# Recommend Some Good Soul Music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 14, 2007, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-soul-music/400134 "2007-04-14T18:50:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-soul-music/400134/1 "2007-04-14T18:50:05Z")
I don’t know enough about the genre to qualify the request…whatever you consider “Soul” is fine. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-soul-music/400134/2 "2007-04-14T18:57:28Z")
I’d start [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_music) for some ideas. If none of the names ring a bell, or if you have a problem with Ray Charles, I can’t be of any help whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-soul-music/400134/3 "2007-04-14T19:50:53Z")
Man. That is a huge order. Prepare for a long, overwhelming, confusing thread. Just plunge and dabble. My personal faves: Aretha, Shuggie Otis, Marvin Gaye, Ann Peebles, Jimmy Scott. Such a tiny drop in such an overflowing bucket. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-soul-music/400134/4 "2007-04-14T21:31:10Z")
Two words: James Brown (it begins here) Two more words: Otis Redding Two more words: Wilson Pickett [Here](http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Stax-Volt-Singles-1959-1968/dp/B000002IQU/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-6669802-6644855?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1176585659&sr=1-1) is a sumptuous banquet. [Here](http://www.amazon.com/Atlantic-Soul-Classics-Various-Artists/dp/B000002LV0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/002-6669802-6644855?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1176586016&sr=1-2) is a nice litlle taste. Not to diss The Supremes, the Four Tops, the Temptations, Smokey Robinson and all the other Motown wonders, but I like my soul southern fried, and that’s what you get with Stax/Volt. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-soul-music/400134/5 "2007-04-14T21:42:04Z")
[QUOTE=Labdad] [Here](http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Stax-Volt-Singles-1959-1968/dp/B000002IQU/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-6669802-6644855?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1176585659&sr=1-1) is a sumptuous banquet. [Here](http://www.amazon.com/Atlantic-Soul-Classics-Various-Artists/dp/B000002LV0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/002-6669802-6644855?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1176586016&sr=1-2) is a nice litlle taste. [/QUOTE] Another strong collection that I’ll recommend: [http://www.amazon.com/Can-You-Dig-Soul-Experience/dp/B00005Q469/ref=pd\_bbs\_2/102-9352175-2760158?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1176586801&sr=1-2](http://www.amazon.com/Can-You-Dig-Soul-Experience/dp/B00005Q469/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-9352175-2760158?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1176586801&sr=1-2) - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-soul-music/400134/6 "2007-04-14T21:56:20Z")
Isaac Hayes is awesome, on top of all the other recommendations. Curtis Mayfield too, but both of those guys are like soul-meets-funk. For some neo-soul that really captures that great retro sound, I highly recommend Amy Winehouse’s recent album _Back To Black_. One of the best new albums I’ve heard in a long time, with fantastic arrangements and very strong, Shirley Bassey-invoking vocals. She might be British, but she has as much soul as anyone from Motown, Memphis, or Mississippi. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2007, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-soul-music/400134/7 "2007-04-14T23:34:15Z")
[QUOTE=Labdad] Two more words: Otis Redding [/QUOTE] Two words to go with them: [Carla Thomas](http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1097176&BAB=E). You can thank me later. ---
**Author:** ![waits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df788c/32.png) [@waits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waits)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2007, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-good-soul-music/400134/8 "2007-04-15T00:16:05Z")
For an excellent primer on the subject, try Peter Guarlnick’s _Sweet Soul Music_. And, as I recall, it has a pretty excellent discography in the end notes.