Arthur Alexander - Ultimate Arthur Alexander (16 tracks) +Album Reviews

All in the Family

David Wayne | 07/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was shocked to see this site! I happeded upon it by accident, and friend of mine at worked actually found it. Authur Alexander was my uncle, and a very great person to be around. I actually lived in his house in Cleveland, and my aunt still lives there. I never really heard him complain or say many bad things about anyone in his life. He was loved by all of us and we miss him very much. I am very happy that he touched so many people as he did our family for many years. Thanks for all of your kind words."

Life Just Isn't Fair, Sometimes

David Wayne | Santee, CA United States | 05/29/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Look in the Soul Dictionary under "forgotten founders," and you're sure to see Arthur Alexander's picture. Yes, a couple of superstar rock bands from Britain covered two of his songs, "Anna" and "You'd Better Move On." But often you find that people take the attitude, that these covers were the only things that made Arthur notable. That is so unfair! Arthur was very warm and very human. In his songs, like "In The Middle Of It All," "Call Me Lonely," and "Every Day I Have To Cry Some," he conveys the feelings of Everyman. When interpreting the material of others, in the right settings, Arthur's singing was brilliant (like on "Soldier Of Love," "Pretty Girls Everywhere," and "Where Have You Been All My Life"). Too often, though, his record label, Dot (Pat Boone's label), put Arthur in the wrong settings. In its zest to churn out another pop superstar, Dot Records couldn't see that Arthur Alexander didn't have the temperament to be a pop superstar. He is the rare example of a Black singer from the sixties who was more popular with the pop audience that the soul audience (and it wasn't THAT popular). In retrospect, Arthur would have been a lot better off if he could have stayed on the Fame label and been marketed toward the Black/soul market. He'd have probably gotten his due before he did. And Arthur Alexander did, finally, get his due. This collection was released in the wake of a legendary comeback performance in New York after 18 years of inactivity. Based on this new activity, Arthur was able to get a major record deal with Electra (remember, this is after 18 silent years; that's incredible). And the album was well received by the music critics, too. But shortly after its completion, and with the world of popular music welcoming him back with open arms, Arthur Alexander suffered a fatal heart attack. He got his final moment on stage, and I guess you'd have to say, based on the positive reaction, that he finally got justice. But life can sure be unfair, sometimes."

Good and Depressing

R. Mooney | 08/26/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I saw an Arthur Alexander tribute album when I was waiting in line for Rolling Stones tickets several years ago. Artists like, Graham Parker, Robert Plant and even Frank Black sang some incredible sad Alexander penned tunes. Then I heard the real thing and was blown away! This is country-soul at its best!! You can hear the sadness in Alexander's voice as he sings about love and loss in songs like "Anna(go to him)" and "Call Me Lonesome". His voice is so vulnerable in some songs that it seems if he's going to cry at any moment. You can truly feel his pain during the course of these songs- the mark of a true soul singer. Only artists like O.V. Wright and Solomon Burke can compare. Along with Frank Sinatra's "In the Wee Small Hours", the "Ultimate Arthur Alexander" can put you in the mood for some great late night music listening."

Thank You Razor & Tie

R. Mooney | 09/01/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Razor & Tie is among the best out there, along with Rhino, Ace Records of London, and Bear Family of Germany at producing quality compilations of those artists sadly overlooked by mainstream DJs during the height of their artistic talents.

On this one, however, they bobbled the ball just a bit by omitting three cuts, especially annoying to completist collectors when you consider that Arthur Alexander didn't have many hit singles to his credit to begin with. In fact just five between 1962 and 1976, the first three for the Dot label and the last two for Buddah. But for some reason the producer left off his final charter - Sharing The Night Together - which made it to # 92 on the R&B charts in June 1976, as well as its flipside She'll Throw Stones At You. Obviously not a major hit by any standards [Dr. Hook would take it to # 6 in 1979], but even so, it WAS a hit and would have made this album more complete by its inclusion.

On the surface it might seem rather strange that a man whose seminal performance with the self-penned You Better Move On [# 24 Billboard Pop Hot 100 early in 1962 b/w A Shot of Rhythm And Blues] set the stage for many of the later southern soul hits, but could not even dent the Top 100 R&B. Nor did his follow-up Where Have You Been (All My Life) which peaked at # 58 Pop Hot 100 in June that year b/w Soldiers Of Love.

Strange, that is, until you find out that Dot's Randy Wood marketed Arthur as a straight pop singer. Just as strange, therefore, was the performance of his third Dot hit, Anna [Go To Him] which recorded a puzzling and mediocre # 68 Hot 100 late in 1962, b/w I Hang My Head And Cry, but which topped out at # 10 for his first R&B hit [later the song would be the focus of an entire episode on TV's Married With Children].

It would then be a long 13 years and several label changes [Sound Stage from 1965 to 1969, Monument in 1968, and Warner Brothers in the mid 1970s] before he registered his next charter: the Steve Alaimo [# 46 in 1963] and Gentrys [# 77 in 1966] hit Every Day I Have To Cry Some for the Buddah label. A # 45 Hot 100 in October 1975 b/w Everybody Needs Somebody To Love - also omitted by Razor & Tie - it too failed to make the Top 100 R&B. That was followed in 1976 by the above-mentioned final charter.

Arthur Alexander holds the distinction of being the only rock-era artist to have his or her compositions recorded by three of the giants of the industry: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan. From 1975 to 1993 he drove a bus for a social service organization in Cleveland and was just embarking upon a musical comeback in June 1993 when he died of a heart attack.

The 4 star limitation is purely from the point of view of this completist collector. Otherwise it easily rates the full 5 and should be part of your musical library if you love the southern soul sound."

Shades Of Old (High) School

Ronald R. Bay | Seattle, Wa | 06/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you grew up or were in school in the 'Nawlins area in the early 1960's, Arthur Alkexander's music should bring back old memories; memories of sock hops, hangin' at the local Lotta Burger shooting pool, trying to be cool. If you're an early Beatles or Rolling Stones fan, check to see where they got "Anna" or "You Better Move On". He's one of the roots of Rock & Roll!"

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