Various Artists - Soul Music: The First Five Decades [7CD]

Format: 7 x CD
Catalogue No.: SOUL035
Barcode: 5060331753711
Release Date: 13 Mar 2026
Genre: Soul/R&B/Jazz/Gospel/Blues

This collection of breathtaking, soulful blues and spiritual music brings you some of the most impassioned, compelling vocal performances ever to be recorded. In a comprehensive overview from 1927 to 1973, History of Soul Records’ 7CD anthology chronicles the genesis of soul music. The first three CDs trace the early connections between R&B, jazz and blues, and gospel, between the secular and the sacred. The remaining CDs continue the story from the 60s into the 70s, covering a large portion of soul music’s Golden Age with 100 tracks by soul’s greatest superstars, live on TV and radio.

Two 24-page booklets written by John Ridley and Nick Duckett set out the historical background and explain some of the technical features that make these beautiful songs the precursors of soul music.

Disc One
1. Sister Mary Nelson - Judgement 
2. Blind Willie Johnson - Lord I Just Can't Keep From Cryin' 
3. Bessie Smith - Moan, You Moaners
4. Mahalia Jackson -Oh, My Lord 
5. Rev R V Gates -This Heart Of Mine  
6. The Wright Brothers - Gospel Train 
7. Ernestine B Washington - If I Could Just Make It In  
8. Georgia Peach   - I’m Waiting For Jesus 
9. Rosetta Tharpe & Marie Knight - Beams Of Heaven
10. Professor J Earle Hines - How Sweet It Is 
11. Sister Mathews - Stand By Me 
12. Cora Martin - There's A Place 
13. Jackson Gospel Singers - Heaven Bound Train 
14. The Dominoes - Do Something For Me 
15. Percy Mayfield - Please Send Me Someone To Love 
16. Dorothy Love Coates - I'm Sealed 
17. The Five Keys - Too Late Baby
18. Little Esther - I'll Be There 
19. Little Miss Cornshucks - Try A Little Tenderness 
20. Ray Charles - Misery In My Heart 
21. Ruth Davis - When He Spoke 
22. Bobby Bland - Crying All Night Long 
23. The Davis Sisters - I'm Tired 
24. Lloyd Price - Lawdy Miss Clawdy 
25. The Soul Stirrers - Just Another Day 
26. The "5" Royales - Baby Don't Do It 
27. Alex Bradford - Too Close To Heaven
28. The Dominoes - I'm Going To Move To The Outskirts 
29. The Pilgrim Travelers - I've Got A New Home

Disc Two
1. Ray Charles -I've Got A Woman
2.  The Caravans - The Angels Keep Watching
3.  The Aladdins - Help Me 
4.  The Swan Silvertones  - Jesus Brought Me 
5.  Little Richard - Directly From My Heart 
6.  B.B. King -  Ten Long Years 
7.  The Diablos -  The Way You Dog Me Around 
8.  Linda Hopkins -  I Can't 
9.  Bobby 'Blue' Bland -  Farther Up The Road 
10. The Ramblers - Don't You Know 
11.  The Soul Stirrers - Be With Me Jesus 
12.  Billy Gayles  - Let's Call It A Day 
13.  Little Willie John - Fever 
14.  The Staple Singers - Uncloudy Day 
15.  James Brown  - Hold My Baby's Hand 
16.  Judy Clay/Drinkard Singers - That's Enough
17.  Gene Phillips  -  Steelin' The Blues
18.  The "5" Royales - Tell The Truth 
19.  Ray Charles - What'd I Say
20.  Betty Everett - I'll Weep No More 
21.  The Highway QC's - Working On The Building 
22.  Sugar Pie De Santo - Going Back Where I Belong 
23.  Barrett Strong - Money 
24.  The Meditation Singers  - My Soul Looks Back 
25.  Ike & Tina Turner - I Idolize You 
26.  Jackie Wilson - Doggin' Around 
27.  The Drapers - Baby, One More Time 
28.  Mable John - Who Wouldn't Love A Man Like That
29.  Al 'TNT' Braggs - Cigarettes And Coffee 

Disc Three
1.  The Sims Twins - Soothe Me 
2.  Etta James - Don't Cry Baby 
3.  Johnny & Jackey - Someday We'll Be Together 
4.  Ernie K-Doe   Waiting At The Station 
5.  Nina Simone - Gin House Blues 
6.  Johnny 'Guitar' Watson - Sweet Lovin' Mama 
7.  Mitty Collier - I Got To Get Away From It All 
8.  Prince La La - She Put The Hurt On Me  
9.  Johnny Adams - A Losing Battle 
10.  Earl King - Trick Bag 
11.  Brenda Holloway - Every Little Bit Hurts 
12.  Chris Kenner - Land Of 1,000 Dances 
13.  Jerry Butler - Make It Easy On Yourself  
14.  Della Reese - Ninety Nine & A Half Won't Do 
15.  Paul Walters - She Put Me Down 
16.  Esther Phillips - No Headstone On My Grave 
17.  Hightower Brothers - Seat In The Kingdom 
18.  Contours - It Must Be Love 
19.  James Brown - I'll Go Crazy 
20.  The Four Rivers - Sooner Or Later 
21.  Impressions - I'm The One Who Loves You 
22.  Little Milton - Losing Hand 
23.  The Falcons - I Found A Love 
24.  Marvin Gaye -Stubborn Kind Of Fellow 
25.  Sam Cooke - Bring It On Home To Me 
26.  Miracles - You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me 
27.  Solomon Burke - If You Need Me 
28.  Tami Lynn - Mojo Hanna
29.  Bobby Parker - It's Too Late Darling

Disc Four
1.  Isley Brothers - Shout 
2.  Jackie Wilson - That's Why (I Love You So) 
3.  Tina Turner - A Fool In Love 
4.  Ben E. King - Stand By Me 
5.  Aretha Franklin - Runnin' Out Of Fools 
6.  Rufus Thomas - Walking The Dog
7.  Mary Wells - My Guy 
8.  Marvin Gaye - Can I Get A Witness 
9.  Booker T & The MG's - Bootleg/Green Onions 
10.  Ketty Lester - Love Letters 
11.  Sam Cooke - Blowing In The Wind 
12.  Ray Charles - Georgia On My Mind 
13.  Brenda Holloway - When I'm Gone 
14.  James Brown - Out Of Sight 
15.  Tommy Tucker -  Hi Heel Sneakers/Long Tall Shorty 
16.  Ronettes -  Be My Baby 
17.  Etta James - Something's Got A Hold On Me 
18.  Barbara Lewis - Baby I'm Yours 
19.  Chuck Jackson - Since I Don't Have You
20.  Dionne Warwick - You Can Have Him 
21.  Betty Harris - Cry To Me  
22.  Johnnie Taylor - Rome Wasn't Built in a Day 
23.  Shirelles - Will You Love Me Tomorrow 
24.  Vibrations - My Girl Sloopy 
25.  Contours - Do You Love Me

Disc Five
1.  Four Tops -Ask The Lonely 
2.  Supremes - Come See About Me 
3.  Evie Sands -Take Me For A Little While 
4.  Jackie Wilson -Baby Workout 
5.  Fontella Bass - Every Day I Have To Cry 
6.  Dobie Gray -The "In" Crowd 
7.  Kim Weston - Take Me In Your Arms 
8.  Temptations - My Girl 
9.  Billy Stewart -Summertime 
10.  Shirley Ellis -The Clapping Song 
11.  Jr. Walker & The All Stars -Shotgun 
12.  Little Anthony & The Imperials -Hurt So Bad 
13.  Joe Tex -Hold What You've Got 
14.  Stevie Wonder -Uptight 
15.  Major Lance - The Monkey Time 
16.  Gene Chandler - (Gonna Be) Good Times 
17.  Dusty Springfield & The Vandellas - I Can't Hear You
18.  Drifters - Under The Boardwalk 
19.  Freddie King -Have You Ever Loved A Woman 
20.  Bettye Swann - The Man That Said No 
21.  Dells -Oh, What A Night 
22.  Ikettes- Camel Walk 
23.  Robert Parker - Barefootin' 
24.  Willie Mitchell - Bootleg 
25.  Sam & Dave - You Don't Know Like I Know

Disc Six
1.  Lou Rawls - Dead End Street 
2.  Ray Charles - I Don't Need No Doctor  
3.  Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman 
4.  Maxine Brown - Oh No Not My Baby 
5.  Garnett Mimms - I'll Take Good Care Of You 
6.  Maurice & The Radiants  - You've Been Cheating
7.  Cleo Randle -The Best Man I Ever Had 
8.  Earl Gaines  - Best Of Luck To You  
9.  Otis Redding - Pain In My Heart
10.   Otis Redding - I Can't Turn You Loose
11.  Barbara Lynn - You'll Lose a Good Thing  
12.  Delfonics - He Don't Really Love You 
13.  Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough 
14.  Carnations - I'm So Glad To Be In Love  
15.  Arthur Conley - Sweet Soul Music
16.  Patti LaBelle  - Over The Rainbow
17.  Percy Sledge  - When A Man Loves A Woman 
18.  Mitty Collier   - My Party
19.  Kelly Brothers -I'm Falling In Love Again  
20.  Rodge Martin -Lovin' Machine 
21.  Gerri Taylor   - Empty Arms And Bitter Tears 
22.  Intruders - (You'd Better) Check Yourself 
23.  Bobby Powell  - It's Getting Late In The Evening 
24.  James Brown - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag

Disc Seven
1.  Nina Simone - Ain't Got No
2.  Lee Dorsey - Get Out Of My Life, Woman 
3.  Four Tops - Reach Out I'll Be There 
4.  Otis Redding - Try A Little Tenderness 
5.  Eddie Floyd - Knock On Wood 
6.  Billy Preston/Ray Charles - Agent Double O-Soul 
7.  Chambers Brothers - People Get Ready 
8.  Gladys Knight  - I Heard It Through The Grapevine 
9.  Meters - Cissy Strut
10.   James Brown - Cold Sweat 
11.  Wilson Pickett - Land Of 1000 Dances 
12.  Ike & Tina Turner - Proud Mary 
13. Joe Tex - Show Me 
14.  Sly & The Family Stone - Dance To The Music 
15.  Sly & The Family Stone - I  Want To Take You Higher
16.  Curtis Mayfield  - Choice Of Colors 
17.  Smokey Robinson - The Tears Of A Clown 
18.  P.P. Arnold - The First Cut Is The Deepest
19.  Mar-Keys - Philly Dog 
20.  Joe Simon - Crying In The Chapel 
21.  Little Milton - We're Gonna Make It 
22.  Stevie Wonder - For Once In My Life 
23.  Aretha Franklin - I Say a Little Prayer 
24.  Jackie Wilson - Higher & Higher 
25.  Isley Brothers - It's Your Thing