No. 443: Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963

Band: Same Cooke
Album: Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963
Why Rolling Stone gets it right: Sam Cooke's albums were great, but he was truly in his element in the Harlem Square Club. His interactions with the crowd are fantastic and the record remains one of the great live albums of all time.
Why Rolling Stone gets it wrong: I'm satisfied with this placement. I imagine it should be a little higher.
Best song: "Having a Party" is the best.
Worst song: "Somebody Have Mercy" is good, but not great.
Is it awesome?: It is.

Sam Cooke's studio-recorded work is pretty amazing, but this disc shows off what kind of charismatic singer Cooke could be. He works with the Harlem Square Club audience like a patriarch addressing his extended family.

Many of the great hits are here. He starts the record with "Feel It" and brings the screaming crowd to its feet. He rocks "Bring It On Home To Me" with the fervor of a man possessed. "Twistin' the Night Away" starts with Cooke's almost preacher-esque odes to the crowd, when he then hits the song out of the park.

Of course, he ends the set with his greatest song, "Having a Party," as the crowd nearly explodes out of the club. They sing along, breathlessly, as Cooke eggs them on. King Curtis' sax works off Cooke's graveled-voice soul perfectly. While the crowd erupts, Cooke feeds off its energy.

No. 106: Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964

Band: Sam Cooke
Album: Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964
Why Rolling Stone gets it right: Considering he basically invented what we know as soul music, Sam Cooke is uber-important.
Why Rolling Stone gets it wrong: I'm unfamiliar with most of the songs and I'd be lying if I said they weren't a little dated.
Best song: "A Change Is Gonna Come" is a wonderfully prescient civil rights anthem.
Worst song: "Jesus Gave Me Water" isn't up my alley.
Is it awesome?: Sure.

Without Sam Cooke, we don't have Otis Redding. And for that, his place on this list is incredibly important. Ask any rock and roll historian and s/he'll say that Sam Cooke is hugely important in the development of soul music; He's the James Brown of soul music (in the innovator/creator way, not the funky way).

By taking his gospel roots from his days growing up in Chicago and adding the pop music of the time styling, soul as we knew it (not necessarily as we know it today, but that's a different story) was birthed. The lilting diction, the holding notes on melodies and the "ooohs" used by most soul singers were popularized by Cooke.

The songs have some rock elements in them; Soul music has a lot of rock in it. There are plinky guitar licks in "With Your Love For Me" and a Ringo-esque intro drum fill on "Another Saturday Night."

For those of my age, this is what dusties were when I was growing up (that's since switched to more '70s-era stuff). Oldies for soul music, basically. The kind of thing Dick Biondi would play if he was black.

It's great, but it's dated. And it's important. Very important.