This 4 CD bookset is essential to fans of Sam Cooke, despite the fact that it contains none of his gospel recordings or any of the work from the final year of his career. Scattered every few minutes across this four-disc collection are reminders of just how far ahead of all existing musical forms Cooke was, creating sounds that stretched the definitions of song genres as they were understood and created completely new categories. Indeed, he was so successful that it's easy to underestimate the impact and importance of many of his early triumphs. "You Send Me," which opens this set, may seem today like the safest, tamest pop music, but in 1957 it was a genre-bending single, a new kind of R&B/pop music hybrid and one that quietly shook the foundations of the music business when it hit number one. In addition to his world-famous own compositions "You Send Me," "Only Sixteen," "Cupid," "Wonderful World", he also sang songs by Gershwin (Summertime), Willie Dixon (Little Red Rooster) and Jimmie Cox (Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out). The development of Cooke's writing and singing and his growing confidence and range culminate. Disc 4 is the Night Beat album and Cooke's live performance from the Harlem Square Club. The sound is extraordinary throughout, expansive, rich-textured, and vividly detailed.

Track List

1. You Send Me
2. Summertime (Pt. 1)
3. For Sentimental Reasons
4. Desire Me
5. Lonely Island
6. You Were Made For Me
7. Win Your Love For Me
8. Love You Most Of All
9. Everybody Loves To Cha Cha Cha
10. No One Can Take Your Place
11. Only Sixteen
12. With You
13. Crazy She Calls Me
14. I Got A Right To Sing The Blues
15. Comes Love
16. Ain't Nobody's Business
17. Little Things You Do
18. There I've Said It Again
19. When I Fall In Love
20. Let's Go Steady Again
21. (What A) Wonderful World
22. Chain Gang
23. I Belong To Your Heart
24. Teenage Sonata
25. Love Me
26. Sad Mood
27. If I Had You (I'd Be Happy)
28. You Belong To Me
29. Sad Mood
30. Tenderness
31. That's It - I Quit - I'm Movin' On
32. Hold On
33. Cupid
34. Tenderness
35. Don't Get Around Much Any More
36. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
37. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
38. Trouble In Mind
39. Out In The Cold Again
40. Exactly Like You
41. Since I Met You Baby
42. I'm Just a Lucky So and So
43. But Not For Me
44. You're Always On My Mind
45. (Don't Fight It) Feel It
46. It's All Right
47. Twistin' the Night Away
48. One More Time
49. Don't Cry On My Shoulder
50. Somebody's Gonna Miss Me
51. Somebody Have Mercy
52. Sugar Dumpling (Original Version)
53. Nothin' Can Change This Love - Alternate Version
54. Talkin' Trash
55. Movin' and Groovin'
56. Soothe Me
57. Having a Party
58. Bring It On Home to Me
59. A Whole Lotta Woman
60. I'm Gonna Forget About You
61. Nothin' Can Change This Love
62. Baby Baby Baby
63. Send Me Some Lovin'
64. All the Way
65. Smoke Rings
66. I Wish You Love
67. Driftin' Blues
68. Little Girl
69. Cry Me A River
70. These Foolish Things
71. Frankie And Johnnie
72. I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More
73. Another Saturday Night
74. Love Will Find A Way
75. Cool Train
76. Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen
77. Lost and Lookin'
78. Mean Old World
79. Please Don't Drive Me Away
80. I Lost Everything
81. Get Yourself Another Fool
82. Little Red Rooster
83. Laughin' and Clownin'
84. Trouble Blues
85. You Gotta Move
86. Fool's Paradise
87. Shake Rattle And Roll
88. Intro/(Don't Fight It) Feel It
89. Chain Gang
90. Cupid
91. It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons
92. Twistin' The Night Away
93. Somebody Have Mercy
94. Bring It On Home To Me
95. Nothin' Can Change This Love
96. Having A Party

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