The Staple Singers, the renowned group that fused gospel, country, folk and blues into their own distinctive brand of music, are the subject of a new 4-disc box set, "Faith And Grace: A Family Journey 1953-1976." The collection, which is the first comprehensive, career-spanning overview for the band, is available as the 4-CD deluxe box set, which also includes a 7-inch record of "Faith And Grace" and "These Are They," or digitally.
"My father, Pops Staples, started the group back in 1949 when he became frustrated with his present band members for showing up to rehearsal late (or not at all)," writes Mavis Staples in the box set's foreword. "He sat me and my siblings, Pervis, Cleedi and Yvonne, down on the floor and started to teach us songs. The first one we learned was 'Will the Circle Be Unbroken.' I never thought that that would lead to the career that we've had - singing for Dr. Martin Luther King, Presidents Kennedy, Carter, Clinton and Obama, winning Grammy Awards, being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...and so much more. I still get surprised when I look in the audience at my shows and see all these young people, whole new generations, and they want to hear these songs and what I have to say. And it feels so good. I'm truly blessed."
The two songs on the 7-inch record are the earliest known recordings of The Staple Singers and were made in a friend of Pops Staples' basement in Chicago in 1953 and have never been commercially available in any format besides the roughly 500 copies the band pressed itself on 78 rpm records, according to a press release.
The Staple Singers are known primarily for their well-known 1970s songs "Respect Yourself," "I'll Take You There," "If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)" and "Let's Do It Again."
The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.
Mavis Staples maintains a prolific and critically acclaimed solo career. In 2011, she won her first Grammy Award for Best Americana Album for her 2010 release "You Are Not Alone," produced by Wilco's Jeff Tweedy. She followed that up with 2013's "One True Vine," also produced by Tweedy, and she is set to release "Livin' On A High Note" on Feb. 19. The new album, produced by M. Ward, features songs written for Staples by Nick Cave, Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver), Neko Case and others, according to Pitchfork.
Here is the complete track listing for "Faith And Grace: A Family Journey 1953-1976," on Stax/Concord Music Group:
Disc 1
1. It Rained Children
2. I Just Can't Keep It To Myself
3. Each Day
4. God's Wonderful Love
5. If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again
6. I've Got A New Home
7. Uncloudy Day
8. Come On Up In Glory
9. I Know I Got Religion
10. Swing Down Chariot (Let Me Ride)
11. I Had A Dream
12. Help Me Jesus
13. Low Is The Way
14. This May Be The Last Time [Alternate Take]
15. So Soon
16. I'm So Glad
17. Pray On
18. Good News
19. Downward Road
20. Don't Drive Me Away
Disc 2
1. Will The Circle Be Unbroken
2. Don't Knock
3. Medley: Too Close/I'm On My Way Home/I'm Coming Home/He's Alright [Live]
4. Swing Low
5. Calling Me
6. Stand By Me
7. Hammer And Nails
8. Gloryland
9. Hear My Call, Here
10. Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen
11. New-Born Soul
12. Dying Man's Plea
13. Great Day
14. There Was A Star
15. Use What You Got
16. Let That Liar Alone
17. I Can't Help From Cryin' Sometime
18. Blowin' In The Wind
19. This Land Is Your Land
20. I Know I've Been Changed
Disc 3
1. A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall
2. Masters Of War
3. What Are They Doing (In Heaven Today)
4. Wish I Had Answered [Live At Newport]
5. I'll Fly Away
6. Tell Him What You Want [Stapleton Singers]
7. Be Careful Of The Stones You Throw
8. Samson & Delilah
9. As An Eagle Stirreth Her Nest
10. Freedom Highway
11. Why (Am I Treated So Bad)
12. John Brown
13. Waiting For My Child
14. It's Been A Change
15. For What It's Worth
16. Let's Get Together
17. Crying In The Chapel [Mavis Staples With The Staple Singers]
18. Long Walk To D.C.
19. Got To Be Some Changes
20. Slow Train
Disc 4
1. I See It
2. The Ghetto
3. When Will We Be Paid
4. God Bless The Children
5. The Challenge
6. Brand New Day [Theme From The Motion Picture The Landlord]
7. Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom Boom)
8. I Like The Things About You
9. You're Gonna Make Me Cry
10. Respect Yourself
11. I'll Take You There
12. This World
13. I'm Just Another Soldier
14. Are You Sure
15. If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)
16. Touch A Hand, Make A Friend
17. Back Road Into Town
18. Let's Do It Again
19. The Weight [The Band feat. Staple Singers]
20. Respect Yourself [Demo]
7″ track listing:
Side A
1. Faith and Grace
Side B
1. These Are They
