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1971 live album by King Curtis From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Live at Fillmore West is an album by King Curtis, released in 1971. The album showcases the concert he played with his band the Kingpins at the Fillmore West venue in San Francisco in March 1971 who were supporting and backing soul singer Aretha Franklin. A week after its release in August 1971, Curtis was stabbed to death outside his brownstone apartment in New York City.[3]
King Curtis Live at Fillmore West | ||||
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Live album by | ||||
Released | August 1971 | |||
Recorded | March 5–7, 1971 | |||
Label | Atlantic, Rhino | |||
Producer | King Curtis Arif Mardin Jerry Wexler | |||
King Curtis chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
It was reissued on compact disc in the 1990s through Rhino Records and was released in an expanded edition in 2006. In addition it was released as an expanded edition four-CD box set entitled, Don't Fight the Feeling: The Complete Aretha Franklin & King Curtis Live At Fillmore West by Rhino Handmade in 2005, featuring the complete concert by King Curtis and Aretha Franklin.[4] This edition was limited to 5,000 numbered copies.[5]
Recorded at the Fillmore West concert hall, the storied rock venue in San Francisco, over three nights, March 5, 6 and 7 1971,[6] King Curtis and his band the Kingpins were supporting Aretha Franklin as well as playing as her backing band.[7] the album opens with his own composition "Memphis Soul Stew", but the bulk of the album is taken with cover versions of recent rock, soul and country recordings including Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours", Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" and Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe". His version of Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" found renewed fame when used in the opening title sequence of cult British comedy film Withnail and I, although the film is set in 1969, two years before the performance.[8]
Professionally Curtis was having a prolific and successful time in the summer of 1971. Aretha Franklin's Live at Fillmore West album was a huge hit, he had contributed to two tracks on John Lennon's album, Imagine, recorded the theme to the television show Soul Train and had made a highly acclaimed performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival with Champion Jack Dupree. It was in this climate that the album was released in August 1971. A week after its release, Curtis was stabbed to death outside his brownstone apartment in New York City, following an argument with two drug addicts.[3] The day after he died the album peaked at No. 54 on the Billboard 200 album chart, his greatest success as a solo artist.[9] There is a widely held misconception that Curtis was murdered on the night of this live performance.[10] Ralph Brown, in the audio commentary on the DVD issue of Withnail and I, wrongly states that he was shot in the car park after the concert.
Released August 1971
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Memphis Soul Stew" | Curtis Ousley | 7:41 |
2. | "A Whiter Shade of Pale" | Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher | 5:26 |
3. | "Whole Lotta Love" | Willie Dixon, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham | 2:16 |
4. | "I Stand Accused" | Jerry Butler | 6:05 |
5. | "Them Changes" | Buddy Miles | 7:01 |
6. | "Ode to Billie Joe" | Bobbie Gentry | 3:22 |
7. | "Mr. Bojangles" | Jerry Jeff Walker | 4:30 |
8. | "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" | Lee Garrett, Lula Mae Hardaway, Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright | 2:37 |
9. | "Soul Serenade" | Luther Dixon, Curtis Ousley | 5:32 |
Total length: | 44:30 |
Released July 11, 2006, featuring 5 additional tracks.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Memphis Soul Stew" | Curtis Ousley | 7:41 |
2. | "A Whiter Shade of Pale" | Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher | 5:26 |
3. | "Whole Lotta Love" | Led Zeppelin | 2:16 |
4. | "I Stand Accused" | Jerry Butler | 6:05 |
5. | "Them Changes" | Buddy Miles | 7:01 |
6. | "Ode to Billie Joe" | Bobbie Gentry | 3:22 |
7. | "Mr. Bojangles" | Jerry Jeff Walker | 4:30 |
8. | "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" | Lee Garrett, Lula Mae Hardaway, Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright | 2:37 |
9. | "Soul Serenade" | Luther Dixon, Curtis Ousley | 5:32 |
10. | "My Sweet Lord" | George Harrison | 2:33 |
11. | "Them Changes" (alternate take) | Buddy Miles | 5:33 |
12. | "Ode to Billie Joe" (alternate take) | Bobbie Gentry | 4:35 |
13. | "Soul Serenade" (alternate take) | Luther Dixon, Curtis Ousley | 4:51 |
14. | "Memphis Soul Stew" (alternate take) | Curtis Ousley | 5:05 |
Total length: | 67:07 |
4 CD Box-set. Released May 3, 2005 by Rhino Handmade in a limited edition of 5000.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Intro" | |||
2. | "Knock on Wood" | Eddie Floyd, Steve Cropper | The Memphis Horns | |
3. | "Whole Lotta Love" | King Curtis | ||
4. | "Them Changes" | King Curtis | ||
5. | "A Whiter Shade of Pale" | King Curtis | ||
6. | "My Sweet Lord" | Billy Preston | ||
7. | "Ode to Billie Joe" | King Curtis | ||
8. | "Mr Bojangles" | King Curtis | ||
9. | "Soul Serenade" | King Curtis | ||
10. | "Memphis Soul Stew" | King Curtis | ||
11. | "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" | King Curtis | ||
12. | "Respect" | Otis Redding | Aretha Franklin | |
13. | "Call Me" | Aretha Franklin | Aretha Franklin | |
14. | "Mixed-up Girl" | Jimmy Webb | Aretha Franklin | |
15. | "Love the One You're With" | Stephen Stills | Aretha Franklin | |
16. | "Bridge over Troubled Water" | Paul Simon | Aretha Franklin | |
17. | "Eleanor Rigby" | Lennon–McCartney | Aretha Franklin | |
18. | "Make It with You" | David Gates | Aretha Franklin | |
19. | "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" | Ahmet Ertegun, Betty Nelson | Aretha Franklin |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
20. | "Share Your Love with Me" | Alfred Braggs, Deadric Malone | Aretha Franklin | |
21. | "Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business)" | Aretha Franklin, Ted White | Aretha Franklin | |
22. | "Spirit in the Dark" | Aretha Franklin | Aretha Franklin | |
23. | "Spirit in the Dark (reprise)" | Aretha Franklin | ||
24. | "Knock on Wood" | The Memphis Horns | ||
25. | "Them Changes" | King Curtis | ||
26. | "Whole Lotta Love" | King Curtis | ||
27. | "A Whiter Shade of Pale" | King Curtis | ||
28. | "I Stand Accused" | King Curtis | ||
29. | "Soul Serenade" | King Curtis | ||
30. | "Memphis Soul Stew" | King Curtis | ||
31. | "Respect" | Aretha Franklin | ||
32. | "Call Me" | Aretha Franklin | ||
33. | "Love the One You're With" | Aretha Franklin | ||
34. | "Bridge over Troubled Water" | Aretha Franklin |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
35. | "Share Your Love with Me" | Aretha Franklin | ||
36. | "Eleanor Rigby" | Aretha Franklin | ||
37. | "Make It with You" | Aretha Franklin | ||
38. | "You're All I Need to Get By" | Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson | Aretha Franklin | |
39. | "Don't Play That Song" | Aretha Franklin | ||
40. | "Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business)" | Aretha Franklin | ||
41. | "Spirit in the Dark" | Aretha Franklin | ||
42. | "Spirit in the Dark (reprise)" | Aretha Franklin | ||
43. | "Knock on Wood" | The Memphis Horns | ||
44. | "Them Changes" | King Curtis | ||
45. | "A Whiter Shade of Pale" | King Curtis | ||
46. | "Ode to Billie Joe" | King Curtis | ||
47. | "Soul Serenade" | King Curtis | ||
48. | "Memphis Soul Stew" | King Curtis |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
49. | "Respect" | Aretha Franklin | ||
50. | "Call Me" | Aretha Franklin | ||
51. | "Love the One You're With" | Aretha Franklin | ||
52. | "Bridge over Troubled Water" | Aretha Franklin | ||
53. | "Share Your Love with Me" | Aretha Franklin | ||
54. | "Eleanor Rigby" | Aretha Franklin | ||
55. | "Make It with You" | Aretha Franklin | ||
56. | "Don't Play That Song" | Aretha Franklin | ||
57. | "You're All I Need to Get By" | Aretha Franklin | ||
58. | "Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business)" | Aretha Franklin | ||
59. | "Spirit in the Dark" | Aretha Franklin | ||
60. | "Spirit in the Dark (reprise)" | Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles | ||
61. | "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" | Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson | Aretha Franklin |
Chart | Peak position |
---|---|
Billboard 200 | 54 |
Billboard Jazz Albums | 3 |
Billboard Soul albums | 9 |
Title | Chart | Peak position |
---|---|---|
Whole Lotta Love | Billboard Hot 100 | 64 |
Billboard Best Selling Soul singles | 43 | |
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