In the 1960s,
Lelan Rogers
ran one of America's most crazed
psychedelic
labels, the Texas-based
International Artists Records
(any outfit that can dig up
the 13th Floor Elevators
,
the Red Krayola
, and
the Bubble Puppy
is obviously in touch with their lysergic nature), but his next venture, the lesser-known
Silver Fox Records
imprint, found
Rogers
embracing his love of
soul
music. Between 1968 and 1970,
Silver Fox
(which
operated with
Shelby Singleton
, best known as the man who took over
Sun Records
from
Sam Phillips
) released a handful of superb
and
R&B
sides, and the cream of their output is collected on this fine compilation.
's strongest suit was giving veteran acts a chance to strut their stuff doing something new, and
My Goodness, Yes!
includes some excellent sides from
Hank Ballard
(delivering a superb
deep soul
reading of
Kris Kristofferson
's
"Sunday Morning Coming Down"
),
"Big" Al Downing
(the tough and funky
"Cornbread Row"
Robert Parker
(a New Orleans-flavored reading of
Allen Toussaint
"You See Me"
), and
Bettye Lavette
(sounding quite sassy on
"Games People Play"
"Do Your Duty"
). Elsewhere, you get an oddly proud paean to infidelity in
Willie Hobbs
"Love 'Em and Leave 'Em,"
Marilyn Haywood
's tribute to her own womanly charms
"Mama's Baby (Ain't a Baby No More),"
the topical but still powerful
"Cryin' in the Streets"
George Perkins & the Silver Stars
, a high-gloss cover of
"Pledging My Love"
by
Laura Greene
Johnny McKinnis
, and lots more. Anyone with a taste for classic
Southern soul
will find a lot to like in
; these 20 minor hits and lost classics show
Singleton
had an ear for a good song and a good singer, and the quality packaging and remastering shows these tracks the respect they deserve. ~ Mark Deming