Arthur Conley - Sweet Soul Music (live 1967)

Conley was born in McIntosh County, Georgia and grew up in Atlanta. He first recorded in 1959 as the lead singer of Arthur & the Corvets. With this group, he released three singles in 1963 and 1964 ("Poor Girl", "I Believe", and "Flossie Mae") on the Atlanta based record label, National Recording Company.

In 1964, he moved to a new label (Baltimore's Ru-Jac Records) and released "I'm a Lonely Stranger". When Otis Redding heard this, he asked Conley to record a new version, which was released on Redding's own fledgling label Jotis Records, as only its second release.[citation needed] Conley met Redding in 1967, but after this meeting Redding took Conley under his care, and taught him the finer points of the music industry. Together they re-wrote the Sam Cooke song "Yeah Man" into "Sweet Soul Music", which, at Redding's insistence, was released on the Atco-distributed label Fame Records, and was recorded at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. It proved to be a massive hit, going to the number two position on the U.S. charts and the Top Ten across much of Europe. "Sweet Soul Music" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

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Music

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• soul stax Arthur Conley

[eubank12]

This is Arthur Conley, not Sam or Dave.

[tonyhellfinger]

@eubank12

Thnx, changed it including bio. Never knew Arthur Conley lived and died only 50 miles from my home!

[bigyetter]

As a white person, I'm embarrassed by the audience's lack of rocking out.

[FlysAtNightWoman]

With all that talent blasting through that concert, I have to ask--WHAT THE HELL WAS WRONG WITH THAT CROWD????? No RHYTHM? Racism issues? Then why were they even there if they couldn't appreciate great music?  It's a disgrace how musicians of color had to go through such insults while giving such spectacular performances as this back in those days! Honestly, it's sickening.

[RonWesterbeek]

Great pioneer-work way back then; interesting to see how the audience was flabbergasted by Arthur's energy. We have to realize that this happening occurred in the time just before the sixties. (Some years later the Rolling Stones managed to get the Dutch audience up and dancing on their seats, remember ?)

[mheslop]

Must admit, this is one of my favourite memories/songs. Walking into a rocking club in Oxford, this blasting out. It was 2002. I could have sworn it was a new song.

Similarly, I looked at the audience, and wondered, how the HELL do they stay seated? It should be pandemonium! To be fair to 1967, perhaps i) they were told to sit the hell down, because it was being recorded, or, ii) this was the height of respect at that time?

Either way, i'm amazed how fresh this sounds. Whitney Hou?

[TheWorfster]

He sold the hell out of that one... great song.. dead audience... Sigh.

[mrkeith2039]

I just did a remix of this classic song for next project, its on my youtube page....stop by and check it out....I respect all opinions

[amycobain27]

this audience... they have no idea how lucky they were...

[smokeyvelvet42]

@bigyetter I agree whole heartedly with you, they are absolutely disgusting to say the least. Arthur should have thrown the microphone at them before rigormortis sets in.

[smokeyvelvet42]

LOOK AT THAT DISGUSTING AUDIENCE THEY ARE PATHETIC !!! PEOPLE THIS IS SOUL, AND THEY SIT THERE LIKE THEY ARE AT A FUNERAL. ARE THE PARALYIZED FROM THE WAIST DOWN OR SOMETHING ? HOW DISGRACEFUL, NO FEELING WHAT SO EVER !!

[pbar1000]

Next to a couple Beatles videos on YouTube, this is the best on in my opinion. It's live, it's excellent quality, and it's Art.

[pbar1000]

Thumbs up if you remember this was the song for Viceroy cigarettes on TV?