Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul by Otis Redding (1965)
Released in September of 1965 on Stax Records, Otis Blue is the third studio LP by Otis Redding. Consisting mostly of cover son, Otis Blue was critically acclaimed and features Ole Man Trouble, Respect and I’ve Been Loving You Too Long on the first side.
Otis Blue is included in a number of “best album” lists. Rolling Stone Magazine ranks Otis Blue 74th on its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. It ranks 92 on Time Magazine’s list of the All Time 100 Greatest Albums and appears in “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Back-up musicians feature Booker T and The MGs, Issac Hayes and Steve Cropper. Side two delivers two of Otis’ most memorable tunes, Sam Cooke’s “Shake” and The Stone’s “Satisfaction.”
Electric Warrior by T. Rex (1971)
Marc Bolan was one of the most compelling characters in rock history. While his career featured some maddeningly uneven output, its pinnacle was Electric Warrior. Electric Warrior was recorded in London, New York and Los Angeles. Side one features Mambo Sun, Lean Woman Blues and Jeepster.
Side Two features the band’s only US hit, “Bang A Gong.” The album is considered a pioneering record in the development of Glam Rock. Electric Warrior is also included in a number of “best album” lists: Number 160 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Number 20 in Pitchfork’s Best Albums of the 1970’s and it is included in the “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Songs featured on side 2: Bang A Gong, Life’s A Gas…and Rip Off.