Genre: soul
Rating: 4 stars ****
Title:  Happy Soul
Company: Atlantic
Catalog: SD 8211
Year: 1969
Country/State: Rogers or Navasota Texas (?)
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: --
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 6255
Price: $15.00

By my count Joe Tex released eight studio sets between 1965 and 1969. For a guy that prolific, you had to wonder how he managed to turn out anything actually worth hearing and while 1969' "Happy Soul" had more than its share of by-the-book performances, the set had enough hidden treasures to make it worth looking for. So here's my main gripe with mid-career Tex - the guy had immense talent, but by the late-1960s he was relying far too heavily on his 'funny guy' shtick to pad albums. Exemplified by tracks like 'Go Home And Do It', 'Chicken Crazy', and 'Take The Fifth Amendment', the combination of goofy storyteller (complete with character parts) and straight ahead comedic songs was clearly aimed at the soul audience, but it made for very 'hit-of-miss performances. It also had the effect of making you forget how good Tex could really be when he played it straight. Even though the results were sporadic, audiences apparently found it funny, or Tex wouldn't have kept on churning it out. Curiously, given today's politically correct environment, you have to wonder how audiences would greet some of Tex's occasionally raunchy repertoire. Those complaints aside, song-for-song this set stood as one of Tex's more consistent and enjoyable collections.

- 'Go Home And Do It' was a patented Tex performance complete with goofy plotline, spoken word character segments, and some surprisingly nifty country guitar. I'll readily admit that Tex's frustrated businessman narrative was at least mildly funny. Imagine Flip Wilson cutting a soul album and you'd get a feel for this one. rating: *** stars
- Not sure how Tex's stab a deadbeat fathers 'That's Your Baby' ranked on the politically correct scale (even back in the late-1960s), but this one actually rocked out with considerable energy and had a nifty hook. rating: *** stars
- A straightforward soul number 'Baby Be Good' served to show how good Tex could be when he dropped the humorous front. The guy had a voice that was every bit as good as James Brown and when pair with a great song like this one, he was as good as anyone in the business. One of the album highlights ... rating: **** stars
- 'You Need Me Baby' found Tex apparently trying to pull a page out of the Clarence Carter songbook. This was another one that proved a surprise - interesting set of lyrics, raw vocal (which left you wondering if he was still thinking about James Brown's earlier treachery ...), and a punchy melody made it another standout performance. rating: **** stars
- I guess you had to see Tex in a small club to get the charm of a track like 'Chicken Crazy'. Complete with Tex's patented role playing, this one was funky, but just seemed kind of dated and tired to my ears. rating: *** stars
- Maybe it's just me, but 'You've Come A Long Way' had kind of a creepy, stalker edge to it. Not sure any father would be too thrilled to have this version of Tex prowling around his daughter. That vicious laugh didn't serve to make him any more likeable. rating: *** stars
- 'Sweet Sweet Woman' found Tex briefly returning to his bluesy roots. Kicked along some nice Steve Cropper-styled lead guitar and the album's best horn charts, this breezy mid-tempo number again served to showcase just how good Tex could be without all the needless goofiness. rating: **** stars
- With a vamp from 'preacher' Tex, 'You Can Tell' offered up another relatively straightforward ballad. Probably the album's best vocal performance, with it's wonderful 'A-B-C' hook. this one would have made a nice choice as a single. rating: **** stars
- Yes, yes, yes I'll admit Tex's adultery song 'Take The Fifth Amendment' was funny and cute. This one might be worth the price of admission alone. rating: **** stars
- Given imitation is the most sincere form of flattery who could criticize Tex for revisiting earlier glories ? In this case 'Keep The One You Got' sounded like a tribute to hit earlier hit 'Hold What You've Got'. The reference to a Nehru jacket always makes me smile ... rating: **** stars


"Happy Soul" track listing:
(side 1) 
1.) Go Home And Do It (Joe Tex) - 3:15
2.) That's Your Baby (Joe Tex) - 2:26
3.) Baby Be Good (Joe Tex) - 3:01
4.) You Need Me Baby (Joe Tex) - 3:20
5.) Chicken Crazy (Joe Tex) - 3:27
(side 1) 
1.) You've Come A Long Way (Joe Tex) - 3:23
2.) Sweet Sweet Woman (Joe Tex) - 3:01
3.) You Can Tell (Joe Tex) - 5:13
4.) Take The Fifth Amendment (Joe Tex) - 2:21
5.) Keep The One You Got (Joe Tex) - 2:38