Double Take Tuesday: Soul'd Out

About a month ago a discussion came up on Learngospelmusic.com about which remakes were just as good as the originals, and one name stood out, Ricky Dillard. Many people may not know that on every album of his, he remakes a gospel oldie, and he does a great job with them too (something not many can do). It got me to thinking about what songs did he and his group record over and who sung the original version. I dug through my crates and found many, but this week I'll share with you all his remake of Soul'd Out written by Donald Alford, which was on Dillard's 2004 release, Unplugged: The Way Church Used to Be.

Soul'd Out was first recorded by James C. Chambers & The Ecclesiastes Community Choir out of Chicago, IL. The song can be found on their 1990 album, 23rd Psalms - Recorded Live in Chicago Illinois on Gospel Capitol Records. All-in-all the song was one of those good foot-stomping songs, but unlike Dillard's remake, the song lacked a strong intro that made you know that it was time to get ready to clap your hands and pat your feet. Both versions are a good listen in their own way. In the Ecclesiastes Community Choir version, there's a bridge as well as a verse led by Vanetta Buckner who delivers the song in such a soulful and churchy way. While it would have been nice to hear the same in Dillard's version, he more than makes up for the lack of both with his vamp that's kicked up a notch. It almost seems like he's ready to immediately take the congregation and listeners right into it because he doesn't spend much time with the chorus.

(Remember to listen to the songs mentioned, just click on the cover of the albums.)


P.S.
As you can tell, I wasn't able to do The Old School Friday post for Timothy Wright but I'll do it this Friday along with a John P. Kee old school post.