Shake What You Brought! SSS Soul Collection

Shelby Singleton was a longtime record man in the Deep South who, after years of working A&R for Mercury Records, decided to strike out on his own with the SSS International Label in 1967. While Singleton released all sorts of music (and later enjoyed his greatest success taking over the legendary Sun label from Sam Phillips), SSS International was responsible for some great Southern soul sides, and this collection from Sundazed features 20 top tunes from the label's vaults. Singleton seemed to be the kind of guy who loved a hook or a gimmick, and more than a few of the tunes here have some narrative twist or funny lyrical conceit going on, including Mickey Murray's "Sticky Sue" and "Hit Record," "Soul Butter" from Johnny Barfield & the Men of S.O.U.L., Clifford Curry's "Soul Ranger," and the wacky "I Wanna Make Her Love Me Till the Cows Come Home" from Jake Porter. Thankfully, Singleton's staff of producers knew enough to fix these funny tunes up with sharp arrangements and emphatic performances from top-self session men, and the dance grooves "The Hiccup" by Robert Parker and Mr. Jamo's "Shake What You Brought With You, Pt. 1" are even stronger. While Bettye LaVette, Wilbert Harrison, and Johnny Adams all did more memorable work elsewhere, their selections here show that they cut fine sides for SSS, and while this doesn't rack up as many undiscovered classics as Sundazed's concurrent collection of rarities from Singleton's Silver Fox imprint, this is still great listening for aficionados of Southern soul. ~ Mark Deming