Syl Johnson - Complete Mythology (6LP+4xCD) (Numero)
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“I wanna be someone so bad, but you keep putting your foot on me.†- In the 40 years since Syl Johnson exited Chicago’s Twinight label for Memphis’ Hi Records concern, the world has been struggling to grasp and package the early years of this legendary soul man’s career. Endless compilations, botched bootlegs, and shabby two-fers litter his section card, ear and eyesores all. Four years in the making, Complete Mythology is by far the most exhaustively researched and meticulously presented work from The Numero Group to date.
Encompassing the first fifteen years of a career that spans half a century, Complete Mythology not only covers his obvious hits but shines a light into the dark corners of a true musical visionary. Born Sylvester Thompson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin’ Wolf in the 1950s, before recording with Jimmy Reed for Vee-Jay in 1959. His break was to come recording for Twinight Records of Chicago in 1967. Johnson dominated the label as both a hit maker and producer, providing such hits as “Come On Sock It to Meâ€, “Different Strokes†(one of the most heavily sampled songs in the history of recorded music–paid homage by N.W.A., Kid Rock, Michael Jackson, J. Dilla and dozens others), “Is It Because I’m Black†(which reached Number 11 on the Billboard R&B charts in 1969), among many more.
Included on the 81 track, 6LP+4CD box (both formats included) are re-mastered versions of no less than twenty eight singles from the Twinight, Federal, Cha-Cha, Tmp-Ting, Special Agent, and Zachron labels, facsimiles of the Dresses Too Short and Is It Because I’m Black albums, ten previously unreleased tracks and detailed track by track notes from acclaimed music historian Bill Dahl. The fifty-two page booklet contains a thirty-five thousand word essay, scores of previously unpublished photos, a sampling index, and complete discography—all presented in a lavish hard bound box. For the uninitiated this is history, for those familiar this is respect for one the greatest musical artists of our time.
Track-list & Soundclips:
CD 1:
| 01 | Teardrops | clip | ||||
| 02 | Little Sally Walker | clip | ||||
| 03 | A Half Love | clip | ||||
| 04 | Falling In Love | clip | ||||
| 05 | Try Me | clip | ||||
| 06 | Do You Know What Love Is | clip | ||||
| 07 | Come On Sock It To Me | clip | ||||
| 08 | Different Strokes | clip | ||||
| 09 | Dresses Too Short | clip | ||||
| 10 | Same Kind Of Thing | clip | ||||
| 11 | Is It Because I'm Black | clip | ||||
| 12 | I'm Talkin Bout Freedom | clip | ||||
| 13 | One Way Ticket To Nowhere | clip | ||||
| 14 | Thank You Baby | clip |
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