I was flipping through records and decided I wanted to make a really good 90 minute mix tape of soul songs, started with classic 70s soul but then got sidetracked down a few pathways. Wasn't sure where to start so I just started recording random tracks to the computer from vinyl, figuring I'd mix and match until I found what tracks and order I wanted then go back and record from vinyl. Well, I just kept going and now have far too many songs than can fit on a tape and I need to make some cuts. Here's where you all come in. I want to take votes on which songs to include on the final mix tape. I didn't record more than one track per artist and just used whichever song I wanted to hear then and there, so no quibbling and I will absolutely not be doing replacement tracks if you liked a different song off the album. Everybody gets 5 votes off the following list, and the top scores by next weekend get on the final mix until it hits 90 minutes.

(If Loving You is Wrong) I Don't Wanna Be Right - Luther Ingram.wav
(Sitting On) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding.wav
A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
All I Could Do Was Cry - Etta James
Back to Black - Amy Winehouse
Backstabbers - The O'Jays
Be My Baby - The Ronettes
Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) - The Delfonics
Doin' The Best I Can - James Brown
Easy - The Commodores
Everybody Plays the Fool - The Main Ingredient
Family Affair - Sly & the Family Stone
Fancy - Bobbie Gentry
Give Up teh Funk (Tear The Roof Off the Sucker) - Parliment
Got a Broken Heart Again - Prince
He Will Break Your Heart - Jerry Butler
Holding Back the Years - Simply Red
Hurt So Bad - Little Anthony & the Imperials
I Like Whay You Do (To Me) - Carla Thomas
I Try - Macy Gray
I Want You - Marvin Gaye
I Wish It Would Rain - The Temptations
I'll Be There - The Spinners
In the Rain - The Dramatics
It's Your Thing - The Isley Brothers
Jammin' - Stevie Wonder
Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack
Le Freak - Chic
Love to Love You - Donna Summer
Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight & the Pips
Never Give You Up - Jerry Butler
Oh Girl - The Chi-Lites
On & On - Erykah Badu
Only the Strong Survive - Elvis Presley
Our Day Will Come - Ruby & the Romantics
Papa Was a Rolling Stone - The Temptations
Reunited - Peaches & Herb
River Deep Mountain High - Ike & Tina Turner
Rock With You - Michael Jackson
Sara Smile - Hall & Oats
Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield
Sukiaki - A Taste of Honey
Sunny - Wilson Pickett
Take Time to Know Her - Percy Sledge
The Cisco Kid - War
The Night Time Is the Right Time - Aretha Franklin
The One Who Realy Loves You - Mary Wells
The Sweetest Taboo - Sade
Time Is Tight - Booker T & the MGs
Who's Loving You - The Miracles
Who's Making Love - Johnnie Taylor
Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirells
Wishing Well - Terrence Trent D'Arby
You're Gonna Make Me Cry - The Staple Singers

Have a couple other places I'll be posting this list so the vinyl mix may reflect more than just the votes from this site. Thanks for the help.

Be My Baby - The Ronettes
Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) - The Delfonics
Oh Girl - The Chi-Lites
Sunny - Wilson Pickett
Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirells

i would've picked sam cooke but that's not my favorite song.

you should add this though.

I Wish It Would Rain - The Temptations
Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight & the Pips
Take Time to Know Her - Percy Sledge
Who's Loving You - The Miracles
Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirells

FYI this box set is great:


http://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-spec ... 0000213705

Everybody gets 5 votes
(Sitting On) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding.wav
A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
Everybody Plays the Fool - The Main Ingredient
Hurt So Bad - Little Anthony & the Imperials
Jammin' - Stevie Wonder

Who's Loving You - The Miracles
River Deep Mountain High - Ike & Tina Turner
Wishing Well - Terrence Trent D'Arby
A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
Be My Baby - The Ronettes


And, if I may make a suggestion that I know that you didn't ask for, this one is one of my favorites:

I am open to adding requests as long as you wanna mail me a copy of the relevant album first.

I don't consider a lot of the songs on the list to be soul. Be My Baby is my all time number one but I don't consider it soul. In any case, here's my 5 soul songs:

Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) - The Delfonics - great, great tune
I Like What You Do (To Me) - Carla Thomas
I Want You - Marvin Gaye - hottest song ever written
Never Give You Up - Jerry Butler - smooth as buttah
Who's Making Love - Johnnie Taylor

also agreeing 100% with the tyrone davis rekkid.

you can't just download the song?

A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
Backstabbers - The O'Jays
Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) - The Delfonics
I Wish It Would Rain - The Temptations
Rock With You - Michael Jackson

Yeah, went off the strictly soul track early on, but not downloading or adding songs, want it to be all vinyl for no particular reason and have enough songs recorded and on the list to pick five you like, or just don't.

Just so you know, if I find another copy of bobby womack's understanding, i'm mailing it to you, but you can't have mine.

Also, you need the reissue of voodoo on vinyl. best purchase i've made this year.

I wouldn't turn down a copy of that. And didn't know Voodoo had been reissued, will probably grab a copy if I see one around.

I also just realized I thought I had already thrown on some IMpressions and/or CUrtis Mayfield. So yeah, left out about my favorite shit. Oh well.

OK, here are the winners in case anyone is interested and a few little notes about things…

The top vote getters with 5 votes each are:
Papa was a Rolling Stone – The Temptations
Love To Love You – Donna Summer
Who’s Making Love – Johnny Taylor

Next tier, with four votes each:
I Try-Macy Gray
In the Rain - The Dramatics
Sunny - Wilson Pickett
(Sitting On) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
Didn't I Blow Your Mind - The Delfonics
Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight & the Pips
Give Up the Funk (Tear The Roof Off the Sucker) - Parliament
Back to Black - Amy Winehouse

Next up, with three votes each:
The Cisco Kid - War
Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack
A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
Le Freak - Chic
Time Is Tight - Booker T & the MGs
Family Affair - Sly & the family Stone
I Want You - Marvin Gaye
River Deep, Mountain High - Ike & Tina
Take Time to Know Her - Percy Sledge
Fancy - Bobbie Gentry
Jammin' - Stevie Wonder
Everybody Plays the Fool - Main Ingredient
Be my baby - The Ronettes

And that’s it for the winners. If I stick to those groupings, I can fit it all on a 110 minute tape, several of which I have. I thought I was gonna be able to keep it under 90, but the last couple days got some stragglers voting and put things over the top. Rather than cut tracks, I’m going with 110 minute tapes so I can keep all that got 3 or more votes.

Just an FYI, the following all got 2 votes:
The Night Time Is the Right Time - Aretha Franklin
Holding Back the Years - Simply Red
Wishing Well - Terrence Trent D'Arby
Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirelles
I Like What You Do to Me - Carla Thomas
Who's Loving You - The Miracles
If Loving You Is Wrong I Don't Wanna Be Right - Luther Ingram
It's Your Thing - Isley Brothers
Oh Girl - The Chi Lites
I'll Be There - The Spinners
Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield
Easy - The Commodores
Sara Smile - Hall & Oats

And, these all got a single vote:
Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack
Our Day Will Come - Ruby & the Romantics
Doin' The Best I Can - James Brown
He Will Break Your Heart - Jerry Butler
On & On - Erykah Badu
The Sweetest Tabu - Sade
Back Stabbers - The Ojays
I Wish it Would Rain - Temptations
Hurt So Bad - Little Anthony
Never Give You Up - Jerry Butler


All in all, of 54 songs, 47 got votes and things were pretty spread out, shows the diversity of opinions around. I was surprised to see the Donna Summer track come out at the top. Also, I was surprised that Fancy, the song furthest removed from really being a soul song in my estimation, made the cut. I put that in there on a lark after recording Son of a Preacher Man and being reminded of it. I was also a bit surprised Dusty didn’t score higher. I realized I had accidentally kept two Temptations and two Jerry Butler songs on there even though I meant to only use one each. The Temptations overcame, but not so much Jerry Butler, which is a shame; I was rooting for the Ice Man. And I almost left Temptations track off the list since I only have the 12 minute album version and that kind of eats up time, but I do love that tune and it definitely stays. I was surprised James Brown didn’t fare better, probably would have if I’d picked a more popular track. Pleasantly surprised how well Macy Gray scored. And, while I know we can easily argue over what should or shouldn’t be included in this random list, I was disappointed when I realized I hadn’t recorded any Curtis Mayfield or Impressions as that’s some of my favorite stuff. I think I just assumed I had and then forgot to check. Probably my biggest disappointment was the relatively poor performance of James Ingram, I love the heck outta that song. Carla Thomas another favorite that didn’t make the cut.

Anyway, thanks for the help, was a fun little game and all. And if anyone wants a copy of the tape, PM me with your mailing address and I’ll try to get ‘em out ASAP, although I’m not sure how long it will take so no deadlines given.


Thanks for playing.