1. AS LEAD SINGER OF THE FALCONS: I Found A Love (2:56) - This slow, 12/8 song features horns, a piano, and guitars, as do many songs throughout this anthology. You have turn the volume up a bit to hear this one, and tape hiss can be heard clearly. The title is about all that's needed to explain this song. Near the end of the song, the narrator says he'll call his new lover "in the midnight hour," a phrase that will reappear later.
2. Let Me Be Your Boy (2:46) - This song, somewhat faster than moderate, features violins. Women sing behind Wilson on this song and on many subsequent songs. The narrator apologizes to the girl for the trouble he caused her and begs her to let him back into her heart.
3. If You Need Me (2:34) - This and the next song are both slow, in 12/8 time. The narrator tells his girlfriend to call him at home whenever she needs him. From 1:25 to about the 2-minute mark, Wilson has a speaking part, in which the narrator tells his girlfriend that despite people's beliefs that she will leave him someday, he has been his best to her and is sure that she will one day knock on his door and tell him she loves him.
4. It's Too Late (3:07) - The narrator in this song tells the second person that his girlfriend has left him, and it's too late for him to cry or do anything else. This song has a speaking part, too.
5. I'm Gonna Cry (Cry Baby) (2:19) - In this moderately fast song, the backup singers sing a dialogue with Wilson. The women ask Wilson's character, "If you knew she didn't love you, why did you kiss her lips? If you knew she didn't love you, why didn't you resist?" The narrator responds that he was desperate for a girl to whom he could give love, and such a girl is hard to find. The narrator originally thought he could love the girl for a short time and then forget her. Instead, he feels so bad that he's gonna cry.
6. Come Home Baby (with Tammi Lynn) (2:34) - A tambourine plays on every beat of this moderately slow song. Tammi mostly sings the title several times during the chorus. The narrator realizes how badly he used to treat his girlfriend and resolves to treat her better from now on. He needs her love so badly that he begs her to come home.
7. In The Midnight Hour (2:32) - This moderate-tempoed song was Wilson's first hit. The narrator will wait till the midnight hour, when no one is around except him and his girlfriend. Then the love will start shining in them, and he will kiss and hold her tight.
8. Don't Fight It (unedited single master) * (2:31) - This song is slightly faster than the previous one. The narrator tells the girl not to sit by herself when everyone else is dancing. Instead of fighting the strong vibration in the room, she should "feel it," as the women sing. I've never heard the edit that WAS previously released, so I don't know whether the song was trimmed a bit, or some portion was repeated to extend the length. In any case, I like this song.
9. I'm Not Tired (2:45) - The horn intro in this slow song reminds me of that in Sam Cooke's "Meet Me At Mary's Place." Whenever the girl leaves the narrator, he will follow. Whenever she takes one step, he'll take two. He wants to prove to her that he loves her, that he's not tired of loving her.
10. That's A Man's Way (2:20) - In this slow, 12/8 song, the narrator tells his girlfriend that actions such as buying her fancy items and telephoning her frequently may bother her sometimes, but they're "a man's way."
11. 634-5789 (Soulsville, USA) (2:57) - This song has a moderately slow swing tempo. The drums accent the second and fourth beats of each measure. The narrator tells his girlfriend that whenever she needs hugs and kisses from him, all she has to do is call him; he even gives her the number! I wonder if this song was inspired by the Marvelettes' hit "Beechwood 4-5789," since the titles are so similar. Apparently it was during the 60s that the phone system changed from 5-digit numbers to 7-digit numbers (excluding area codes, of course).
12. 99 1/2 (Won't Do) (2:40) - The tempo is moderate. Again, the even-numbered beats are accented. The narrator tells his girlfriend that he has to have 100 percent of her love all the time. Creedence Clearwater Revival's version of this song has an uncanny resemblance to this version.
13. Land Of 1000 Dances (2:24) - Wilson starts this fast song by counting to 3 a couple of times. In the first verse, the horns play between lines in a way that reminds me of the Batman theme. The narrator encourages the girl to do all the dances mentioned in this song. What I like best in this song is when Wilson sings "Na, na na na na..." over a drum solo.
14. Mustang Sally (3:05) - Besides horns, my favorite Wilson Pickett song has a moderate tempo and features an organ. The narrator bought a new Mustang for Sally, but now she roams around town in it and refuses to let him ride with her. He decides that he must "put [her] flat feet on the ground." I don't know how he'll do it, though--take away her keys, perhaps?
15. Three-Time Loser (2:21) - This song has a moderate swing tempo. Having lost love three times, the narrator wonders how many hours he must wait and how many heartaches he must suffer before he can find a true, lasting love.
16. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (2:18) - The tempo is fast, with a tambourine playing on every even-numbered beat. A friend of the narrator's once told him that everyone needs a lover; he passes it on to the girl to whom he is singing, and HE needs HER.
17. Soul Dance #3 (2:40) - The tempo is moderate. A brief saxophone solo appears in the middle of the song. Actually, the narrator is demonstrating all three soul dances. Dance #1 is the boogaloo, Dance #2 is the skate, and Dance #3 is the shing-a-ling.
18. You Can't Stand Alone (2:50) - This song has the same tempo and theme as we heard two songs ago. Listen closely during the first verse, and you'll hear an organ. Later, in a brief instrumental, the organ is more audible. The narrator tells the girl that just because another man has broken her heart doesn't mean she should shun love for the rest of her life. "You can't stand alone / No matter how you try," he tells her.
19. Funky Broadway (2:36) - The tempo is moderate. I can hear an organ by listening closely to this song, also. Here, not only is the New York City street itself called "Funky Broadway," but a nightclub on the street and a dance performed there are also called "the Funky Broadway."
20. I'm In Love (2:30) - The tempo is moderately slow. The narrator is so happy about being in love that he feels "just like a baby boy / On Christmas mornin', with a brand new toy." Aretha Franklin covered this song later, only without the "baby boy" part.
21. Stagger Lee (2:20) - This song was originally a hit for Lloyd Price in 1959. Wilson's version starts slow, with the guitars rolling. Then, from 0:12 on, the tempo is fast. The instruments drown out Wilson's voice. But after listening closely, I surmise that one autumn night, Stagger loses at some card game to Billy. Stagger then goes home, grabs his gun, goes to a bar, and shoots Billy. Billy dies, leaving behind an ailing wife and three children.
22. Jealous Love (2:47) - This slow song features an organ. When the narrator and his girlfriend walk to places hand-in-hand, if he simply looks at female passers-by, she accuses him of being untrue. He asks her not to be so jealous, for trust is the foundation of a loving relationship.
23. I've Come A Long Way (3:11) - This song has a slow, 3/4 tempo; don't be fooled by that seemingly fast lead-in by the guitar. The narrator has come a long way since his girlfriend came into his life.
24. In The Midnight Hour (Live And Burnin'; with Booker T. and the M.G.'s) * (8:10) - It really was the midnight hour when Wilson performed this in the Watts section of Los Angeles; he told the audience he was there to "bring you freedom." He spends the first minute getting the audience's attention; at 1:11, the actual song starts. After Wilson finishes singing the core of the song, he screams a lot. Later, the M.G.'s tell the audience to repeat, "I feel it down in my soul." Also, someone shouts, "Burn! Burn!" Toward the end, someone tells Wilson several times to "take a bow!" This version is excessively long; I like the studio version better.
1. I'm A Midnight Mover (2:24) - This song has a bright, moderate tempo. The narrator is a midnight mover, a midnight lover, a midnight pleaser, a midnight almost-anything.
2. I Found A True Love (2:22) - For the first 10 seconds, the tempo is slow, with the guitar rolling. For the rest of the song, the tempo is fast. This song has a similar title and a similar theme to the first song on this album.
3. She's Looking Good (2:26) - This song is fast also. But don't let the title fool you; the narrator is talking TO the girl instead of about her. Not only does she look good, she makes HIM FEEL good.
4. A Man And A Half (2:48) - The title song of this anthology, slightly slower than moderate, features an organ. It also has a similar intro to "Funky Broadway." The narrator is "a man and a half" because he knows how to satisfy any woman and make her happier than she's ever been before.
5. Hey Jude (4:05) - Wilson's version of the Beatles' biggest hit was released just a few months after the original. This version is somewhat faster and one key higher than the original. In the fading sequence of this version, the guitars play even louder than the horns.
6. Mini-Skirt Minnie (2:57) - This song, previously released only as a single, has a bright, moderately slow tempo. Since the horns overpower Wilson's voice, discerning the lyrics requires close listening. But my close listening has determined that Minnie looks so good when wearing her miniskirt that she's the girl of the narrator's dreams and she stops traffic whenever she walks along a street.
7. Toe Hold (2:47) - The tempo is moderate. An organ is featured here. The narrator is a poor man who can barely make ends meet, but the girl's love for him gives him a "toe hold" on his self-esteem.
8. Hey Joe (3:03) - This moderately slow song features an organ and a tambourine; the tambourine plays its loudest on the second and fourth beat of each measure. Wilson plays both roles here--Joe and the man who asks him where he's going and why he's carrying a gun. Joe replies that he's gonna kill his untrue girlfriend. This sure isn't a song I'd listen to every day!
9. You Keep Me Hangin' On (4:53) - This song was originally a hit for Diana Ross and the Supremes, and a male group named Vanilla Fudge covered it before Wilson did. This version is slow and features an organ and tick-tock drums. The narrator is tired of being treated like a toy, so he orders the girl to leave and never come back. A female group of the 80s was the next to cover this song.
10. She Said Yes (3:13) - This moderately slow song has awesome guitar licks. But I like the lyrics even more. The narrator proposed to a woman he had known all his life, and she accepted. The only thing to which she said no was whether she had plans to date some other man. Although the narrator can't afford a wedding ring, his fiancee still agrees to marry him.
11. Cole, Cooke, And Redding (3:51) - This slow song, apparently based on the Dion song "Abraham, Martin, and John," laments the untimely deaths of singers Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke, and Otis Redding. After singing about each man, Wilson speculates that when his dying day comes, his late friends will welcome him to Heaven and invite him to sit and rest.
12. Sugar Sugar (2:56) - Previously, this song was the only hit for the Archies. Wilson's version is moderately slow and features a tambourine and an organ.
13. Get Me Back On Time, Engine #9 (6:24) - This too is a moderately slow song. In the right speaker, I can barely hear the regular drums, but I can hear instruments including an organ, shuffling drums, and drums that resemble someone clanging a pan with a spoon. The narrator tells the engine of his car to rush him home to his girlfriend, whom he hasn't seen in a long time.
14. Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You (3:03) - During the first 16 seconds I hear studio chatter, a test start, and some laughter. Once the action starts, the tempo is moderately fast. The featured drums resemble the sound of someone clanging a pan. The narrator cautions his girlfriend not to give up their good love for a man who seems to promise her glory.
15. Don't Knock My Love (2:16) - This song and the next two have moderate tempoes. This one features an organ. A tambourine is featured in this and the next four songs. In the left speaker I can't hear the regular drums. The narrator tells the girl not to waste his time; if she doesn't want his love, she'd better not knock it.
16. Call My Name, I'll Be There (2:17) - The narrator asks the girl to call his name when she feels empty inside. He'll be there as fast as he can, and he'll follow her wherever she goes.
17. Fire And Water (3:29) - One of the drums here resembles the winding of a clock. The narrator doesn't want to end his relationship with his girlfriend, but she has made him cry. She is physically attractive to him, but her heart is ice-cold. As a result, he believes her to be the daughter of Fire and Water.
18. (Your Love Has Brought Me) A Mighty Long Way (2:58) - The start of the opening tambourine solo in this song overlaps the last several seconds of the previous song. The tempo is moderately slow. The other instrument featured here is a harmonica. This song has a slightly similar title and a very similar theme to Disc 1, Song 23.
19. Funk Factory (2:53) - This song, previously released only as a single, has a tempo somewhat faster than moderate. The narrator was born in a funk factory, where he has spent his entire life working his fingers to the bone. This is a good song; it should have been a hit.
20. Funky Broadway (Live In Ghana) * (4:19) - This performance was held in 1971 in Ghana, a small African country north of the spot in the Atlantic Ocean where the Equator and the Prime Meridian meet. Actually, it was this particular edit that was previously unreleased; a shorter edit appeared on the soundtrack album for the movie Soul To Soul. This time, there's no opening fuss or gobbledygook; the action starts right away. This version is slightly faster than the studio version. After singing the core of the song, Wilson asks the audience to repeat, "Uh huh huh," "Ku-ba ku-ba ku-ba," "It's all right," etc. Finally, he sings "Do the Funky Broadway" several times, then plays the long final chord. This is a better live recording than the one closing the first disc, and I like this as much as I do the studio version.