Two monumental hits, cut at 45 on 180-gram vinyl.
“I’ll Take You There” (Side 1)
A beautiful and now instantly-recognizable call-and-response chorus that scored a smash Number One hit on the Billboard charts of 1972. The backing instrumentation is simple with almost no changes. Atop that rock-solid foundation, we’re taken “there” with, “I know a place/Ain’t nobody crying/Ain’t nobody worried/Ain’t no smiling faces/Lying to the races/Help me (backing vocals: “I’ll take you there).”
“Respect Yourself” (Side 2)
The Staple Singers’ 1972 hit that rose to Number Two on the Billboard charts, and, along with “I’ll Take You There,” affirmed this Chicago group as stars of the soul and pop worlds. The song begins with a blues-tinged electric piano introduction and then builds to a crescendo full of inspiration. Pops Staples begins the lyrics with, “If you disrespect anyone that you’re running to/How in the world do you think anybody’s supposed to respect you/If you don’t give a heck about the man with the Bible in his hand/Just get out the way and let the gentleman do his thing.” Pops’ daughter Mavis, an absolute vocal giant, then takes over the vocals with, “If you’re walking ‘round thinking that the world owes you something ‘cause you’re here/You’re going out the world backwards like you did when you first come here/You curse around women but you don’t even know their name/Then you’re dumb enough to think it’ll make you a big ol’ man.”
“I’ll Take You There” (Side 1)
A beautiful and now instantly-recognizable call-and-response chorus that scored a smash Number One hit on the Billboard charts of 1972. The backing instrumentation is simple with almost no changes. Atop that rock-solid foundation, we’re taken “there” with, “I know a place/Ain’t nobody crying/Ain’t nobody worried/Ain’t no smiling faces/Lying to the races/Help me (backing vocals: “I’ll take you there).”
“Respect Yourself” (Side 2)
The Staple Singers’ 1972 hit that rose to Number Two on the Billboard charts, and, along with “I’ll Take You There,” affirmed this Chicago group as stars of the soul and pop worlds. The song begins with a blues-tinged electric piano introduction and then builds to a crescendo full of inspiration. Pops Staples begins the lyrics with, “If you disrespect anyone that you’re running to/How in the world do you think anybody’s supposed to respect you/If you don’t give a heck about the man with the Bible in his hand/Just get out the way and let the gentleman do his thing.” Pops’ daughter Mavis, an absolute vocal giant, then takes over the vocals with, “If you’re walking ‘round thinking that the world owes you something ‘cause you’re here/You’re going out the world backwards like you did when you first come here/You curse around women but you don’t even know their name/Then you’re dumb enough to think it’ll make you a big ol’ man.”
