Classic Soul Samples

Here's a compilation I've been wanting to put together for a while. Having listened to a lot of hip-hop growing up, I've always been fascinated by the use of sampling, and how looping a few seconds of an original song, speeding and chopping up a breakbeat or a bassline, could create an entirely new song. Of course, most of the best beats created were made using classic soul and Rn'B samples, so I've tried here to pull together a selection of the best original tracks -- that were or were not hits in their time -- hoping you'll say to yourself "Oh, this is where they took that from!" when you play them.

Mostly, these are all excellent stand-alone Soul gems, which just need to be rediscovered.

First come is Joe Cocker's "Woman to woman" from his 1972 album called... "Joe Cocker". Pure funky soul groove, with an instantly recognizable piano & horn riff, borrowed in 1996 by Tupac for his #1 "California Love". This original version is just as much a party bomb as Tupac's... The second track, the Delfonics' "Ready or not, here I come" is also an instant catch. Sheer soulfulness from 1969, which inspired the Fugees to create a groundbreaking hit on their 1996 album "The Score".

The next track is even more grasping. Camille Yarbrough's "Take yo praise" from 1975. A beautiful gospel/spoken word/funk tune sampled by Fatboy Slim in 1998 for his hit "Praise You". Then come Syl Johnson "I hate I walked away", sampled by IAM on the album "L'école du micro d'argent", Ann Peebles "Troubles, heartaches & Sadness" sampled by the Wu Tang. Both Johnson and Peebles recorded on the soul label "HI" in the early 70s, and mostly evolved in Al Green's shadow, as he was the most famous act signed on Hi Records.

Then? Joe Simon. "Before the night is over". Just listen to the opening verse a couple of times and you'll recognize Outkast's "So fresh & so clean". This another HUGE Funky Soul piece, with a thumping bass and great wah guitar licks. Following is Bill Wither's "Grandma's Hand", the opening humming and guitar chords from which were sampled by Dr Dré for Black Street's "No Diggity" in 1996.

Another favorite in the selection is "All your goodies are gone" by Parliament, from the "Up for the downstroke" album. Mystical and spiritual soul funk, with a massively sampled opening break. Just brilliant! ~ And then... you'll need just a couple of seconds to recognize the huge sample taken from the Chi-lites "Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)". MASSIVE boogie soul funk...

Then comes an amazing piece. An legendary bit of jazzy soul, by an obscure soul singer from Milwaukee called Penny Goodwin. Arranged by the genius Richard Evans, with a strong Chicago soul feel. "Soon you're old" starts in a quite mellow mood and picks up at about half time, rising to a jazz funk climax of strings, Fender Rhodes, massive wah guitar and percussions, aerial flute groove and a frantic bass line. Need I say more? Absolute winner track!

Next is "As long as I've got you", from another obscure Soul outfit called the Charmells. The opening piano & drum break was used on the Wu Tang's "C.R.E.A.M.". A classic production by RZA, and one of the defining moments in hip-hop history, if you want my opinion.

Other standout tracks include: "I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You" by Leon Haywood, sampled by Dre on ""Nuthin But A G Thang"; and "Never Gonna Stop" by Linda Clifford sampled by Tupac on "All Eyez on Me"

Tracklist is:

01. Joe Cocker - Woman To Woman, 1972
02. The Delfonics - Ready Or Not, Here I Come, 1969
03. Camille Yarbrough - Take Yo Praise, 1975
04. Syl Johnson - I Hate I Walked Away, 1973
05. Ann Peebles - Trouble, Heartaches & Sadness, 1972
06. Gwen McCrae - I've got nothing to lose, 1976
07. Joe Simon - Before The Night Is Over, 1977
08. Bill Withers - Grandmas Hands, 1971
09. The Detroit Emeralds - Let Me Take You In My Arms, 1972
10. Parliament - All Your Goodies Are Gone, 1974
11. The Chi-Lites Are You My Woman (Tell Me So), 1971
12. Penny Goodwin - Too Soon You're Old, 1974
13. The Charmels - As Long as I've Got You, 1967
14. The Dramatics - In The Rain, 1972
15. Clarence Reid - Living Together Is Keeping Us Apart, 1973
16. Bobby "Blue" Bland - Ain't No Love In The Heart of the, 1974
17. O.V. Wright - Let's Straighten It Out, 1978
18. Leon Haywood - I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You, 1975
19. Linda Clifford - Never gonna stop, 1979
20. The Isley Brothers - Between the Sheets, 1983

Get it here!

Soul Funk Sample Heaven

Here is a welcome welcome gift to the world of Rare Grooves.
These songs have all been picked from albums that every record collector is searching for. Favorites for samplers and hip-hop producers, these tracks have all been sampled numerous times. I'm sure you'll recognize many of these if you have ever listened to an album from Public Enemy, De La Soul, The Beastie Boys or a Tribe Called Quest.

For instance, you'll instantly recognize the Honeydrippers' "Impeach the president", sampled by the entire world (Run DMC, Gang Starr, Ice Cube, EPMD, NWA, the Wu-tang, Shaggy, just to name a few).

Some of these Soul & Funk gems came out to meet little commercial success in their time, and have since been rediscovered and awarded the praise they deserve.

A few examples:

Eugene McDaniel's album "Headless heroes of the Apocalypse" was released in 1971, but because of its angry socially criticism, Atlantic records were asked by Nixon's vice president to stop marketing the album! Still, it was re-discovered by later generations, and The Beastie Boys' "Paul Boutique" and Tribe's "The Low End Theory" albums heavily sample this record.

Syl Johnson used to record for HI Records in Memphis, which was also Al Green's label. He spent most of his career in Al Green's shadow, both commercially and artistically, and had to wait until the early 90's sample craze to be regarded as a classic Soul Front Man. "Different Strokes" is an intense display of Soul - one wonders how it could have been forgotten for almost 20 years until De La Soul sampled it in the song "Magic Number".

Billy Brooks, when he recorded "Windows of the Mind" in 1974, was a obscure session trumpet player from LA, who would record in studio for Ray Charles' band. This album, and the track "40 Days" specifically, have since been sampled by Tribe Called Quest, and many others afterwards, becoming one of the most sought after "Private Funk" records.

Magnum, are an early 70's Funk band that only recorded one album "Fully Loaded" in 74, which went completely unnoticed. Mostly because of the amount of Soul & Funk bands at the time, and because the established getting most of the media attention. 25 years later, they finally were re-issued, after samples from the album had been used in hip-hop production, and the original LP now goes for over $500 on e-Bay...

Lafayette Afro Rock Band were a Soul and Funk outfit, from Long Island, NY - who decided to relocate to Paris, France - given the number of funk groups in the US at the time. They first recorded under the name Ice, and drew a great following in the Barbes neighborhood of Paris. They also backed French popular singers such as Nino Ferrer... The opening sax line of their track "Darkest Light", from the 1975 album "Malik", has been sampled by almost everybody, including Public Enemy, Wreckx'n'Effect and Janet Jackson.

The Mighty Ryeders were a mighty Funk band from Miami, active in the late 70s but not very well known anywhere else. The album came out and sold few, but has been cherished by samplers and collectors ever since... The song "Evil vibrations" has been made legendary by De La Soul's sample in "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays". I've seen this one sell over $1000 on e-Bay, and it's on top of any serious collector's wish list.

24 Carat Black is another example of a recording that completely fell through the cracks. Released in 73 on Stax (also the label of Isaac Hayes & Otis Reading)- the album "Ghetto : Misfortune's Wealth" is a masterpiece. But it only was granted this much respect after the hip-hop community made it theirs through intense sampling.

Some other tracks in this selection are ever rarer, and were never ever released other than on 45rpm singles. Trying to find the tracks from The Chefs, and The fabulous originals is impossible.

The tracklist is:
01. Bob & Earl - Harlem Shuffle, 1963
02. Syl Johnson - Is It Because I'm Black, 1969
03. Al Hirt - Harlem Hendoo, 1967
04.The Chefs - Mr. Machine, 1971
05. Syl Johnson - Different Strokes, 1969
06. Melvin Van Peebles ft. Earth, Wind & Fire - Hoppin' John, 1971
07. Eugene McDaniels - The Lord Is Back, 1971
08. Earth, Wind & Fire - Bad Tune, 1971
09. The Fabulous Originals - It Ain't Fair But It's Fun, 1971
10. Jimmy Castor Bunch - Its Just Begun, 1972
11. Ernie Hines - Our Generation, 1972
12. The Honeydrippers - Impeach the President, 1973
13. 24 Carat Black - Ghetto Misfortune's Wealth, 1973
14. Billy Brooks - Fourty Days, 1974
15. The Heath Brothers - Smiling Billy suite pt 2, 1975
16. Cymande - Brothers on the Slide, 1974
17. Lafayette Afro Rock Band - Darkest Light Band,1975
18. Magnum - Evolution, 1975
19. Travis Biggs - Tibetian Serenity, 1979
20. The Mighty Ryeders - Evil vibrations, 1978


Welcome to the world of rare grooves.

I want to get this compilation of soul & funk gems >>here
No thanks, I'd rather go and buy all the original records because I'm filthy rich >>here