CD1
- Lowe Groovin' Joe Morris 2:46
- That Old Black Magic Tiny Grimes 2:39
- Annie Laurie Tiny Grimes 2:59
- Midnight Special Tiny Grimes 2:45
- The Applejack Joe Morris 3:09
- Cole Slaw Frank Culley 3:08
- Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee Stick McGhee 3:15
- So Long Ruth Brown 2:38
- I'll Get Along Somehow Ruth Brown 2:37
- Hey Little Girl Professor Longhair 3:03
- Mardi Gras In New Orleans Professor Longhair 2:52
- Tee Nah Nah Harry Van Walls 2:36
- Danny Boy Al Hibbler 3:13
- Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere Joe Morris 3:03
- Teardrops From My Eyes Ruth Brown 2:53
- One Monkey Don't Stop No Show Stick McGhee 2:40
- Don't You Know I Love You The Clovers 3:14
- Shouldn't I Know The Cardinals 3:11
- The Chill Is On Joe Turner 2:46
- Chains Of Love Joe Turner 3:23
- Fool, Fool, Fool The Clovers 2:34
- One Mint Julep The Clovers 2:29
- Wheel Of Fortune The Cardinals 2:52
- Sweet Sixteen Joe Turner 2:55
- 5-10-15 Hours Ruth Brown 3:12
- Gator's Groove Willis Jackson 2:36
CD2
- Ting-A-Ling The Clovers 3:07
- Daddy Daddy Ruth Brown 2:56
- The Midnight Hour Ray Charles 3:00
- A Beggar For Your Kisses The Diamonds 2:59
- Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean Ruth Brown 2:55
- Good Lovin' The Clovers 2:59
- Wild Wild Young Men Ruth Brown 2:31
- Mess Around Ray Charles 2:40
- Honey Hush Joe Turner 2:40
- Soul On Fire LaVern Baker 3:04
- Money Honey Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters 2:58
- Lovey Dovey The Clovers 2:44
- Such A Night Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters 2:30
- Tipitina Professor Longhair 2:39
- White Christmas Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters 2:39
- Honey Love Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters 2:26
- Whatcha Gonna Do Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters 2:47
- Shake, Rattle And Roll Joe Turner 3:00
- Sh-Boom The Chords 2:25
- Oh What A Dream Ruth Brown 2:55
- Jam Up Tommy Ridgley 2:46
- After The Lights Go Down Low Al Hibbler 2:41
- Tomorrow Night LaVern Baker 3:14
- Tweedlee Dee LaVern Baker 3:10
- I Got A Woman Ray Charles 2:50
- Greenbacks Ray Charles 2:48
CD3
- The Door Is Still Open The Cardinals 3:00
- Flip Flop And Fly Joe Turner 2:48
- A Fool For You Ray Charles 3:01
- This Little Girl Of Mine Ray Charles 2:32
- Play It Fair LaVern Baker 2:57
- Adorable The Drifters 2:42
- Smokey Joe's Cafe The Robins 2:46
- Ruby Baby The Drifters 2:25
- In Paradise The Cookies 2:34
- The Chicken And The Hawk Joe Turner 2:39
- Devil Or Angel The Clovers 2:25
- Drown In My Own Tears Ray Charles 3:21
- Hallelujah, I Love Her So Ray Charles 2:35
- Jim Dandy LaVern Baker 2:13
- Down In Mexico The Coasters 3:16
- Corrine Corrina Joe Turner 2:53
- Treasure of Love Clyde McPhatter 2:10
- Love, Love, Love The Clovers 2:03
- It's Too Late Chuck Willis 2:36
- Lonely Avenue Ray Charles 2:35
- Since I Met You Baby Ivory Joe Hunter 2:44
- Lucky Lips Ruth Brown 2:08
- Without Love (There Is Nothing) Clyde McPhatter 2:57
- Fools Fall In Love The Drifters 2:32
- Midnight Special Train Joe Turner 2:39
- Empty Arms Ivory Joe Hunter 2:42
- C.C.Rider Chuck Willis 2:35
- Searchin' The Coasters 2:40
CD4
- Young Blood The Coasters 2:21
- Mr. Lee The Bobbettes 2:14
- Long Lonely Nights Clyde McPhatter 2:25
- Betty And Dupree Chuck Willis 2:25
- What Am I Livin' For? Chuck Willis 2:28
- Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes Chuck Willis 2:20
- Yakety Yak The Coasters 1:50
- A Lover's Question Clyde McPhatter 2:35
- I Cried A Tear Lavern Baker 2:36
- The Right Time Ray Charles 3:24
- Charlie Brown The Coasters 2:19
- What'd I Say (Parts 1&2) Ray Charles 5:07
- There Goes My Baby The Drifters 2:11
- Along Came Jones The Coasters 2:57
- Let The Good Times Roll Ray Charles 2:52
- Poison Ivy The Coasters 2:42
- Dance With Me The Drifters 2:25
- Just For A Thrill Ray Charles 3:25
- This Magic Moment The Drifters 2:33
- Save The Last Dance For Me The Drifters 2:29
- Shopping For Clothes The Coasters 2:59
- Spanish Harlem Ben E. King 2:59
- Young Boy Blues Ben E. King 2:20
- Stand By Me Ben E. King 3:00
- Gee Whiz Carla Thomas 2:21
- Saved Lavern Baker 2:57
- Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms) Solomon Burke 2:47
CD5
- Little Egypt The Coasters 2:47
- Amor Ben E. King 3:05
- Last Night The Mar-Keys 2:38
- I'm Blue The Ikettes 2:31
- You Don't Miss Your Water William Bell 3:00
- I Found A Love The Falcons 2:58
- Cry To Me Solomon Burke 2:36
- Don't Play That Song (You Lied) Ben E. King 2:49
- Green Onions Booker T. & The MG's 2:54
- Up On The Roof The Drifters 2:37
- See See Rider LaVern Baker 2:28
- I (Who Have Nothing) Ben E. King 2:27
- If You Need Me Solomon Burke 2:33
- These Arms Of Mine Otis Redding 2:31
- Hello Stranger Barbara Lewis 2:41
- On Broadway The Drifters 3:00
- Just One Look Doris Troy 2:30
- Mashed Potatoes Nat Kendricks & The Swans 3:28
- Land Of A 1000 Dances Chris Kenner 2:29
- Walkin' The Dog Rufus Thomas 2:34
- Release Me Esther Phillips 3:18
- Mercy, Mercy Don Covay 2:26
- Under The Boardwalk The Drifters 2:41
- And I love Him Esther Phillips 2:41
- Hold What You've Got Joe Tex 3:07
- Mr. Pitiful Otis Redding 2:42
- Baby I'm Yours Barbara Lewis 2:30
CD6
- Teasin' You Willie Tee 2:46
- Got To Get You Off My Mind Solomon Burke 1:59
- I Want To Do Everything For You Joe Tex 2:11
- I've Been Loving You Too Long Otis Redding 3:14
- A Sweet Woman Like You Joe Tex 2:39
- In The Midnight Hour Wilson Pickett 2:39
- See-Saw Don Covay 3:02
- Respect Otis Redding 2:08
- You Don't Know Like I Know Sam & Dave 2:32
- When A Man Loves A Woman Percy Sledge 2:53
- 634-5789 Wilson Pickett 2:58
- Hold On, I'm Comin' Sam & Dave 2:33
- Cool Jerk The Capitols 2:36
- Neighbor, Neighbor Jimmy Hughes 2:41
- Land Of 1000 Dances Wilson Pickett 2:26
- Knock On Wood Eddie Floyd 3:06
- Try A Little Tenderness Otis Redding 3:50
- Mustang Sally Wilson Pickett 3:07
- When Something Is Wrong With My Baby Sam & Dave 3:18
- Sweet Soul Music Arthur Conley 2:23
- I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You) Aretha Franklin 2:44
- Do Right Woman, Do Right Man Aretha Franklin 3:17
- Show Me Joe Tex 2:57
- Tramp Otis & Carla 3:02
- Funky Broadway Wilson Pickett 2:36
- Hip Hug-Her Booker T. & The MG's 2:25
- Soul Man Sam & Dave 2:37
CD7
- Respect Aretha Franklin 2:27
- (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman Aretha Franklin 2:43
- Soul Finger Bar-Kays 2:22
- Baby I Love You Aretha Franklin 2:40
- Skinny Legs And All Joe Tex 3:12
- Chain Of Fools Aretha Franklin 2:48
- I'm In Love Wilson Pickett 2:31
- Memphis Soul Stew King Curtis 3:00
- Since You've Been Gone Aretha Franklin 2:26
- (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay Otis Redding 2:44
- Tighten Up Archie Bell & The Drells 3:14
- Slip Away Clarence Carter 2:31
- Think Aretha Franklin 2:19
- Too Weak To Fight Clarence Carter 2:18
- Can I Change My Mind Tyrone Davis 2:49
- The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face Roberta Flack 4:21
- Take A Letter, Maria R. B. Greaves 2:44
- Rainy Night In Georgia Brook Benton 3:52
- The Ghetto Donny Hathaway 6:54
- Turn Back The Hands Of Time Tyrone Davis 2:41
- Compared To What Les McCann & Eddie Harris 8:43
- Call Me Aretha Franklin 3:52
CD8
- Don't Play That Song (You Lied) Aretha Franklin 3:00
- Precious Precious Jackie Moore 3:29
- Groove Me King Floyd 3:04
- Patches Clarence Carter 3:13
- Don't Knock My Love (Part 1) Wilson Pickett 2:24
- Funky Nassau Beginning Of The End 5:13
- Thin Line Between Love And Hate Persuaders 3:26
- Rock Steady Aretha Franklin 3:13
- Day Dreamin' Aretha Franklin 4:02
- You've Got A Friend Roberta Flack And Donny Hathaway 3:26
- Clean Up Woman Betty Wright 2:48
- Could It Be I'm Falling In Love The Spinners 4:13
- Killing Me Softly With His Song Roberta Flack 4:49
- Where Is The Love Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway 2:46
- I'll Be Around The Spinners 3:11
- Feel Like Makin' Love Roberta Flack 2:57
- One Of A Kind The Spinners 3:23
- Sideshow Blue Magic 4:11
- Mighty Love The Spinners 4:59
- Love Won't Let Me Wait Major Harris 5:31
Notes
This eight-CD set should be a part of any collection that presumes to take American music — not just rock & roll or rhythm & blues — seriously. Atlantic Records was one of dozens of independent labels started up after the war by neophyte executives and producers, but it was different from most of the others in that the guys who ran it were honest and genuinely loved music. Coupled with a lot of luck and some good judgment, the results trace a good chunk of the history of American music and popular culture. Disc one opens with cuts which slot in somewhere midway between jazz, bop, and "race" music (as the term was used then). Disc two is pure, distilled R&B, the stuff filling the airwaves of black radio and the jukeboxes in the "wrong" parts of town in 1952-54. Surprisingly, the material on Disc three, covering 1955-57, isn't very different in content or character from Disc two, despite the fact that it covers the period when white teenagers were starting to listen to and buy these records in large numbers. It's only with Disc four that one sees the consequences of the late '50s — Ray Charles in his final days with the label, juxtaposed with the Drifters in their post-1958 incarnation and the start of the company's relationship with Stax/Volt Records. Disc six (1965-67) is practically a mini-tribute to Stax/Volt, filled with the best-known sides of Eddie Floyd, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Booker T. & the MG's. Discs seven and eight run from the late '60s and the heyday of Aretha Franklin to some great early-'70s soul, including Roberta Flack and the Spinners. The booklet, with a full sessionography and biographical notes on each artist, would be worth 20 bucks on its own.