TRANSLATE THIS PAGE into GERMAN | SPANISH | FRENCH | ITALIAN | PORTUGUESE
 HOME |  REGISTER | FORGOTTEN PASSWORD | SEARCH or BROWSE | RECOMMEND | EDIT | LINKS | MOST RECENT
musical taste home
Filter tracks

: download an m3u playlist
2 tracks performed by James Carr have been recommended.
Pouring Water on a Drowning Man  performed by James Carr  1966
Recommended by tinks [profile]

The epitome of deep Southern soul. The pain evident in Carr's voice is absolutely unimaginable.

from the single Pouring Water on a Drowning Man (Goldwax)
available on CD - The Essential James Carr (Razor & Tie)




  04 Apr 03 ·drchilledair: 2001 obits of James Carr appeared in Japanese publications before they did in the U.S. Alas, Carr travelled to Japan in 1979 for a mini-tour and was apparently unable to make it through a single performance due to mental problems. My guess is that he might have been suffering from lifelong undiagonosed autisism. A favorite Carr track of mine is "Gonna Marry My Mother-in-Law," a 1993 Soultrax single wherein he innocently tosses off the rather outrageous proposition that her mother and not his present wife, "has got the kind of love my heart's been longing for." The protagonist then proceeds to offhandedly list in minute detail the wondrous attributes of THIS "two women wrapped up in one." The tension between the reality of such an socially unacceptable action and the insouciant way with which Carr delivers his oratory never fails to crack me up. Extra-categorically, Carr dwells in the pantheon of music greats. Almost like a idiot savant, the enigmatic Carr was totally unexpressive in everyday life situations, but affected a 180 degree change in feeling tone when he opened his mouth to sing.
Forgetting You  performed by James Carr  1966
Recommended by tinks [profile]

The epitome of deep Memphis soul. The hurt evident in Carr's voice is absolutely unimaginable. Carr's story is a strange one. He is best known for recording the original version of the Penn-Moman composition "At the Dark End of the Street", a song which comes as close as possible to being considered a soul "standard", and of course, his version is the one by which all others are measured. His vocal range and intensity is comparable only to Otis Redding and Percy Sledge, and in my opinion, completely surpasses both of them. He suffered from a mental illness that on one hand allowed him to channel pain like few others have ever been able to. On the other, it led to serious instability and crippling stage fright which buried his career before it ever really started. He was also functionally illiterate, but you'd never know it based on the raw emotion he put forth in his recordings. On this song, he pleads with a lover to stay with him so that he won't have to try and forget her. Absolutely heartwrenching stuff. "I've done you wrong/now you are gone/but what can I do?/Don't make me live/the rest of my life/forgetting you."

from You Got My Mind Messed Up (Vivid Sound)
available on CD - The Essential James Carr (Razor & Tie)



 Try a search:
 Recommend your favorite tracks by James Carr

musical taste home

© zarmi 2000-2024
CONTACT | ABOUT