Sam & Dave: “Soul Man Explosion: The Nashville Sessions” (2023) CD Review

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the soul duo Sam & Dave re-recorded many of their hits as well as some covers, those tracks then released on Soul Study Vol. 1, Soul Study Vol. 2, The Original Soul Man, and The Nashville Soul Sessions. Now we are getting a new look at some of this material with the release of Soul Man Explosion: The Nashville Sessions, an album that features new mixes by Jürgen Engler as well as new backing tracks to the original vocal recordings of Sam Moore and Dave Prater. Steve Cropper (whom you hear addressed in the original version of “Soul Man” – “Play it, Steve”) plays a new guitar part on this album’s version of that big hit. And in fact, there are two versions of the song on this album. This album also features The Courettes on “Hold On, I’m Comin’.”

The album opens with the duo’s biggest hit, “Soul Man,” featuring Steve Cropper on guitar. The song begins just the way you expect it to. It is after that first chorus that we hear a difference, and it is in that vocal line, which isn’t quite as strong as the original. But basically, this rendition is what you remember. And it such a great song. Then The Courettes back Sam & Dave on this recording of “Hold On, I’m Comin’.” Flavia Couri plays guitar, bass, 12-string guitar, and piano, and adds some backing vocals; Martin Couri plays drums, tambourine, shakers, timpani and bells. Soren Christensen adds work on organ. This is fairly loud, full version, coming on strong, which of course works well with the title line. “Hold on,” indeed, because this track rocks. The added backing vocal work is perhaps the most interesting aspect of this version, as they echo some of the lyrics, such as “when times are bad.”

Brian Auger adds some very cool work on organ to this album’s version of “I Thank You,” a song that was another big hit for the duo. I really like this version. I liked it on The Nashville Soul Sessions, and the addition of that organ works quite well, fitting in perfectly. This is a fun track, a lively rendition with a delicious energy. Then we get the album’s first cover, “Gimme Some Lovin’,” a song originally done by The Spencer Davis Group, and one that the Grateful Dead played the first time I saw them in concert. Sam & Dave do a good job with it. This version is a second or two shorter than the version on The Nashville Soul Sessions, fading out just a moment earlier. That’s followed by “You Don’t Know Like I Know,” a song written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, one that Sam & Dave included on their Hold On, I’m Comin’ album. “And everything is all right,” they sing, and I believe them.

They also give us a cover of Sam Cooke’s “Wonderful World,” here titled “(What A) Wonderful World.” It’s an interesting rendition. Each line begins with a strong vocal performance and ends more softly. This recording is markedly different from that on The Nashville Soul Sessions. That vocal intro is cut, and it has a sound much more like that on the original Sam Cooke version. It has a rather sudden ending. We then get a second version of “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” this version without The Courettes. So if, for whatever reason, you don’t like what they added to the song, you can enjoy this version. That’s followed by a version of “Soul Sister, Brown Sugar” that has a delicious energy, and then by another Sam Cooke song, “Another Saturday Night.” This is a song that was also a hit for Cat Stevens. Sam & Dave offer a fun rendition.

“Said I Wasn’t Gonna Tell Nobody” is a song Sam & Duo released as a single in 1966, and revisited on The Nashville Soul Sessions. This track has a great energy, and is one of my favorites. The closing section is a bit shorter here than that on The Nashville Soul Sessions. “Can’t You Find Another Way (Of Doing It)” was also released as a single by Sam & Dave in the 1960s, and is another fun track. This album’s version of “Summertime” has a different introduction than the version on The Nashville Soul Sessions, and I prefer this new rendition. It has a darker vibe, which is wonderful. This is a really good rendition, Sam & Dave proving again that you can never go wrong with Gershwin. It is another of the disc’s best tracks. This disc concludes where it began, with the duo’s biggest hit, “Soul Man.” This second version is an instrumental track, featuring Steve Cropper’s guitar work.

CD Track List

1. Soul Man
2. Hold On, I’m Comin’
3. I Thank You
4. Gimme Some Lovin’
5. You Don’t Know Like I Know
6. (What A) Wonderful World
7. Hold On, I’m Comin’
8. Soul Sister, Brown Sugar
9. Another Saturday Night
10. Said I Wasn’t Gonna Tell Nobody
11. Can’t You Find Another Way (Of Doing It)
12. Summertime
13. Soul Man (instrumental)

Soul Man Explosion: The Nashville Sessions is scheduled to be released on April 28, 2023 on Goldenlane Records.