can't find happiness

In the 1960s and 70s Memphis, Tennessee was the centre of soul music. Stax, Goldwax, Hi and countless other labels ensured that the city is synonymous with the very best music of the era. Ace has released some of the greatest Memphis sounds via our link-ups with both Goldwax and Stax, and now we are pleased to add the incredible Sounds Of Memphis recordings of Barbara Brown and her sisters to the list .

Brown made her first recordings with Chips Moman, released via Stax. By 1966 she had signed for Gene Lucchesi's XL label which had just scored a smash hit with Sam The Sham's 'Wooly Bully'. Gene loved Barbara's voice and, with his partners Stan Kesler and Charles Chalmers, set about recording her. Over the next three years they recorded 13 slices of phenomenal Memphis soul, every bit as good as anything by Otis or James Carr. Our CD contains the eight tracks that were leased out for issue on singles, plus the five that were left in the can. One of these - 'I'm Gonna Start A War' - an uptempo monster - is already going down well at northern soul nights. There was then a hiatus in her career.

Barbara returned the label, by then operating out of their brand new Sounds Of Memphis recording studio, to lay down four more tracks a couple of years later. Although the sound was less raw than the previous recordings, Barbara's impassioned voice is perfectly captured, giving us enough material for a scintillating CD.

The CD features in-depth notes and some amazing photographs, courtesy of the extensive Sounds Of Memphis archive. This CD is the first time that these tracks have been legally reissued. The sound is taken from the original master tapes and is - as you would expect - amazing.

Track listing:

1. CAN'T FIND NO HAPPINESS
2. IT HURTS ME SO MUCH (TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AND TO KNOW I CAN'T TOUCH)
3. IF I CAN'T RUN TO YOU I'LL CRAWL
4. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO WAIT
5. PITY A FOOL
6. BIG PARTY
7. PLENTY OF ROOM
8. I'M GONNA START A WAR
9. YOU DON'T LOVE ME
10. WATCH DOG
11. MAN AROUND THE HOUSE
12. GOT TO BE SOMEBODY
13. THINGS HAVE GONE TO PIECES
14. PLAY THING
15. GREAT BIG THING AKA TILL YOU CAME
16. THERE'S A LOOK ON YOUR FACE
17. IF IT'S GOOD TO YOU (IT'S GOOD FOR YOU)
18. WATCH DOG (ALT)
19. THINGS HAVE GONE TO PIECES
20. IT HURTS ME SO MUCH (TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AND TO KNOW I CAN'T TOUCH) (Alt)