Live At The Harlem Square Club

Super energetic and fun, great music to exist to. Like a fellow user, this is the album that makes me get why live ones exist.

it's a banger. great for dancing, great for parties, great for dance parties!

Super

Not a " Live album guy " but this was good! Can't go wrong with Sam Cooke!

Incredible live recording for that time, there are much worse studio recordings made later in that decade. One can feel the connection between the audience and Cooke and his musicians. Great listening.

Beautiful and entertaining

Är ju egentligen en liveplatta men bara för att jag är så jävla snäll så blir det en trea.

One of them ones that’s surprising me how good it is 4/5- but I wouldn’t be surprised if I change it to a 5 one day

Love this kind of music, so upbeat and happy sounding. When I get these I love them, I need to find the modern equivalent.

Blind album and artist. My god I loved this. Such a shame it was so short! 30 minutes?? Gimme more. So many great songs and so catchy. I love the sound of his voice, the echoing performance, the drums, everything. I liked so many songs from this and it was a seamless transition between all of them.

Love Sam Cook. Such an easy voice and a great album.

I don't usually care for live albums, but this one is worth it. It manages to bridge the Motown sound of the 60s with the emerging soul of the 70s. Definitely worth a listen.

Drags a bit towards the end, but nonetheless an absolutely perfect time capsule. Incredible guitar work from Cornell Dupree et al. Transcendent. You can hear the sweat.

The only song I know by Sam Cooke is What a Wonderful World, currently liked on Spotify even. So what a wonderful listen! Really enjoyed driving around doordashing on a windy, cool and slightly wet night listening to some old music from quite a different genre to what I usually do. So quite the change all around, including the weather! A bit hard listening to the heavy love themes, but I’ll cope. Haven’t added any to likes but probably will, but saved the release. This is exactly the sort of thing I need on vinyl for easy listening.

It’s fine

I really soul so this is pretty classic, for an old live album it has incredibly good sound.

Great vocal work by Cooke, you can feel the rawness of his singing and his ability to connect with the crows. That being said, beyond Cooke's exceptional singing, not much else was a standout.

I love Sam Cooke almost as much as his drummer loves his cymbals. Sounds like everyone is having a great time.

Nearly manages to bottle the magic, the only thing I could say really let it down for me would be the recording quality, but I bet the engineer did all they could to cope with the screaming audience. Live albums seem to be better when they're older, I wonder if the same is true of live shoes in general.

Wild, very intense atmosphere, however, it sounds like it’s the same song tenfold.

This is my first time listening to this album. Definitely not the Sam Cooke I’m familiar with, but I like this unfiltered live sound a lot better. The energy from the audience, the band, and Cooke himself is really palpable, even through the recording. I think he gave his audience exactly what they were looking for, but I personally would have loved to hear a couple of big solos from the band, especially the saxophonist on Having A Party. Maybe I’m reading into it too much because I’ve been reading a book about prisons, but I really wonder why he chose to put Chain Gang in the middle of an otherwise upbeat set full of songs about love and dancing. Overall quite good, would listen again.

I can't listen to Sam Cooke without thinking of my mom. She would quote lines from his songs as she went about her business. "Cokes are in the icebox" comes to mind - Sam and my mom were the only people I knew who called the fridge an icebox. Those memories alone would lead me to give the record 5 stars but man what a voice he had.

I didn't need to hear it live, but I do love his music.

So much rougher and rowdier than the sweet-voiced crooner I was familiar with. Also notable that he wrote all these songs, which we hear now as standards (in the play and movie One Night in Miami his character gives a long speech on the importance of owning your copyrights). And finally I was delighted to learn that Def Leppard referenced Cooke in Rock of Ages. In short, this was both entertaining and educational.

I love these songs, but I don’t know if a live record is the way to showcase them. Seems like his voice is a bit rougher than in the studio?

It's unfair that I also got James Brown's live album this week and overall preferred it. This is certainly good - great energy and great songs from a great musician. But the production wasn't very good, which I found distracting.

the artist in the classic soul sphere that i personally vibe with the most, his music is comfy and satisfying to listen to and he has a distinct charm this one is extra upbeat, same charm and enjoyability frankly he cooks

8/10. This is a live album that is alive.

No

A lively listen, interesting that it was done live. Favorite song off the album is probably Chain Gang

Excellent live collection of Sam Cooke classics. Worth the listen, despite his history... -Cupid -Twistin' the Night Away

very energetic! fav track is cupid

Blueprint for r&b, Soul, blues, and rock performers. Timeless.

Good, I imagine this would have been amazing in the venue seeing it live. A little dated and lively given the context I'm listening to it on a Tuesday Morning at 10am. Probably wouldn't listen to this live version, but will listen to more Sam Cooke. I listed to some more, but studio recordings rather than live. Preferred it a lot more, I rarely like live recordings unless it’s a performance that’s intended to be that way like tiny desk.

Great album. The soul man. For sentimental reasons and bring it on home to me.

Harlam 1963, great soul/RnB live record, like being in the club

You can't have a bad time listening to this. Simply impossible

Live albums are always fun, and Sam Cooke was possibly one of the greatest singer showmen in history before his untimely death. "Bring it on home to me" is the highlight for me, gorgeous song. Enjoyed this one!

Sam cooked with this album. The best part for me was imagining Boyd banging his head and playing an imaginary sax while declining asylum seekers.

Couple of great songs on this like 'bring it home to me'. Clearly Sam Cooke was a quality entertainer. Not my favourite genre but good for a casual listen.

The perfect LP for pumping yourself up to go creep on Mary Sue down at the Milk Bar while Dad works out his WW2 trauma on mum's jaw downstairs. In other words, beyond Feel It (which rocks), this is just too twee for my millenial ears to be able to fully appreciate - I guess we'll have to assume that "[chorus] bring your lovin home to me tonight (yea!) x 10" was a panty-dropper in the 60s (the crowd sounds like they're having the time of their lives). Sam Cooke's voice sounds really nice, but I just don't have enough musical context to overcome the generational barrier for this one.

Bring it on Home to Me, what a fucking tune. Covered by the Animals and Jimmy Barnes, but I’ve never heard Cooke’s live version before. It sounds amazing (not withstanding the long as shit call and response lead in). You can hear from the hysterical crowd how completely he commands that room. As a relic of that era’s soul scene this is clearly an important listen. It’s not enough to make me a full fledged soul convert, but I’d gladly ‘twist’ to Feel It (Don’t Fight It) at the next sock hop; segregation be damned.

Great artist with great music, but the live format didn't really ring with me

six stars if I could

Very nostalgic

I love this type of music, old kind of funky songs which remind of Louis Armstrong. Very atypical, probably in a veteran societies. Still I enjoyed the album.

I usually don’t like love versions of albums but this was good.

Great live album.

Normally I'm not that interested in live recordings, but the way he interacted with the audience throughout the entire performance was really fun. And that huge buildup and tease before Bring It in Home was incredible.

Sam Cooke is great, but the audio quality on this one made it challenging to fully enjoy.

Live albums aren't my go to albums for any artist, but the appeal of a live album feels very apparent on this album. Fast, loose, charismatic and soulful throughout the whole album. A great listen overall

very fun show to listen to

Incredibly Fun and vibrant album. Felt Like I was there. Really enjoyed listening to this and would happily play this again and listen to it again. Might even buy it

The energy on this live album is something to admire. There's a beautiful list of tracks that flow so well. You can feel Sam Cooke's impactful state presence throughout the album. A wonderful listen all around. Best - Feel It, Chain Gang, Cupid, Medley: It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons, and Bring It On Home To Me No bad songs 4.00-4.50/5

Overall pretty good. Sam goes through his set with hardly taking a breath. Some really classic soul songs. 3.5/5 Would listen to again

Immediately fun. Saxophone sounds so rich and full of personality from the get go! Sam Cooke's voice feels so warm and the quality of the audio makes me feel like i'm in that club back in 63 listening to him play. Songs are all upbeat and groovy. Even the slower songs had me dancing and jiving!

Soulful perfection. Ive always appreciated San Cooke but with this album I fell in love.

me gusta porque parece re intimo pero la están viviendo mal

Ah good ol Sam Cooke. I think imma give this one 5 stars.

Great album. What a surprise! Something I wouldn't have picked up by myself to give a listen. Powerful voice and performance. Feeling it throughout!

Greatest male vocalist of all time?

The singing was incredible, and the songs had a great atmosphere. The energy from the crowd made it even better. Very enjoyable.

Not a fan of live albums but this one was a blast. I can only imagine how it would have been in person. Obviously Sam Cooke is a legend for a reason and this is a small sample of why. Favorites: Chain Gang, Feel It

First time listening to a Sam Cooke album. I was familiar with several songs and understand his talent. Love his voice and might try listening to a studio album rather than a live version. Enjoyable though.

'Unrelenting. Remorseless. Unremitting.' These are the three words that come to mind to describe Live At The Harlem Square Club. Maybe not remorseless, but they come as a trio and two out of three ain't bad! Even when he threatens to slow things down, Cooke and his band go full throttle and it's a delight to hear the audience respond to it so enthusiastically. No wonder it's only 36 minutes, you could never keep up the pace - it's like the Attractions shows in '79, when they were so full of amphetamines that they did everything in double-time. That's probably one reason that live albums are such a chore - they're the length of actual concerts, but without the mitigating factors. This has the decency to be album length and not even a Best Of album, just a regular album that contains many of his best cuts. Some live albums benefit from being Best Ofs, others suffer, but some, like this and Show, which I mentioned yesterday, reveal the best. While this undoubtedly soul music - Sam Cooke was the King of Soul - Cupid, You Send Me, Twistin' the Night Away are very much pop songs and it a thrill to hear pop sound as gritty, phlegmy, and coked up as the Beatles in Hamburg or the Ramones anywhere. A great recording. 4 Well I have already done a bit on puzzling over how to rate a live album vs rating a studio album and although it all applies here as well I’ll skip it. I loved this. ‘Portrait of a Legend’ is played regularly in our house and I have often said that Sam Cooke is my favourite singer but I’m obviously a bad fan because I’ve never listened to this before. It knocked my socks off. The singing is incredible but I loved the crowd noise as well - they are having a great time and they are all in fine voice themselves. Cooke is feeding off their enthusiasm and his energy just grows and grows through these tracks. This rendition of Bring it on Home to Me is magic. And the ad-libs… “Everybody get them out for me. Get them handkerchiefs out.” That’s a level of civilisation that will never been seen again at a gig this exciting. So I am going high with my rating, but taking a mark off because Greatest Hits shouldn’t count as an album and because this is too short. 4/5

This album was just overflowing with joy. The B side especially is exceptional. Great stuff.

Not really a great live album, but I do like his sound (listened to that sound a lot growing up)

Not my format

What us this? Who is Sam Cooke? A live album? What is going on? All thoughts I had when this popped up. We'll after a little teeny tiny listen i got it. It rules. I was skeptical with a live performance, how do you really distill a concert into just an audio stream? Well I think it was done here. The way he talks with he crowd and you can hear the crowd, he plays off them and it's so cool to hear on a record. And what a crop of songs? They rock. All of them but the cupid on and twisting the night away? What that song has an original author? What? It's not like some folk tune from olden days? So crazy. All the songs though are great. What a sick pick. Thank you 75 years ago and that fun night out.

Blir lite skränigt. Men många bra låtar

Gut gemacht, Stimmung kommt rüber, nicht zu lang.

‘Don’t fight it, we’re gonna feel it tonight.’ Noted for its raw sound, a quality not as prevalent on the singles (tho if ‘A Change is Gonna Come’ is not raw, then what is?), this is one of the great live albums. A soulful romp, it does exactly what a live record should - not only make you feel that you are there but make you wish so much that you were. Cooke’s voice has a bit more rasp here, but no less uncanny control or sweetness, and the music, w/ King Curtis on sax, swings, shakes, and drives. In a deep sense, it’s rock and roll, it’s Chuck and Bo and Little Richard. Yeah…what I would give to have been there. ‘Keep on having that party.’ Remember it.

It was ok....

Some good swingy songs and infectious crowd energy, but the music itself wasn't super notable to me

Gotta be honest, if I got to the Harlem Square Club in 1963 to see Sam Cooke perform and he only did 39 minutes I’d be like “Wish there was more, but I’ll take what I can get, he’s insanely good”. As an album, though, it does work. Full of energy and excitement. I’m opposed to live albums as a concept on a ‘best of’ list, but this is great. 4/5

I enjoyed this album a lot! I was familiar with a couple songs going in, and found myself enjoying Sam Cooke and the band. I think the live aspect was overall a success- sometimes the crowd noise was distracting and it felt like Sam wasnt giving people enough time to breathe, but hearing the people sing along was fun. Overall- very good album

Cool funky soul music!

I can't imagine how incredible it must have been to be in the room when this was recorded. The band swings and Sam Cooke is the ultimate showman. Absolutely amazing! Favorites: Chain Gang, Cupid, Twistin' the Night Away, Bring It On Home to Me (seriously wow!) Would I listen to it again: Yes

Must have been incredible to witness live. Fantastic entertainment performance by Sam Cooke. Great songs of the time and reflecting black culture

Roligt album, samma här stärks albumet av att det ör live. Svårt att inte blir glad när man lyssnar

It's wild that this was held back at release for being "too gritty". From a modern perspective it's so tame. You can definitely hear his passion in his voice though so calling it "raw" I get.

What a surprise I had with this album. I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't heard previously Sam Cooke, so when I saw the cover I expected another boring soft jazz or RnB thing. But, come on, this is so real and sounds so stray that it seems than I'm in a pub and I have this guy singing for me. Really, really, enjoyed it. The best is of course the charming vocal performance, but the songs themselves are pretty good too. Amazing, captivating live album. Probably my best discovering so far in this 1001 list.

A true artist, this generation of soul singers it’s better to listen to the live album to truly understand greatness

Usually don't like live albums, but this one really had me wishing I was there watching it live.

Bangers back to front. I thought I hated live albums but all my favorites so far have been live albums. As with all live albums, recording suffers a little but I could not give less of a shit here - feel like it adds vitality. What tremendous energy and a tremendous voice.

Live hype, nummers onbekend maar kwaliteit, jazz/soul, voor nu 7/10.

Guter live Mitschnitt vom "King of Soul". Easy durchgehört und nicht langweilig geworden.

I know there is a bit of editing in this album but long gone are the days of quick smooth transitions...

As someone who doesn't ever listen to live albums, this was surprisingly good. Favorites include Chain Gang and Twistin' the Night Away

Beautiful vocals, fun set list and energy

What a voice. Great energy. 62 years ago!

Sam's great. A little too much banter in the performance but I relistened to this one immediately because it's a dandy pick-me-up on a gloomy Monday morning while I'm having an existential crisis.

This was fantastic. Sam Cooke has an incredible voice - so much soul and feeling going into every song. Well worth multiple listens. 4⭐️

He has a fantastic voice and the setlist is great, not overly long and just giving the audience a good time. Probably not 5* because as with a lot of live albums I'm not sure this adds a huge amount. I do like the energy of the crowd and enjoyed it though

It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons was an absolute banger Sounds like it would've been a class gig but live albums just dont do it for me

nice

That was fun. Well performed too.

Uplifting album!

Phenomenal

sam cooke is one of my all time favorite singers but i had never heard this recording before, or really any live recording of his. he has such a great, iconic voice and i love his songs. the energy on this one was fantastic and live his voice has a gruffness that his studio recordings do not have, which i really liked. the selection of songs here is really great and it was a blast to listen to!

Some really great songs on this one!

Mierda. Soul

I would give anything to have been at this show. The sound quality is great for a live show of that era and the band & Cooke’s voice are so perfectly tuned. Alternately joyous & moving. A five.

Twas fine.

I loved it

oh my fugking god man jkghdjkghsdjkhsdkjhgsdkj. if aliens asked what music is this is prob one of the first recordings u should show them. just godly godly godly...with some great performances u just stare up at the performer in awe but cooke makes u a participant whether u expect it or not, just goes Right into my fugking bloodstream and puts me on the stage on equal footing. the combination of clarity/precision and rawness/grit in his voice has prob never been matched by anyone ever, and the band just reconstructs the material on an atomic level to its boldest self possible. there is absolutely no barrier, no hold on the enthusiasm, no reservations, its just incredibly freeing and visceral. ive heard some exhausting albums in this project, most of which are much longer than this, and none of which are as satisfying...by the end i feel like theres just nothing more i can ask for, ive already heard everything ive ever needed to hear Ever

I forgot how good Sam Cooke is. There's nothing bad on this album. I can't even imagine what it would have been like to be there that night but I like to try. Easy four stars.

The first round I gave this album was while I was trying to put orders together and it just wasn’t the right vibe. I actually thought I would rate it pretty low based on that listen. But then I popped it in my earbuds at work and enjoyed it a lot more. Classic jazz/blues sound, and gives me that cozy retro feeling. Sam Cooke is a singer everyone should have in their repertoire. Listen again: probably Purchase for my collection: if I found it cheap Favourite Song: Cupid

I'm not big into live albums, but man this was on fire. You could tell Sam Cooke was having the time of his life on that stage, and that fun is so contagious. Instantly lifted my spirits, no skips.

Harlem Square Club huh? Now this is what energy in the air sounds like. There's so much chemistry between the audience and the performers, it's a real experience. You really feel like you're there, as it's such a transporting experience.

No notes.

Perfect!

Kul inspelning! Förvånande bra ljudkvalitet med tanke på när inspelningen gjordes. Sam Cooke har ju en jävla pipa. Kanske inte ett album jag kommer lyssna på många gånger men väldigt kul att höra!

I really liked this

It was okay

Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 is raw, electric, and full of soul. Sam Cooke didn’t just perform—he commanded the room. The energy in this set is miles away from his polished studio recordings, and that’s what makes it so good. The crowd is into it, Sam is giving it everything, and it’s clear he knew how to work a room. RIP to one of the greatest voices in music history. This live album is a reminder of how powerful and dynamic he really was. Favorite song: Nothing Can Change This Love

Party time!!! Beautiful sax solos amazing vocals. I really love live performances where you can hear the audience getting involved. This was great! Will absolutely be revisiting

Imagine being able to get a room of people this excited, while also singing lines like “I’ve got something wrong with me, it ain’t that Leukaemia”. Love a live album, and this is one of the best. The way this builds & you can hear the audience getting more and more excited as the album goes on really adds to the experience - I assume this was recorded somewhere smaller & more intimate than a lot of live albums which is why you can feel that energy a little more here. Incredible work from Sam all the way through; smooth, soulful & energetic with a killer band to back him up. This rules.

Enjoyable album. Contains many classical songs that I did not know were by Sam Cooke.

Hot

generally dislike live albums but Sam Cooke is a legend

Nice one

I'm normally not a fan of live albums but this was 40 minutes of greatness.

The sound quality of this live album doesn't do Mr. Cooke any favors but the inherent soul in his songs comes through clearly.

Very good.

Loved this!

What a party of an album. THIS is how a live album should be.

took a long break lol. it’s 2025 now. anyways. this album bangs so hard. my fav song was Chain Gang. but i would LOVE to see this live. i think it would change me

I’m confused about why this is so highly rated. It was good, enjoyable, but didn’t blow my mind, was kind of just another pretty good live album :/

Fav: Chain Gang Least Fav: Somebody Have Mercy

Sam Cooke es sin duda alguna una de las mejores voces de la historia. Este directo es formidable, además de ser uno de los mejores, al nivel de los de James Brwon en el Apollo. La banda suena irrepetible (ojo a King Curtis). Te subes a Feel it y ya no bajas del soul train. NO incluye sus canciones más conocidas como Wonderfull Life o A change is gonna come, pero da exactamente lo mismo. Están Chaing Gang o Bring it on home tome. Es inexplicable que estuviera más de 20 años guardado en un cajón. 38 minutos del mejor soul. Chrissie Hynde o Terence Trent D´Arby se lo conocen de memoria, y no son los únicos.

A solid listen. Recognized more than I thought I would. Sounds really good for a live album. Would be a good pick up on vinyl. I'll rank it a 5, even though it's not really my taste of music.

Okay. So I like Sam Cooke a lot, but I absolutely hate live albums. As such, this wasn't super enjoyable for me. I don't like to hear crowd noise, ad libs and mistakes, sorry, I just don't. The music was good, but I would have vastly preferred as studio album with the same tracks. Two stars -- would have been one star, but I like Sam Cooke.

I was not looking forward to this because I don’t tend to enjoy a lot of live live records, but this is great. It sounds great and I feel like I’m at the show. I’m very nostalgic for live music like this. This is a great album!!

I know a handful of Sam Cooke songs, but I’ve never really sought out any of his music before. I haven’t really enjoyed many of the live albums on this list, but I’m hoping Sam Cooke can be the first person to blow me away. Let’s go down to the Harlem Square Club! I wasn’t blown away by this album, but I thought it was really good. I enjoyed how raw and unpolished it sounded, because it’s not the type of sound that I associate with Sam Cooke. In my opinion, a lot of black artists in the early sixties had to maintain a clean-cut image in order to attract white listeners, but the energy of this album really defies that image, and it gave this album an air of authenticity that worked really well. I never thought of Sam Cooke as having an easily recognizable voice, but as I went through this album, it gave me a new appreciation for his singing. The deeper I went into this album, the more I was able to recall songs that I’ve heard before, and correctly identify them as Sam Cooke songs. As far as individual songs go, I really liked “Chain Gang,” “Cupid,” and “Twistin’ The Night Away.” I had no idea that “Chain Gang” was a Sam Cooke song. As a kid, we had an album by The Nylons on vinyl that had their version of “Chain Gang” on it, and I’ve known for quite a while that it was a cover, but I don’t recall ever having heard the original artist. “Cupid” showcases Sam Cooke’s voice really well, and just how soulful his singing is. “Twistin’ The Night Away” was just a lot of fun and easy to groove along to. This album isn’t completely my cup of tea, but I loved the energy and Sam Cooke’s singing was fantastic. As far as live albums go, this was definitely in the upper echelon.

Excellent album, I didn't realize how many great songs he had until I heard this. I'm a fan now and I plan to listen to more of his work. It also has a kind of nostalgic vibe to it for me.

Honestly, a really great live album. Sam Cooke is such a great singer/performer and you can just tell from listening to these recordings that his show would be such a blast.

Nice classical rock ’n roll with good live crowd energy.

Really enjoyed this!

Can really hear how good his voice was here

It feels of its era. I can imagine people in the 60s dancing to this. I just don't think it would be my favourite genre of the era.

It's the best he ever sounded and what I want a party or show to be

Finally hitting some great soul in this list. Yeah, the recording quality isn't perfect, but you'd have to be pretty cloth eared not to hear the musicality and talent and joy streaming from this.

to be in that audience 🔥

3.8

Bloody excellent.

Heard some Sam Cooke songs before. What a sweet, heartwarming album 3/5

Love it. Favourite track is Havin A Party 4/5

Nice!

Incredible energy and cheerfulness to this powerful singing performance

This has a beautiful live sound. Chain Gang is awesome. Twisting The Night Away is a classic. Somebody Have Mercy is soulfull.

Amazing album if you wanna groove to amazing jazz.

The Sam Cooke you never heard in the studio. Huge talent, tragic early passing.

I absolutely loved this

Before this project I would never listen to live albums. Live songs being different from the album version would throw me off… This was a very good live record again 4/5

I'm not a big soul guy. I respect Sam Cooke as a singer but this isn't really my cup of tea.

This album was incredibly enjoyable, funny, and lighthearted. Loved that it was live. For sure will listen again.

It was fine, nothing that really grabbed my attention. Wouldn't relisten

Great r&b with soul!

An album most musicians should listen to, if only to learn how to interact with an audience. Also an amazing energy!

Soul album which fails in a fundamental Level as it doesn't measure up to the manicured artificiality of studio production. While it provides a raw, free expression of live performance, it features all the considerable weaknesses of all live recordings. This makes it difficult rate it highly.

Really Cool, Liked that a lot!

Really enjoy Sam Cooke

Handwerklich very good But a Bit Boring

nice jazz album not smth i would listen to often but it was pretty chill and nice

Good old-fashioned dancing music. I can imagine how it would fill a dance floor.

2/19/25

Chain Gang //

Wow this is a banger start to finish. Redeems live albums for me. Outstanding

Goddamn this is a good time. I wanna be at that party.

I listened to it while working and actually that was good but I didn't pay attention to it but sometimes it was really catchy I was moving my body and enjoying, I'm sure that's a pretty good album but wasn't enough focused sorry.

I'm not sure how I feel about live albums. Audio quality is lower, we hear the crowd, we hear the fuck ups, which is fine when you're actually there, but just listening to it is meh imo. Actually there are 0 fuck ups in this one it's quite impressive Last one was cool, him playing with the crowd was fun to hear

Incredible to know that his voice could manage a whole set like that with no loss of tone! Favourite - Bring It On Home To Me

Incredible live album, certified by my dad as a classic. Infectious energy from an amazing vocalist

Sam Cooke is incredible. I do not think this was a necessary recording to hear of his.

it ain’t leukemia! ❤️

Ich muss mir echt mehr Live-Alben anhören, besonders von kitschig-romantischer Musik

"Don't fight it, we gon' feel it" is the intro and it's apropos. It's a lively romp through some soul tunes. Sam's got a voice, and I'm not sure this is for me, but it's a good recording. Favourite: Cupid

Lekker livealbuk maar de opnamekwaliteit maakt het wel dat je er minder van kan genieten

Die stem...

Justifiably reckoned to be one of the greatest live albums. Crank up the volume on your high-end hi-fi, let the raw production wash over you and you're right there at one of the front tables. Top tracks for me are Chain Gang, Cupid and Twistin' The NIght Away

I never feel equipped to talk about souls music and other black culture stuff but the power of Sam Cooke's voice is undeniable. That it's a live album is even more incredible - the energy is off the charts.

Very bluesy. Didn't expect much but started enjoying it at the end. Can definitely appreciate the voice, as well as the live factor of the performance. Saxophone solos actually rock. 2/5. Tbh, the blues style of Somebody Have Mercy is better than the faster styles.

Some good songs but wouldn’t listen a lot

Solid Jazz album with some very consistent songs and almost no skips Favorites- Cupid, Nothing can change this love Least Favorites- Somebody have mercy

A fun album; hard to believe it's 62 years old. Was his microphone working between songs? The crowd was much more into the music than his banter.

All around great performance, that show must have been electric.

Espero mucho de todo lo que sea Soul honestamente, no me gustó sin embargo no creo que sea malo. Rating: 5.0

This thing is HOT! Crazy to think that the label sat on this record for over two decades before releasing it, as it was deemed 'too gritty' at the time of recording. Sam's voice commands the crowd - you can practically feel the sweat flying off of him - and the band is relentless for the entire duration. I was fully transported into the rowdy Florida club where the thing was recorded for the entire 38 minutes. Definitely need to check out Sam's other records!

This was such fun! What a great gig with an amazing singer.

Oei, ik hou niet zo van live albums, dus ben zeer benieuwd of dit dan het album gaat zijn die me gaat overtuigen dat ik gewoon een zeikerd ben. Sommige nummers zijn heel ruig, niet heel vreemd; is uit 1963!!! Maar nummers als Cupid klinken eigenlijk echt heel erg goed zeg! Echt hele lekkere, bijna vuige Jazz en soul is dit zeg. Sam heeft echt de tijd van zn leven, dat kun je gewoon horen. Ik geloof meteen dat Sam hier gewoon een feest aan het geven was. Zn stem klinkt top, de muziek helaas niet altijd even goed, maar dat word goed gemaakt door het publiek dat duidelijk de tijd van hun leven heeft. Eerlijk; ik ben best een beetje om, dit was top en pure soul en laat zien hoe fucking vet een soul show kan zijn. FAVO: Feel it, Cupid, Medley, Twistin', Having a party

Couldn’t bare to give this album 2 stars, it’s Sam Cooke! But this album went by uneventfully for me.

Gives the impression to hear the same song 10 times.

I like sam cooke, but I don't like live albums

Same Cooke is an absolute legend, love this.

Feel like you’re right at the foot of the stage. Top-five album for me.

In 2025 it's funny listening to a crowd get as pumped up as they do, based on nothing but talent and charisma.

Really interesting in how raw the songs sound compared to the originals. I wish the sound were better that would have made the album even better.

Performance and recording are outstanding, I can almost smell the cigarettes, taste the scotch and feel the energy.

A live recording that makes you wish you could have been in that room. So many great songs delivered with sweaty energy. Fun fact: my introduction to Sam Cooke was via the Animal House soundtrack in high school.

This was a good time. I knew a lot more of the songs then i was expecting.

Had a real good time listening to this one. Lots of energy, good stuff.

Amazing energy

I enjoyed this album. It's nice to listen to some old-fashioned soul.

Невероятная энергия от голоса и инструментов, обожаю такое звучание.

That's one manic cat singing up there, 3/5

I didn't know we were doing live albums here! I'm a fan of Ain't That Good News, but don't know any of his other stuff. This was nice. I've never been a huge soul person, just because I feel like it is too soft and smooth and I'm a little taken aback by such straightforward earnestness. But if you want smooth soulful earnest love songs, Sam Cooke does it about as well as anyone.

There are few live albums I actually enjoy. In my experience, they generally have poor audio quality and a bunch of audience clapping. But this album avoids that problem and captures the performer's energy - not the audience's. And in that way, it is a good example of what live albums should be.

I think I’m most impressed by the quality of this live album from the ‘60s. This was a lot of fun to listen to.

every musician dreams of a performance like this

If I was in the room that night I'm sure it'd be a 5. What an amazing performance.

This album slaps

He's having a great time and it's one of those performances that could make you a fan of a new artist. But it's still mostly the same songs that everybody else sang at the same time. 3.5/5, but rounded up for the party

My first proper introduction to Sam Cooke. Pretty solid album that genuinely felt like part of a time capsule. It really transported me to a different time and made me feel like i was there watching this performance live

Absolutely love this classis. Sam cooke is such an entertainer and just an excellent vocalist. He manages to bring in so soft and sentimental songs with a mix of energetic material, which has been blended so tremendously well. I love him involving with the audience and their respective reactions. Just overall a near perfect live record, this is just an experience to me. The only reason I won't give this a super high score is because I love Sam's "live at the copa" even more, which has a lot to say about Sam as a performer. Favorite track: Twistin the Night Away(HM to For sentimental reasons and cupid, I love the live version of the latter so much). Overall score 8.8/10

So sollten live Alben sein 😃😁

Unmatched energy, really makes you feel like you're in the audience. Incredible live album.

Classic. Love it. So much live energy.

groovy!!

****a good fun album

I mean, come on. A Sam Cooke live album? What the hell am I supposed to do - dislike this album? My god the energy pouring out of this man and this band into the crowd, and the energy they throw back at them is incredible. I can't imagine what it was like in The Harlem Square Club (oddly not actually located in New York City...). The record label apparently didn't want to release this at the time, as they feared it would damage Cooke's more clean cut image. They felt it was too raw, too raucous. Maybe they were right, but I'm glad it came out two decades later because this is a treasure. I would love to have seen him live in this period. A show like this must've been incredible. Five stars. Standout Tracks: Feel It (Don't Fight It), Chain Gang, Medley: It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons, Twistin' the Night Away, Bring it on Home to Me

soul twist- 7 dont fight it- 8 chain gang- 8 cupid- 8 its all right- 8 twistin the night away- 7 somebody have mercy- 8 bring it on home to me- the intro is funny. 7 or 8 nothing can change this love- 7 having a party- 7

I really like his voice. And the mood of this record. And the song "Twistin The Night Away". But as always I rate it down one star just because it is a live album. 2,5

An enjoyable album from a classic soul, singer, but ultimately a lot of forgettable songs.

he changed music rules. This live not so good

Great MC ;-)

This was a fun listen. What a snap shot of a place and time.

Absolute legend 🔥🔥

Veldig kult! Masse energi gjennom de korte30 min platen er. Chain Gang It’s all right Twistin the night away

Soooooo good

Awesome record! From start to finish. One of the best live albums I have ever heard. Intense and raw. Never knew Sam Cooke was so rock n' roll. Few records I've heard that can transport you to a time and place like this one. Up there with Springsteen live at Hammersmith Odeon from the 70s.

Really good.

Great album. 4.3/5

Here's a case where the year released might be brought into question. Ostensibly, yes this is a live album from soul singer-songwriter Sam Cooke that was recorded at the Harlem Square Club in Miami back in 1963, and it was originally planned to be released later that year. However, this live album would end up shelved until its release in 1985. The reason for this prolonged delay was that Sam's label RCA Records wanted to protect his squeaky-clean image that was presented on earlier albums. I'm sure this notion sounds ludicrous today, but upon reflection of where America was in 1963 during the civil rights movement, it was probably a calculated strategy for the time to keep selling his records to white people. Only years later did RCA executive Gregg Geller discover the tapes and issue them out. At least this performance saw the light of day because it is amazing. From the get-go with "Feel It", Sam Cooke carried such raw charisma in this live performance to elevate his typical doo-wop soul music into a more kinetic and energetic sound, aided by his backing band playing at the same high intensity. Not to mention, the amount of times that he gets the crowd involved, whether it's getting people to shout the "uh's" and "ahh's" in "Chain Gang" or singing along to the chorus of "Having a Party" at the end. Live at the Harlem Square Club is one of those live albums where I genuinely feel like I'm vibing with the audience, which is the highest praise I could give for such a legend in his element.

was en entertainer, het vollgas harlem nightclub vibes i mis zimmer im schwedische winter portiert ^^ haha mehrmals die gliiche 2 chords bim intro (chain gang & cupid) die art vo musig wo's mir ned uffallt dass d songs vlt harmonisch simpel sind, sust gaht defür soviel ab. d band isch richtig locked in, freakin epic. sini stimm isch ned so clean wie uf andere recordings woni kenn (vlt scho es paar konzert täg vorher gha), aber stört ned gross findi. und sini "diktion", wo er silbe ufem beat platziert oder wasauimmer findi freakin elegant, gfallt mer. s publikum gaht au ab daamn, ich wünscht es gäbt oder ich kennt clubs wome zu so livemusig chent tanze o.O (finde das review sehr passend: "captures one of the most beguiling figures of 20th-century music as close to the peak of his powers as he was ever recorded, sounding grittier and more seductive than you'll hear on those good-times oldies blocks but still every bit in command")

ohh theyre having so much fun!!

Has a voice that commands to be heard, which is refreshing to a live recording. I feel like vocals get muffled a lot. Anyway, enjoyable upbeat (even the romantic song). Sounded like a fun place to be. Can't picture anyone walking out the club upset

I didn't really know what to expect. His energy is really fun. So is his voice. It's very joyous. The sax player was really good. But I think Sam Cooke's voice is what really brought this to life for me. A bit too old-timey for me though, i think. But i did enjoy this.

3, wow dude can sing and wonderfully perform live. Couple awesome tunes

Now THIS is what a live album should be! I've listened to a few live albums for this project so far. Some have been pretty enjoyable listens, and others are Live at the Star Club, Hamburg. Once again, fuck Jerry Lee Lewis. Sam Cooke, though? He's cool. I like him. He's one of the most influential soul artists of all time, so you already know I'm gonna like this. So, does Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 live up to my expectations? It absolutely does and then some. This album is excellent. There's not a ton of complexity to the album, but the execution and artistry is so top-notch especially for 1963 that you just have to respect this album for what it is. The energy here is amazing. This is one of those beautiful instances where an album being a live album really enhances the listening experience for a full-album listen. Sam's singing does a great job at playing into the energy of the other musicians. The writing has aged fairly well. It also has the benefit of being mostly written by Sam Cooke himself, so that's great! This album really doesn't have any filler to it. Some live albums are bogged down by downtime between songs that just doesn't usually work. Take that Jerry Lee Lewis one for example. I was constantly being reminded that I was, in fact, listening to music by a man who married his 13 year old cousin. This album? Sam's introduced at the beginning, there's a few little moments of him saying like a single sentence between a few songs, he has an outro at the end, and that's it. Other than that, the whole thing is basically just a non-stop musical event. That's what I want to hear! I don't have a ton of other things to say. This album represents the best of what early 60s soul can be. Energetic, yet still with an emotional core that gives the music some, well, soul! This is one of the best live albums I've ever heard. Light 5/5.

Never heard this album before. Sam Cooke was definitely a performer. Great suggestion.

Eh, it's whatev but I don't, like, hate it though...

A little more raucous and sweet with the likably rough edges of his voice matching the spotty production and recording. It's not hard to hear what made him a legend, even if this isn't exactly in one's sweet spot (a bit much James Brown-y showmanship for one's liking) and one admits to preferring Otis Redding and maybe Al Green, too. One wonders, had one been present, if the audience's enthusiasm would have merited a shushing. Still, one gets what made him legendary, albeit somewhat briefly, albeit in what seems a rather hopelessly more innocent time.

I enjoyed it. I could close my eyes and just imagine what the room and the crowd looked like based on the sounds.

Great record. Sam Cooke must have been awesome to see live.

Really easy listening to

fye

Pre-listening thoughts: Second live album from the 1960s in 3 days. What is happening Post/during listening thoughts: well I will say between this and B.B. King, my opinion on live albums has changed. It's pretty cool getting to feel like you're at a concert you would never be able to attend. It's a neat form of preservation. I was kind of hesitant that live albums would have structure or good sound quality but I have been pleasantly surprised thus far. Sam Cooke is incredibly talented. Also whoever is on backing vocals is really hitting those harmonies. The crowd engagement is fun to hear. Once again, the music is slightly repetitive. I enjoyed this. 6.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: once again idk. Live albums are a diff territory in my brain Fav tracks: Chain Gang, Cupid, and I love Bring it On Home to Me but hot take don't love the two min long slow intro Least fav tracks: n/a

This was dope. Biggest vibes album, felt very old school cool. I've heard Sam Cookes voice was amazing, and it definitely was. Almost deserves a record spin to vibe around the house.

Masterpiece !

Old time Rock n roll

Old R&B feel. Great album

Із всіх класичних концертних альбомів про які я тут писав - цей, безперечно, є найкращим. Адже на ньому ти, дійсно, відчуваєш як «теплота» яку випромінюють виконавці - «запалює» людей, що прийшли насолодитися найвишуканішим #soul та #rhythmandblues, який я тільки чув у своєму житті. А їх щира радість, справді, дарує «відчуття присутності». У результаті, завдяки поєднанню чутливого виконання та бурхливої реакції публіки, що навіть часом дуже влучно підспівує. Утворюється, не з чим незрівнянна, атмосфера «магічної пристрасті», яку просто можливо створити у студії.

Overall: 8/10 My approach to listening to live albums is to try to put myself into the audience because realistically it's the only way I can truly enjoy a live performance. That helped a lot with this one and even though I'm sick today I found myself having a lot of fun with this one. The only Sam Cooke song I actually know wasn't a part of this performance but I actually preferred that because I wasn't waiting around hoping for the one song I knew! Cooke's energy is infectious and it's easy to see why he was such a big star at the time. The best part about his demeanor is that it seems so effortless and cool. The songs are pretty good too, much more energetic than I expected. (Also I get that it was recorded in 1963 but the album itself wasn't actually released until 1985. If Dylan's 1966 Royal Albert Live counts as a 1998 release then this should get the same treatment from the list and the website.) Fav Song: Chain Gang Least Fav Song: Twistin' the Night Away

Terrific live soul album with bags of atmosphere.

I don't really liked it. 1/5.

Fantastic!!!

Love how this sounds...both raw and raucous

Such an uplifting and energetic live album! Not sure how I feel about live albums on this exercise, but hey ho, I really enjoyed it.

Very talented. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half especially.

Amazing. Lots of fun and just what a grey Tuesday needed. I plan on listening to his on my deck in the summer heat with the BBQ burning me some tasty food. Highly recommend !!

вайбовенький, лёгкий, меланхоличный

Classic oldies. Not my thing

;)

I'm new to this list but this is the first disc I've listened to that I'd never heard of and need to own.

What a fun concert this would be. It’s simple but it works. I wish we heard more banter. Bring it on Home to Me was my fave.

Great vocal performance and excellent songs. Southside Johnny clearly loved this.

Sam Cooke as they didn’t want you to hear him! It would have been great if video were recorded as well. His voice is great and the energy is phenomenal. The medley style of the performance is cool too and kept me on my toes throughout.

I don't know any of these songs but you are going to have a really hard time convincing me that anybody was having more fun on the night of January 12, 1963 than Mr. Sam Cooke. Wow. What a great idea to make sure you recorded this man live. His voice sounds great, you can tell he's playing to the crowd and he even coaches them through a sing-along section without missing a beat himself and he made it sound like natural ad-libbing instead of the obnoxious way I've heard other singers basically break up their set to make the crowd play along with their egos. This guy's just having the time of his life and wants everybody else to have a fraction of the good time he's having. Wow. This is one of the best live albums I've ever heard, and certainly the best I've heard where I didn't already know any of the songs. I can't believe they shelved it for over two decades.

I effing LOVE Sam Cooke!! His is one of my favorite voices of all time and I was so happy when this album popped up as my next listen. It has so many good songs on it. One of my favorites by him is Nothing Can Change This Love. Just lovely 🙂 The only thing stopping me from giving it 5 stars is that it was live 😩 It had great energy, but I don’t like all the screaming and the audience sing-a-long nonsense.

I've tended to harp on the live albums that are featured in this list, but the jazz ones seem to deliver above the rest. This one is no exception. No time is wasted here, each song leads directly into the next on the setlist but it doesn't feel rushed or sloppy (after listening, it sounds like some of the interludes are edited out, but regardless). Mr. Cooke sounds authentic and lively here with his signature tenor voice, getting the crowd involved all throughout too. It's just pure fun and makes one wish they could be briefly teleported to that night in Miami in 1963.

One of my favourite live albums ever. Love the rawness of it, it isn’t polished in the studio like most live albums.

Goes incredibly hard even 60 years later

This was good, but I wasn't in love with the live performance. It felt rushed and not very intimate.

Good, soulful music but the format of this record was a bit weird. I wish they would have let the concert just play out instead of adding pauses in between songs. That ruined the flow a bit. It also seemed a bit forced and rushed. I'm not sure why that is, but I just couldn't get past that.

Killer live album! I’ve loved Sam Cooke for a long time, but this showed a very different side compared to his studio recordings. Very gritty and raw, as others have noted, and the energy is electric. He has an almost James Brown stage presence, and the set moves at a speedy pace with no slowdown. Admittedly, the sound quality isn’t great (it was 1963) but in a way that, along with the audience noise throughout, adds to the recording and really makes you feel like you’re there. Not sure how often I’ll come back to it, but as an experience it’s fantastic

Nice oldies soul. Good performance but just not my cup of tea.

Very fun listen, not an everyday playlist vibe but would be fun for gatherings

Absolute legend.. Live is always better as well. Solid album, good vibes

Groovy music and live aspect was made you feel more involved. Absolutely here for Bring it on home to me

The biggest mistake they made on this live album was not letting King Curtis shine on the sax more. Good lord that guy can fucking play. Not usually a fan of live albums, but this goes pretty hard. Super enjoyable, super fresh. Not perfect, but that's probably why it was buried for 20 years.

Having the guy who got shot and killed in self-defense during a kidnapping singing about 'Girl don't fight it' right at the beginning is the kind of foreshadowing that people would mock

Some live albums are real drags that just end up being the most dogshit low quality performance recorded on the 1970s equivalent of an iPhone microphone. This is not one of those albums, this is one where it being live complements an already strong performance with the strong atmospheric element of an audience that is absolutely loving the show. Really makes you want to be in the crowd. What it doesn’t make you want to be is Sam Cooke’s date on the night of December the 11th 1964.

I love Soul, but never in a million years would I think that an R&B album would be my favourite album OAT. But this takes that cake. Absolute masterpiece, after first listen proceeded to listen another 4 times back to back 10/10 Fav tracks - Perfect Album

A very energetic and vibrant album, shame to the record label for delaying its release 22 years after the fact. Having said that, I cannot help but look at the more romantic 'I need you' type of songs without thinking about how Sam Cooke got plugged by a hotel receptionist while he was wearing only a sports coat and one shoe in search of some groupie he *totally* was gonna be friendly with. Overall, a thoroughly good album with no misses but on repeat listens I found it hard to distinguish one part of the album from another and it became a little repetitivey. 8 out of 9mm Highlights: Chain Gang Medley: Yadda Yadda Nothing Can Change This Love

Sam Cooke's Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 album artwork captures a raw, electrifying essence that hints at the live performance's energy. While visually compelling, the design feels slightly dated and lacks the crisp, modern graphic sensibilities of contemporary album art. The color palette effectively communicates the gritty, intimate club environment, with its warm tones suggesting the passionate performance within. However, the typography and overall composition could benefit from more dynamic arrangement. The artwork successfully evokes the album's mood but falls short of being truly groundbreaking. It's a solid representation that serves its purpose without pushing significant artistic boundaries. Album artworks rated: 30/1001 The music is actually really nice.

First listen. Pretty good.

Yeah it was okay

That is incredible fidelity for a live recording. Sounds amazing and his voice is incredible. Iconic. Classic songs. The live album feels like a documentary of a bygone era.

Shake your booty

Very good. Me likes.

I have been a fan of Sam Cooke since I was young, so i obviously liked this album. All of his songs raise feelings of nostalgia in me, but not one that would make me very sentimental, but rather a kind of nostalgia that warms me inside out by reminding me of all the adventurous car rides with my family. As for this album, it's insane how masterfully Cooke can sing and what he can do with his voice.

would have enjoyed if it was not live version

I love this album!

un disco muy alegre y bonito! :)

Nice songs, even though structury and chord-wise there are sound-a-likes. The recording is really nice, feel like you really want to be at that concert. Sounds so fun!

Sam Cooke is an unusually special artist for his enduring appeal generations later. His voice is beautiful, smooth, and just pulls me in. More importantly, he is able to address deep racial topics, even bring hope that they might change, but also get me dancing on the same album. I personally believe his untimely death was orchestrated by the CIA because his appeal and ability to keep our ugliest racial problems at the forefront of the public discourse was indeed dangerous to the status quo. This performance displays greatly how appealing Sam was. How amazing it would have been to hear him live! I'm familiar with several of these songs, and it's a truly talented musician that can make the live version better than the recorder version. The joy in the crowd comes across in the recording. RIP Sam Cooke, and rest easy knowing we're still "Having a Party" in your honor.

Fun and full of energy. Not super familiar with the genre, so songs feel repetitive and they all start to sound the same.

Aangenaam verrast. Lekkere vibes gecombineerd met live energie

Sometimes you just need to listen to a feel good album.