Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Salvation Symphony - Dale Warren, , Wattstax '72 Orchestra
2. Introduction - Jesse Jackson,
3. Lift Every Voice and Sing - Kim Weston
4. Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom-Boom) - The Staple Singers
5. Are You Sure - The Staple Singers
6. I Like the Things About Me - The Staple Singers
7. Respect Yourself - The Staple Singers
8. I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers
9. Pressios Lord, Take My Hand - Deborah Manning
10. Better Get a Move On - Louise McCord
11. Them Hot Pants - Lee Sain
12. Wade in the Water - Little Sonny
13. I Forgot to Be Your Lover - William Bell
14. Explain It to Her Mama - The Temprees
15. I've Been Lonely (For So Long) - Frederick Knight
16. Pin the Tail on the Donkey - The Newcomers
17. Knock on Wood - Eddie Floyd

Disc 2:

1. Peace Be Still - The Emotions
2. Old Time Religion - Golden 13
3. Lying on the Trith - The Rance Allen Group
4. Up Above My Head - The Rance Allen Group
5. Son of Shaft/Feel It - The Bar-Kays,
6. In the Hole - The Bar-Kays,
7. I Can't Turn You Loose - The Bar-Kays,
8. Introduction - David Porter,
9. Ain't That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One) - David Porter
10. Can't See You When I Want To - David Porter
11. Reach out and Touch (Somebody's Hand) - David Porter
12. Niggas - Richard Pryor
13. Arrest/Lineup - Richard Pryor
14. So I Can Love You - The Emotions
15. Group Introduction/Show Me How - The Emotions

Disc 3:

1. Open the Door to Your Heart - Little Milton
2. Backfield in Motion - Mel & Tim
3. Steal Away - Johnnie Taylor
4. Killing Floor - Albert King
5. Pick Up the Pieces - Carla Thomas
6. I Like What You're Doing (To Me) - Carla Thomas
7. B-A-B-Y - Carla Thomas
8. Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes) - Carla Thomas
9. I Have a God Who Loves - Carla Thomas
10. Breakdown - Rufus Thomas
11. Do the Funky Chicken - Rufus Thomas
12. Do the Funky Penguin - Rufus Thomas
13. I Don't Know What This World Is Coming To - The Soul Children
14. Hearsay - The Soul Children
15. Theme from Shaft - Isaac Hayes

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #57558 in Music
• Brand: Dig
• Released on: 2007-08-28
• Number of discs: 3
• Formats: Box set, Extra tracks, Live, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .42 pounds

Amazon.com
Calling this August 1972 concert comprised exclusively of Stax artists "Wattstock" or even the "black Woodstock" pushes the boundaries of the day-long event past its breaking point. But there is no doubt that Wattstax, held in a jittery post-riot Watts atmosphere, was an iconic cultural milestone deserving of a better recorded legacy than the two double albums that initially emerged from it, both of which were surreptitiously padded with studio tracks to enhance the roster. This three-disc, nearly four-hour-long deluxe 35th anniversary edition gets it right--or more right--by excluding the bogus material, adding a over an hour of previously unreleased music, and presenting it in an expanded package that includes a detailed essay by Stax historian Rob Bowman. The show's gospel aspect is further highlighted with plenty of Staple Singers, the amazing Rance Allen Group, and obscure blues harp player Little Sonny ripping into an instrumental version of "Wade in the Water." Comedy snippets from a young Richard Pryor and Jesse Jackson's opening speech, which appeared in the associated film, could have been excised, but nearly entire sets from Carla and Rufus Thomas, the Bar-Kays, and David Porter are worthy additions. Only the ubiquitous "Theme from Shaft" remains from Isaac Hayes's hour-long closing, but his full performance is available separately. The Emotions, Johnny Taylor, Little Milton, and a few others who didn't play the actual festival were recorded at other L.A. venues in the days around the concert, bringing a bit of a spurious element to this otherwise classy souvenir from a historically important and vibrant occasion. --Hal Horowitz