, but I wasn’t digging the recording because the singing just never stopped. Would have liked some space in there so instruments could shine. Cooke’s voice is outstanding but too relentless.
I absolutely love Sam Cooke. He's wonderful, and the energy of this album is wonderful. I was dancing in my seat.
I’m sure much is to be made of his voice, but the real takeaway for me is the really great preparation of his band. They keep the party moving like a skilled DJ might! Without the crutch of easy cues and a tempo fader. I don’t think I’d listened to much of him at all before, if any, but it’s cool to take in the raw crowd pleasing power and charisma even if he doesn’t make me, personally, swoon.
I like Sam Cooke and it's great to hear a genuine live performance with the bits in between. The production and vocals aren't as crisp as a studio recording but it's great that these were preserved. I would argue that this is his ONLY album in 1001 and that there are better albums of his. There seems to be a slant towards live albums in this chart which is ok if that's your thing but it's not what people primarily listen to and they only like the live albums off the back of the studio albums.
It is worth noting that, while recorded in 1963, this album did NOT get a release until 1985. According to wikipedia, Cooke's label RCA Victor "viewed the album as too gritty and raw and possibly damaging to his pop image", which is why they didn't put it out at the time. Which is absurd, if you ask me. Sam Cooke is such a natural performer, his charisma and personality oozes out of this record. Him and his band keep the good times rolling through the entire runtime, an incredible feat. The essence of this record is that Cooke is playing so much to his audience, who plays an important part by matching Cooke's energy. This is what really makes the album so great, having the audience and Cooke playing off one another in a vibrant live show that feels so real when listening to it. It is a shame that, almost two years after this performance, Sam Cooke's life would be cut short in a frankly puzzling altercation. This album is a relic, one of Cooke in his prime doing what he did best. Incredible.
Such a great gig: blistering performance from Sam and his band. Songs are too samey for it to be a great album for me but most enjoyable nevertheless.
enjoyable listen
This was not quite my style, but I enjoyed listening to it.
Love Cooke's voice, backing band and the crowd's interaction from the opening track. Twisitin' the night away and Having a party were especially lively and exciting. I'd say it was unreal to be in attendance. 4.5 stars?
Альбом - настроение. Не самая изобретательная или инновационная музыка компенсируется подачей.
catchy feel good oldies. gospel-y Chuck Berry. Cooke really knows how to work a crowd
Not much of a fan of live albums.
What can I say here. Sam Cooke is the greatest singer of all time. Bring It On Home to Me is the greatest song of all time.
All day long!
Good album. Made me wonder what I would have listened to if born in another era.
sam cooke died too many years before i was born, and this wonderful live album makes me feel closer to the experience of seeing him live! the audience's cheering, cooke's rapport with audience, his attention commanding presence. no one does soulful, romantic songs like sam cooke. what a legendary voice. how he combined certain songs was masterful--i literally felt like i was one of the screaming audience members when cooke sang a few words from "you send me" during "bring it on home to me". this album was certainly a treat!
I knew some Sam Cooke, but this album made me a Sam Cooke FAN. This is easily one of the best live albums I have EVER heard. Sam is just as magical and energetic on a live album as he is in studio recordings. If anything, he's even more so in a live environment, where he is able to have these amazing interactions with the audience. He mixes a powerful, electrifying presence and untamed, raw vocals in with all of the quintessential Sam Cooke qualities that already made him great. It's a crime that this album was shelved for 20 years before it was finally released. In a world full of questionable live albums, this album shines as a prime example of what a live album should be. It has big energy, but feels intimate; I really felt transported to the moment. It made me wish I could have physically been there!
Die Songs plätschern so etwas dahin, Band und Frontmann sind gut bis sehr gut. Schlechte drei.
This is another one where I think I would've benefited from listening to it when hanging out with friends instead of walking to my boring geography class and then while looking over my homework for the week. It's a lot of fun, but it is a lot of the same. I seriously wish that live albums weren't a part of this list, but whatever, this was pretty good, if very repetitive.
Beautiful voice and it was like being wrapped up in cozy songs that I already knew.
Excellent, must have been a great concert to be at
Live albums can be tough, but Sam Cooke has such an infectious energy live and it was captured well here. He's having fun and you can feel it. Fuck, Sam Cooke was so great. Wish he never got wrapped up in the chaos of his time period. Trouble souls can make the best artists, unfortunately.
Sam is a mighty fine musician and from what we can hear on this nine an excellent performer. We did lose him way too early.
I didn't realize until now that Sam wrote all of these big hits! I'd just assumed that they got churned out by the boys at the Brill Building. This is a raw & energetic performance with a crowd who are madly in love with him. He's very talented all-round. This music isn't exactly my cup of tea so it's hard to assess, but that's the charm of 1001.
There are a few Live Concerts where it would be remembered for the rest of your life. I think this one would be on that list. Sam Cooke is just a fantastic vocalist and he made such happy songs that folks love to sing along to.
I think some 60s soul is exactly what I need on a dragging Friday with a sore head. Cupid is fulfilling this. Sam's voice is delicious and I love the fact that it's a live recording - would LOVE to have been there dancing. It sounds like they're really having so much fun. Ah the medley with For Sentimental Reasons popping up, I love that song! Great performance it really made me smile.
This was a really great listen on a sunny Monday morning. Really joyful music and loved hearing it as a live performance - I think you could tell he was enjoying it too! I feel you could hear him smiling. Enjoyed hearing what I assume is the original of a song Amy Winehouse covered - Cupid. Will listen again!
Great fun! I wanted to be there jigging away. I liked the bit where he basically said 'if your wife is annoying you don't go hitting her, go home, wake her up and give her a kiss'
Best Song: For Sentimental Reasons. When the crowd starts singing along and Cooke still soars over top... To be in that room. Worst Song: Twistin' the Night Away. Just not a fan of the twist. Overall: The live setting really works well here. The recording sounds very close, as if the band is grouped tightly together in the corner of a small bar or club. And there's just something about the way you hear idle chatter in the background, the way Cooke rambles and adlibs these little bits. It feels like the audience isn't all stuck, shoulders squared to the stage, watching the music, but are letting themselves enjoy the music and each other. It feels like I can hear dancing. A surprisingly romantic album.