Hank Ballard and The Midnighters were the first professional vocal group young James Brown ever witnessed in person. He vowed one day soon he'd be onstage doing the very same thing. Our retrospective contains everything the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer and his vocal group cut for the Federal and King labels from 1954 to 1962! Five jam-packed discs include unissued gems, alternate takes, unreissued rarities, and a demo version of The Twist as well as the classic hit! It's also featuring all the original hit versions, and comes with comprehensive liner notes from Bill Dahl!
Long before The Temptations, Four Tops, and Spinners made Detroit ground zero for soulful male vocal groups, the city spawned Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, the Motor City's first nationally successful R&B group. Though Hank Ballard could belt the blues with livewire intensity (and does here), Hank Ballard's group was primarily concerned with rocking the house. They were one of the first vocal groups to record with their own band, initially led by blistering Houston guitarist Cal Green, whose solos are frequently mind-boggling.
Never has the recorded legacy of the late Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer been treated with such loving care and respect, and never have he and his group sounded better!
Track Listing
Disc 1:
- I Feel So Blue
- Are You Forgetting
- Get It
- No, It Ain't
- That's It
- Hello Miss Fine
- Someone Like You
- I Feel That-A-Way
- That Woman
- Work With Me Annie
- Work With Me Annie (alt)
- Until I Die
- Give It Up
- Work Baby
- Work Baby (with overdub)
- Sexy Ways
- Don't Say Your Last Goodbye
- Annie Had A Baby
- She's The One
- Annie's Aunt Fannie
- Stingy Little Thing
- Crazy Loving (Stay With Me)
- Tell Them
- Switchie Witchie Titchie
- Switchie Witchie Titchie (alt)
- Why Are We Apart
- Ashamed Of Myself
- Ring A-Ling A-Ling
- Whatsonever You Do
- Don't Ever Change Your Pretty Ways
- We'll Never Meet Again
- Looka Here
- Henry's Got Flat Feet (Can't Dance No More)
- It's Love, Baby (24 Hours A Day)
- Rock And Roll Wedding
- That House On The Hill
- Partners For Life
- Open Up The Back Door
- Sweet Mama, Do Right
- Rock, Granny, Roll
- Tore Up Over You
- Early One Morning
- Let Me Hold Your Hand
- I'll Be Home Someday
- Ooh Bah Baby
- Baby Please
- Come On And Get It
- Ow-Wow-Oo-Wee
- E Basta Cosi
- In The Doorway Crying
- Let 'Em Roll
- What Made You Change Your Mind
- Is Your Love For Real
- Oh So Happy
- Daddy's Little Baby
- Stay By My Side
- The Twist
- I'll Pray For You
- The Twist (with sax overdub)
- Teardrops On Your Letter
- Everybody Does Wrong Some Time
- Kansas City
- Cute Little Ways
- So Good To Be Home
- House With No Windows
- Rain Down Tears
- I'll Keep You Happy
- She's Got A Whole Lot Of Soul
- Sugaree
- Sugaree (alt)
- Young Lady
- Move, Move, Move
- I'm Crying Mercy, Mercy
- Leave That Fat
- I Said I Wouldn't Beg You
- Look At Little Sister
- I Could Love You
- Never Knew
- The Coffee Grind
- Waiting
- Don't Go I Love You
- I Love You, I Love You So-o-o
- I Must Be Crazy
- These Young Girls
- Finger Poppin' Time
- I'm Thinking Of You
- Broadway
- Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go
- I'm Sick Of You
- Keep On Dancing
- Keep On Churnin' (Till The Butter Come)
- Goodbye So Long
- When I Need You
- If You'd Forgive Me
- The Hoochi Coochi Coo
- Mona Lisa
- The Hoochi Coochi Coo (alt)
- Just One More Chance
- Summertime
- I Like To See My Baby
- Let's Go Again (Where We Went Last Night)
- You Ain't Nothing But Fine
- Where Is The Love
- Deep Blue Sea
- I'm So Crazy About You
- I'm Young
- What Is This I See
- I'm Gonna Miss You
- Daddy Rolling Stone
- The Continental Walk
- The Switch-A-Roo
- The Float
- I Belong To You (You're The Keeper Of My Hear
- I Got A Mind To Leave You
- Big Red Sunset
- Big Red Sunset (alt)
- Big Red Sunset (alt 2)
- Can't You See I Need A Friend
- Nothing But Good
- Do You Remember
- Hello Lover, Goodbye Tears
- Miss Twister
- Up And Away (alt)
- Up And Away (with Woody Woodpecker voice)
- Do You Know How To Twist
- Do You Know How To Twist (alt)
- It's Twistin' Time
- Good Twistin' Tonight
- Get Ready
- I Want To Thank You (From The Bottom Of My He
- Your Lovin'
- Dream World
- Excuse Me (I Think I've Got A Heartache)
- Autumn Breeze
- What's Your Name
- I'm Learning
- After School
- Shaky Mae
- Christmas Time For Everybody But Me
- I Love And Care For You
- Santa Claus Is Coming
- Santa Claus Is Coming (alt)
- Love, Oh Love (Where Can You Be)
- Bring Me Your Love
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