Soul Album
Although Redding was a great songwriter (he gave usAretha's "Respect" and Arthur Conley's "Sweet Soul Music"--'nuff said), he partially made a reputation for himself as a great interpreter of other people's material, ranging fromBeatlesandStonescovers to "Louie Louie" to standards like "Try a Little Tenderness," which had originally been a hit forBing Crosby. And unlike other soul artists of the time, including the greatJackie Wilson, Redding--with the help, of course, of guitarist Steve Cropper, bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn, and drummer Al Jackson--could take even schlock, at least in R&B; terms (i.e., "The Tennessee Waltz"), and transcend it, making it his own. Otis makes all 11 tracks here his own--not that any of them were ever considered schlock. But many, includingSam Cooke's "Chain Gang," Roy Head's "Treat Her Right," andWilson Pickett's "634-5789," were closely associated with their originators. Redding's cover ofSmokey Robinson's "Scratch My Back" is so awesome that it makes you forget the Miracles' original.The Soul Albumis sometimes underrated because it's a covers album--but it's a classic covers album, nevertheless.--Bill Holdship