I'd Rather Dance With You to I'll Be Faithful

"I'd Rather Dance With You"  Kings Of Convenience  Riot on an Empty Street
"I'd Rather Go Blind"  Beyonce  Cadillac Records Original Soundtrack
"I'd Rather Go Blind"  Etta James  Gold Collection
"I'd Still Choose You"  Al Green  I Can't Stop
"I'd Write A Letter"  Al Green  I Can't Stop
"I'll Always Have Faith In You"  Carla Thomas  The Complete Stax-Volt Singles 1959-1968
"I'll Be Around"  Bobby Bare, Jr.  Live at KEXP, Vol. 1
"I'll Be Around"  Cee-Lo (feat. Timbaland)  Cee-Lo Green  . . .  Is The Soul Machine
"I'll Be Around"  The Spinners  Atlantic Rhythm & Blues  1947-1974
"I'll Be Faithful"  Dusty Springfield  Dusty In Memphis

  Just by coincidence, this set seems to focus on regional labels and sounds - the Chicago blues of Chess/Checker, the Philly soul of The Spinners, Atlanta's "Dirty South," and the Memphis soul of Stax and Hi (Dusty clearly, and intentionally, fits in here).

  I was looking at Hi Records webpage, and it reads like a younger sibling looking for validation.  As the home of Al Green and Ann Peebles, the label certainly does not have to apologize to anyone.  Nonetheless, the history on its website makes constant reference to Stax/Volt and justifies its place in Memphis Soul by comparison to that label.  It name-checks Al Jackson, Jr., Booker T. and The MG's and at one point flatly states that Stax had moved on in the seventies, seeking a broader range of artists, and leaving Hi as "the keeper of the flame for real Memphis soul." 

  The Al Green songs here are both from his 2003 return to the Hi soul sound for Blue Note.  The songs work in the way a good movie sequel works.  They recall the sounds of Green's best early work.  His voice is still amazing - he and Aaron Neville could do an album reading court opinions, and it would be among the best things ever recorded - and the arrangements hearken to "Can't Get Next To You" and "Tired Of Being Alone."    However, like most sequels, ultimately your know that the original work is better.

  Carla Thomas' song here is from just before that alleged departure by Stax from Memphis soul for a broader seventies base, and the growth of Stax as a song-making enterprise by this point is evident.  The house band, the production, and Carla's voice all exude confidence.  Even during the spoken-word interlude in the middle of this ballad (the sort of thing I tend to hate), the keyboard fills are compelling.

  It is hard to call what Beyonce offers here as a cover - at least the same criticisms don't apply.  Since she was portraying Etta James in a biopic about Chess Records, it seems appropriate that she try to do something that was true to the original, as opposed to making something more completely her own - perhaps homage is a better word than cover.  Both Beyonce's  and Etta's live version here demonstrate the singer's powerhouse voices, and Beyonce holds her own quite well.  

   Indeed, there are notably strong vocals throughout this set - Beyonce, Etta, Carla, Dusty, Al Green,and Phillipe Wynne.  The Norwegians bring their harmonies, and Cee-lo and Timbaland's growl through their rap.  Along with Bobby Bare, Jr.'s contribution there is not really a bad song in this set.