VA- Joe South Golden Records (1961-1966)

Singer/songwriter Joe South (born Joe Souter) began his career as a country musician, performing on an Atlanta radio station and joining Pete Drake's band in 1957. The following year, he recorded a novelty single, "The Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor," and became a session musician in Nashville and at Muscle Shoals. South appeared on records by Marty Robbins, Eddy Arnold, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Bob Dylan (Blonde on Blonde), and Simon & Garfunkel ("The Sounds of Silence"). During the '60s, South began working on his songwriting, crafting hits for Deep Purple ("Hush") and several for Billy Joe Royal, including "Down in the Boondocks." South began recording his own material in 1968, scoring a hit with the Grammy-winning "Games People Play" (Song of the Year) the following year. While South produced hits like "Don't It Make You Want to Go Home" and "Walk a Mile in My Shoes," Lynn Anderson had a smash country and pop hit in 1971 with South's "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden."

South took several years off after his brother's suicide in 1971, moving to Maui and living in the jungles. He had proven a rather prickly character, recording a song entitled "I'm a Star"; he was also busted for drugs and, never entirely comfortable performing, was known for an antagonistic stance in concert (he once suggested that audience members start dancing around the concert hall and kiss his ass as they approached the stage). South briefly returned in 1975 with the Midnight Rainbows LP but retired from recording and performing soon afterwards. South returned in 1994 in a London concert showcasing American Southern performers and later re-entered the music publishing industry.

  1. Joe South - Silly Little Girl
  2. Billy Joe Royal - Down In The Boondocks
  3. The Tams - Untie Me
  4. Pat Powdrill - Fell By The Wayside
  5. Joe South - Concrete Jungle
  6. The Chips - Long Lonely Winter
  7. The Tams - Deep Inside Me
  8. Judy Thomas - Golden Records
  9. Joe South - I Want To Be Somebody
  10. Ray Stevens - Devil May Care
  11. The Chips - Party People
  12. Billy Joe Royal - Dark Glasses
  13. Vince Everett - Big Brother
  14. Joe South - Just To Be With You Again
  15. Barbara South - He's My Hero
  16. The Fabulous Dinos - That Same Old Song
  17. The Chips - What A Lie
  18. Joe South - Masquerade
  19. Jay Lewis - Should I Come Back
  20. Bob Collins And The Diamond - Springtime In My Heart
  21. Billy Joe Royal - Really You
  22. The Tams - Standing In
  23. Joe South - I'm Sorry For You
  24. Judy Thomas - I Don't Know You
  25. Ray Stevens - Make A Few Memories
  26. Vince Everett - To Have, To Hold And Let Go
  27. The Classics - Pollyanna
  28. The Yo Yo's - Leaning On You
  29. The Tams - Blue Shadows
  30. Joe South - Standing Invitation
  31. Billy Joe Royal - I Knew You When


(2015/Rare Rockin') 32 tracks. 'Golden Records' brings together the very best of Joe's songs from this period. Some he recorded himself, some he produced for others - but he wrote them all. On this CD, we find hits such as the Tams '"Untie Me' from 1962 and Billy Joe Royal's 'Down In The Boondocks' from 1965. Plus rare titles from artists such as the Chips, Vince Everett, Billy Joe Royal
                                                     
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