Various Artists
The House of Soul
&
The House of the Blues
This really is a unique collector’s item. Only 30 of these sets were ever produced in the 1960s to promote the catalogue of Conrad Music – part of the ARC Music Corporation in New York. These 30 sets were never intended for sale, so you will probably not find another one of them anywhere. They were produced just to be given to the top record companies in UK with a view to sell the songs for British artists to record themselves as part of the blues and soul mania of the 60s. There had been some startling successes like the Stones’ Little Red Rooster from the ARC stable and the scope for more British interpretations must have seemed immense.
The package includes 4 vinyl LPs with a total of 101 songs. The tracks are quite tightly grooved on the discs – something you never got on a commercial disc. I think it does affect the playing quality a bit – but there’s about 30 minutes on each side and the recordings are Mono. A complete track list of these recordings by the original artists and songwriters is provided below. It is a true glimpse into the 60’s music scene and a slice of Blues/Soul history.
Side 1
Found Love
I’m a Soldier Boy
Blues Get off My Shoulder
Sleepy – instrumental version on LP
Brown/Bryant
Rainbow
Curtis Mayfield
(Crazy Little Mama) At My Front Door
Moore/Abner
Caress Me Baby
Jimmy Reed
Jimmy Reed
Good Night, Well It’s Time To Go
Bracken/Hudson
High & Lonesome
Jimmy Reed
Jimmy Reed
Side 2
Duke of Earl
Here is Why I Love You
Hudson/Cochrane
Baby What’s Wrong
Jimmy Reed
Here I Stand
McShann/Bowman
Hush-Hush
Jimmy Reed
New Leaf
Jimmy Reed
Help Yourself
Jimmy Reed
You are Like the Wind
Dee Clark
Tell Me That You Love Me
Jimmy Reed
Wade Flemons
Side 3
You’re Looking Good
That Time of the Year
Wade Flemons
You Can’t Sit Down
Dee Clark
Where There’s a Will
L Williams
Baby, That’s Love
Up On the Mountain
Montague/Abner
Babe in the Woods
I’ll Be Forever Loving You
Daniels/Arnold
Nite Owl
In Your Heart
Pendleton/Seal/Dand
Crying For My Baby
You Gave Me Peace of Mind
Junior/Funches
Side 4
Pain in My Heart
Junior/Funches
Love Me
Arthur Brooks
Why Do You Have to Go
Allison/Abner
A Fallen Tear
Moore/Abner
Dee Clark
Jimmy Reed
Aw Shucks, Hush Your Mouth
Jimmy Reed
It Hurts Me, Too
Meldon London
Good Lover
Jimmy Reed
I’m Leaving
Send Me Your Pillow
John Lee Hooker
Trouble Blues
John Lee Hooker
She’s Mine
John Lee Hooker
Side 5
Frisco Blues
John Lee Hooker
I Ain’t Got You
Jerry Butler
Jerry Butler
I’m Telling You
Jerry Butler
A Lonely Soldier
Calvin Carter
Find Yourself Another Girl
Jerry Butler
Aware of Love
Jerry Butler
Process
John Lee Hooker
Let’s Make It
John Lee Hooker
When Trouble Calls
Jerry Butler
Close Together
Jimmy Reed
Blues Before Sunrise
John Lee Hooker
Side 6
The Gift of Love
Jerry Butler
Thanks to You
Jerry Butler
Sweet was the Wine
Jerry Butler
I Found a Love
Jerry Butler
Honest I Do
Jimmy Reed
Jimmy Reed
You Got Me Dizzy
Jimmy Reed
Can’t Stand to See You Go
Jimmy Reed
You Don’t Have to Go
Jimmy Reed
John Lee Hooker
Little Wheel
John Lee Hooker
Tupelo
John Lee Hooker
Drug Store Woman
John Lee Hooker
Side 7
John Lee Hooker
Dusty Road
John Lee Hooker
Your Friends
Dee Clark
Going to New York
Jimmy Reed
I Wanna be Loved
Jimmy Reed
Shame, Shame, Shame
Jimmy Reed
Ain’t No Big Deal
Jimmy Reed
There’ll be a Day
Jimmy Reed
Cold & Lonesome
Jimmy Reed
I’m Gonna Help You
Jimmy Reed
I’m Trying to Please You
Jimmy Reed
Goin’ Up Side Your Head
Johnnie Mae Dunson
You’ve Got Me Waiting
Johnnie Mae Dunson
Side 8
I’m Mad Again
John Lee Hooker
Want Ad Blues
John Lee Hooker
Five Long Years
John Lee Hooker
Wednesday Evening Blues
John Lee Hooker
My First Wife Left me
John Lee Hooker
I’m Telling You
??
You’re Looking Good Tonight
John Lee Hooker
Cling A’Ling
Calvin Carter
Let’s Make up
Calvin Carter
Gloria
Dee Clark
