1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: 54. Sam Cooke – Live At The Harlem Square Club (1965)

Some live soul now, with Sam Cooke giving us some classics such as Chain Gang, Cupid, Twisting The Night Away. It’s a bit of a cheat having it here, because the album wasn’t released until 1985 because, apparently, the studio felt it was too raw and gritty a sound for Cooke’s image.  

It’s kind of raw and gritty in that the recording quality is rough, but that does lend it an authenticity. Cooke does a lot of audience engagement (you have to wince at his comment at the start of “It’s Alright” to “not go hitting your lady”. No, Sam, no you shouldn’t no matter what rumours you hear about her (per the song). Different times, folk. 

I have mixed feelings about live albums overall – they can often be rougher in terms of sound quality, sometimes capture a time and place where if you weren’t there, they lose some impact. On the other hand, with a good performer they can capture the energy and excitement that studio sessions will often iron out. The Jerry Lee Lewis above is one of those. This is somewhere in between – what it gains in immediacy doesn’t always balance out the rougher edges. 

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