VA - Can You Dig It? The '70s Soul Experience (2001)

The liner notes that accompany this collection note that '70s soul music has never really gotten its due. One could argue that point for days, but hubris aside, there's no denying that Can You Dig It pays serious homage to the golden years of American soul. The new box set contains 6 CDs and 136 cuts, 65 of which hit the No. 1 spot on the R&B and/or pop charts. As you'd expect with a project that mines such a rich era (the CDs are compiled chronologically), it represents a who's who of stars. Among the notables: Marvin Gaye, Sly Stone, Curtis Mayfield, the Spinners, the O'Jays, the Staple Singers, James Brown, Chairmen of the Board, Laura Lee, Freda Payne, and Jean Knight. Lesser lights also get to shine, i.e., El Chicano, who deliver the salsafied hippie anthem "Tell Her She's Lovely." But let's be honest–the selling point is the hits, and from the uplifting "Ooh Child" to the sassy "Want Ads," if you grew up in the '70s (hands up), then these tracks are beloved. Sure, the hard-core fan will probably wish for more obscurities, and the exclusion of Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and George Clinton is troublesome, but anyone wanting an at-home jukebox loaded with classic R&B will certainly dig this.

TRACKLIST

01 Friends Of Distinction - Grazing In The Grass
02 Winstons - Color Him Father
03 Eddie Holman - Hey There Lonely Girl
04 Glass House - Crumbs Off The Table
05 Brook Benton - Rainy Night In Georgia
06 Sly and the Family Stone - Everybody Is A Star
07 Chairmen Of The Board - Give Me Just A Little More Time
08 Delfonics - Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)
09 Originals - The Bells
10 Tyrone Davis - Turn Back The Hands Of Time
11 Moments - Love On A Two-Way Street
12 Freda Payne - Band Of Gold
13 5 Stairsteps - O-o-h Child
14 Flaming Ember - Westbound #9
15 Three Degrees - Maybe
16. Lost Generation - The Sly, Slick, And The Wicked
17. Edwin Starr - War
18. 100 Proof Aged In Soul - Somebody's Been Sleeping
19. B.T. Express - Express
20. Jackie Moore - Precious, Precious
21. Beginning Of The End - Funky Nassau–Part I
22. King Floyd - Groove Me
23. Fuzz - I Love You For All Seasons
24. Honey Cone - Want Ads
25. Paul Humphrey - Cool Aid




TRACKLIST

1. Wilson Pickett - Don't Knock My Love (Pt. I) (2:12)
2. Friends Of Distinction - Love Or Let Me Be Lonely (3:14)
3. Freda Payne - Deeper & Deeper (3:04)
4. Chairmen Of The Board - Pay To The Piper (3:08)
5. Jean Knight - Mr. Big Stuff (2:31)
6. Laura Lee - Women's Love Rights (3:14)
7. Dramatics - Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get (3:34)
8. King Floyd - Baby Let Me Kiss You (2:52)
9. Brenda & The Tabulations - Right On The Tip Of My Tongue (3:22)
10. Persuaders - Thin Line Between Love & Hate (3:26)
11. Chi-Lites - Have You Seen Her (5:11)
12. Isaac Hayes - Theme From Shaft (3:19)
13. Staple Singers - Respect Yourself (3:34)
14. Sly And The Family Stone - Family Affair (3:07)
15. Al Green - Let's Stay Together (3:20)
16. Betty Wright - Clean Up Woman (2:50)
17. Honey Cone - One Monkey Don't Stop No Show (Part I) (3:45)
18. Joe Simon - Drowning In The Sea Of Love (3:29)
19. Jerry Butler & Brenda Eager - Ain't Understanding Mellow (4:22)
20. Frederick Knight - I've Been Lonely For So Long (3:22)
21. Malo - Suavecito (3:28)
22. Soul Children - Hearsay (3:37)
23. 8Th Day - She's Not Just Another Woman (3:04)




TRACKLIST

01 Staple Singers - I'll Take You There
02 Dramatics - In The Rain
03 Stylistics - Betcha By Golly, Wow
04 Chi-Lites - Oh Girl
05 Bill Withers - Lean On Me
06 Joe Tex - I Gotcha
07 Isaac Hayes - Do Your Thing
08 Spinners - I'll Be Around
09 Cornelius Brothers - Too Late To Turn Back Now
10 Luther Ingram - (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right
11 Mel - Starting All Over Again
12 O'Jays - Back Stabbers
13 Tower Of Power - You're Still A Young Man
14 Main Ingredient - Everybody Plays The Fool
15 Curtis Mayfield - Freddie's Dead (Theme From 'Superfly')
16 Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now
17 Harold Melvin - If You Don't Know Me By Now
18 Brighter Side Of Darkness - Love Jones
19 Billy Paul - Me And Mrs. Jones
20 Temptations - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone




TRACKLIST

1. Spinners - Could It Be I'm Falling In Love (4:14)
2. Bill Withers - Use Me (3:46)
3. O'jays - Love Train (3:00)
4. Timmy Thomas - Why Can't We Live Together (3:26)
5. Four Tops - Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got) (3:07)
6. New York City - I'm Doin' Fine Now (2:44)
7. Sylvia - Pillow Talk (3:55)
8. Tower Of Power - So Very Hard To Go (3:40)
9. Bloodstone - Natural High (4:01)
10. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On (3:59)
11. Isley Brothers - That Lady (Part I) (3:12)
12. Eddie Kendricks - Keep On Truckin' (Part I) (3:30)
13. Millie Jackson - Hurts So Good (3:04)
14. Gladys Knight & The Pips - Midnight Train To Georgia (3:57)
15. Ann Peebles - I Can't Stand The Rain (2:32)
16. War - The World Is A Ghetto (4:02)
17. El Chicano - Tell Her She's Lovely (3:03)
18. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - The Love I Lost (Part I) (3:41)
19. Johnnie Taylor - Cheaper To Keep Her (3:28)
20. Al Wilson - Show And Tell (3:29)
21. Bobby Womack - Lookin' For A Love (2:38)
22. William Devaughn - Be Thankful For What You Got (3:27)
23. Main Ingredient - Just Don't Want To Be Lonely (3:39)




TRACKLIST
01 James Brown - The Payback–Part I
02 Kool and The Gang - Hollywood Swinging
03. Blue Magic - Sideshow (4:11)
04 Hues Corporation - Rock The Boat
05 Impressions - Finally Got Myself Together (I'm A Changed Man)
06 George McCrae - Rock Your Baby
07 Rufus - Tell Me Something Good
08 Pointer Sisters - Yes We Can Can
09 Johnny Bristol - Hang On In There Baby
11 Tymes - You Little Trustmaker
12 Minnie Riperton - Lovin' You
13 Shirley Brown - Woman To Woman
14 Carl Carlton - Everlasting Love
15 Three Degrees - When Will I See You Again
17 LaBelle - Lady Marmalade
18 Blackbyrds - Walking In Rhythm
20 Earth, Wind and Fire - Reasons
21 Gwen McCrae - Rockin' Chair
22 Rose Royce - I Wanna Get Next To You
23 Major Harris - Love Won't Let Me Wait




TRACKLIST

1. Earth, Wind & Fire - Shining Star (2:52)
2. B.T. Express - Express (3:32)
3. Awb - Cut The Cake (3:39)
4. War - Why Can't We Be Friends? (3:50)
5. Curtis Mayfield - So In Love (2:49)
6. Ohio Players - Love Rollercoaster (2:54)
7. Tavares - It Only Takes A Minute (3:15)
8. Brass Construction - Movin' (3:59)
9. Manhattans - Kiss And Say Goodbye (3:33)
10. Lou Rawls - You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine (3:33)
11. Brick - Dazz (5:38)
12. Emotions - Best Of My Love (3:42)
13. Brothers Johnson - Strawberry Letter 23 (3:38)
14. Floaters - Float On (4:15)
15. Heatwave - Always And Forever (3:42)
16. L.T.D. - (Every Time I Turn Around) Back In Love Again (3:42)
17. Rick James - You And I (3:11)
18. Bobby Caldwell - What You Won't Do For Love (3:33)
19. Peaches & Herb - Reunited (4:01)
20. Smokey Robinson - Cruisin' (4:29)
21. Rose Royce - Golden Touch (3:49)