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Originally released on Epic in 1965 as a live in-church session, Legacy's 1991 reissue of Freedom Highway includes two of the original LP tracks supplemented by some truly spirited late-'60s Epic recordings. Despite the glaring omissions, Freedom Highway never feels like a hastily thrown-together compilation. Instead, it follows an arc that deftly mirrors the religious, political, and social fervor of the '60s as filtered through the warm vibrato of Pops Staples' amplifier and the golden throats of his brood. Gospel standards like "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and "Wade in the Water" benefit from the full band arrangements, giving them a swift kick of rock & roll that would eventually morph into the soul-funk sound of their popular '70s period. Pops, inspired by his meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., contributes the wickedly infectious title cut -- one of the two live tracks from the original -- and the incendiary "Why Am I Treated So Bad," a bluesy lament inspired by the hardships of the "Little Rock 9." As always, the vocals and harmonies are nothing short of astounding, most notably on the Mavis Staples-led "Move Along Train" -- never has gospel sounded so sexy. Each song bristles with emotion and resonates deeper with every repeated listen, resulting in an experience that transcends scripture while remaining true to its alternately redemptive and fiery foundations. Freedom Highway captures a family approaching the cusp of catharsis, and its charms lie in the world-weary delivery of its message. Their devotion has been tested and their hands have been bloodied, but their faith has grown into an endless garden because of it, and by the time they reach the spookiest version of "This Train" ever put to tape, listeners will no doubt feel as empowered as the once doomed passengers inside.
© James Christopher Monger /TiVo
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Charles Gabriel, Composer - Charles Gabriel, Lyricist - Billy Sherrill, Producer - Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - Ada Habershon, Composer - Ada Habershon, Lyricist - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Roebuck Staples, Guitar - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally Released 1966. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Roebuck Staples, Lyricist - Roebuck Staples, Composer - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally released 1965. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - I. CARGILL, Composer - I. CARGILL, Lyricist - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally Released 1965 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - S. Cooke, Composer - S. Cooke, Lyricist - J. Alexander, Composer - J. Alexander, Lyricist - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally Released 1965 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - J. Rowe, Composer - J. Rowe, Lyricist - J. W. Vaughan, Composer - J. W. Vaughan, Lyricist - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally Released 1965 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Roebuck Staples, Adaptor - Roebuck Staples, Arranger - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally Released 1965 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Arranger - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Roebuck Staples, Adaptor - Roebuck Staples, Arranger - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally Released 1965 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - A. Smith, Composer - A. Smith, Lyricist - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Roebuck Staples, Arranger - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally Released 1965 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Arranger - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Roebuck Staples, Arranger - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally Released 1966 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Arranger - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Roebuck Staples, Arranger - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally released 1965. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - Stephen Stills, Composer - Stephen Stills, Lyricist - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally Released 1967 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Darryl Hill, Composer - Darryl Hill, Lyricist - Pervis Staples, Vocal - A. Schroeder, Lyricist - A. Schroeder, Composer - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally released 1965. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Roebuck Staples, Lyricist - Roebuck Staples, Composer - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally Released 1965 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Arranger - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Roebuck Staples, Arranger - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally Released 1965. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a divison of Sony Music Entertainment
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Arranger - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Roebuck Staples, Arranger - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally released 1965. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Arranger - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Roebuck Staples, Arranger - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally released 1965. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
B. Dodd, Composer - B. Dodd, Lyricist - Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally released 1965. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Nedra Olds-Neal, Producer - Mark Wilder, Re-Mastering Engineer - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Vocal - ROEBUCK STAPLES, Arranger - Yvonne Staples, Vocal - Mavis Staples, Vocal - Roebuck Staples, Arranger - Traditional, Composer - Traditional, Lyricist - Pervis Staples, Vocal - Cleotha Harris, Vocal - The Staple Singers, Performer
Originally released 1965. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Album review
Originally released on Epic in 1965 as a live in-church session, Legacy's 1991 reissue of Freedom Highway includes two of the original LP tracks supplemented by some truly spirited late-'60s Epic recordings. Despite the glaring omissions, Freedom Highway never feels like a hastily thrown-together compilation. Instead, it follows an arc that deftly mirrors the religious, political, and social fervor of the '60s as filtered through the warm vibrato of Pops Staples' amplifier and the golden throats of his brood. Gospel standards like "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and "Wade in the Water" benefit from the full band arrangements, giving them a swift kick of rock & roll that would eventually morph into the soul-funk sound of their popular '70s period. Pops, inspired by his meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., contributes the wickedly infectious title cut -- one of the two live tracks from the original -- and the incendiary "Why Am I Treated So Bad," a bluesy lament inspired by the hardships of the "Little Rock 9." As always, the vocals and harmonies are nothing short of astounding, most notably on the Mavis Staples-led "Move Along Train" -- never has gospel sounded so sexy. Each song bristles with emotion and resonates deeper with every repeated listen, resulting in an experience that transcends scripture while remaining true to its alternately redemptive and fiery foundations. Freedom Highway captures a family approaching the cusp of catharsis, and its charms lie in the world-weary delivery of its message. Their devotion has been tested and their hands have been bloodied, but their faith has grown into an endless garden because of it, and by the time they reach the spookiest version of "This Train" ever put to tape, listeners will no doubt feel as empowered as the once doomed passengers inside.
© James Christopher Monger /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 18 track(s)
- Total length: 00:46:36
- Main artists: The Staple Singers
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Legacy - Columbia
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Soul
(P) 1991 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
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