LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Widely acknowledged as one of the wildest performers of the 1960s, Wayne Cochran’s renowned showmanship never translated into hit records, but his various recordings for the Mercury, Chess and King labels are nevertheless compelling glimpses of the wild style which wowed clubs audiences across the United States in the latter half of the 60s.

The purple period of this outrageously-bouffanted blue-eyed soul man’s career is documented on the first disc of Ace’s 2 CD anthology “Goin’ Back To Miami”, which collects the choicest sides the singer cut in the R&B style in the last half of the 60s, including the regional hits ‘Harlem Shuffle’ and ‘Goin’ Back To Miami’, prime cuts from his eponymous 1968 album, partly recorded at Fame in Muscle Shoals, and a dozen tracks completely new to CD, including several unissued titles.

In 1968, Cochran took his crack outfit the CC Riders into uncharted territory - Las Vegas. Rather than toning down his act, the singer introduced the staid casino showrooms to his version of soul and made enough noise for Elvis Presley to come and take a look. The second disc of this package is an amazing find from the King vaults: a full live-in-the-studio document of Cochran’s Vegas routine, complete with the singer’s funky downhome patter, and CC Rider takes on numerous Stax and Motown items.

Complete with detailed liner notes and plenty of eye-popping illustrations - including photos of Cochran getting his famous “do” worked on - “Goin’ Back To Miami” is the definitive document of this great entertainer’s golden era.

track listing

DISC ONE
1.GOIN' BACK TO MIAMI
2.SOME-A YOUR SWEET LOVE
3.WHICH ONE SHOULD I CHOOSE AKA NO NAME
4.WHEN MY BABY CRIES
5.YOU GOT IT FROM ME
6.GET READY
7.TO MAKE ME A MAN
8.BIG CITY WOMAN
9.THINK
10.YOU CAN'T JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER
11.HARLEM SHUFFLE
12.THE PEAK OF LOVE
13.NO REST FOR THE WICKED
14.I'M IN TROUBLE
15.LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE
16.GET DOWN WITH IT
17.I'M LEAVING IT UP TO YOU
18.SOMEBODY PLEASE
19.HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN
20.UP IN MY MIND
21.LIFE'S LITTLE UPS AND DOWNS (PART TWO)
22.IF IT DON'T FIT, DON'T FORCE IT
23.EVERYBODY
24.LET ME COME WITH YOU (PART ONE)
25.MY MACHINE
26.CHOPPER 70

DISC TWO
1.DANCE TO THE MUSIC
2.SOUL MAN
3.WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY BABY
4.634-5789
5.TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS
6.I CAN'T TURN YOU LOOSE
7.HARD TO HANDLE
8.I WISH IT WOULD RAIN
9.HOLD ON I'M COMIN'
10.FA FA FA FA FA (SAD SONG)
11.(SITTIN' ON) THE DOCK OF THE BAY
12.I'VE BEEN LOVING YOU TOO LONG