Percy Sledge
's fate and fame will forever rest on the shoulders of his massive 1966 hit, the forlorn ballad
"When a Man Loves a Woman."
With its funeral pace and churchy organ, coupled with
Sledge
's pleading, compassionate vocal,
"When a Man Loves a Woman"
is one of the most fascinatingly desperate songs in
pop
history. Although he was one of
Southern soul
's greatest singers,
never got that near the sun again. His take on
Spooner Oldham
and
Dan Penn
's
"It Tears Me Up"
was a great single, though, and his covers of
"Dark End of the Street"
Sam Cooke
"Bring It on Home to Me"
are solid. Unfortunately, only
is included here, and while
is always a fine
country soul
singer no matter what he takes on, this set feels a bit like
K-Tel
covers collection. ~ Steve Leggett