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Sam Cooke dies on December 11, 1964.
That night, Sam is in a seedy motel, with him is a young woman met who knows where; Sam rents a room by the hour, and the two retreat there.
In the middle of the night, the motel manager hears a young woman screaming, cries for help; she is convinced it is the one accompanying the handsome young man who entered a few moments before; and she does not hesitate to call the police to intervene.
Sam senses this and rushes out of the room; he attacks the woman on the phone and hits her repeatedly; she staggers, is in a panic, and almost unconsciously, grabs the gun under the counter and fires; two, three, four shots hit the mark.
Thus Sam Cooke dies, in a December 1964 night, in a seedy motel, where he rented a room by the hour for an occasional sexual encounter, which degenerated into an attempted rape against a young woman met who knows where.
This is the official reconstruction.
Few believe it, because a rapist and a murderer cannot hide behind that voice and that smile.
The greatest singer in the world cannot die that way, as Cassius Clay defined him a few days earlier during the press conference following the match with Sonny Liston; the greatest singer in the world cannot die that way, at whose funeral an anguished Ray Charles sings “Angels Keep Watching Over Me.”
Few believe the official reconstruction, and inevitably, the conspiracy theory takes shape: Sam Cooke was killed by the CIA and the FBI.
Sam Cooke frequents boxer Cassius Clay; Cassius is converted to Islam and calls himself Muhammad Ali, he is a draft resister and refuses to go fight in Vietnam, to sacrifice himself to preserve the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
Sam Cooke is close to Reverend Martin Luther King and radical militant Malcolm X; the struggle for black rights, Selma, the assassination of King and that of Malcolm X.
“That son of a bitch is brave and getting braver”: that son of a bitch is getting bolder.
Sam moves from a small record company to RCA and then founds his own record company. He wants to move beyond “Everybody Loves To Cha Cha Cha” and “(What A) Wonderful World” and composes “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Times are changing, Bob Dylan is aware of it, but the echo of Bob’s voice and guitar doesn’t reach Harlem; only a brother can speak to other brothers.
The brothers see in Sam an intuition of awareness, and the possibility of redemption and affirmation unfolds before their eyes: those sons of bitches are getting bolder.
The single “Shake b/w A Change Is Gonna Come” is released posthumously, because Sam Cooke dies shot on a December 1964 night.
I don’t believe the story went the way Bertha Franklin, the manager of a motel where rooms are rented by the hour for occasional sexual encounters and away from prying eyes, recounts.
I don’t believe it because many years ago — long before I became aware of the story of Sam Cooke’s death — I bought this anthology and I know for sure that a voice like Sam’s and a smile like his do not hide a rapist or a murderer.
Does a best of dedicated to Sam Cooke make sense comprising only twelve songs, and among these twelve “A Change Is Gonna Come” is not featured? Does it make sense to encapsulate Sam Cooke’s artistic story in not even thirty minutes?
For me, who know Sam Cooke through the Animals and Van Morrison who interpret “Bring It On Home To Me,” the sense is the wonder.
The wonder is that of “You Send Me,” “Only Sixteen,” “Everybody Loves To Cha Cha Cha,” “(What A) Wonderful World,” “Chain Gang,” “Cupid,” “Twistin’ The Night Away,” “Sad Mood,” “Having A Party,” and “Bring It On Home To Me.”
But also that of reading under each single title, in parentheses, always the same surname of the author (Cooke): these songs lay the foundation of pop, more than the Beatles have done, and it’s all from his sack.
And finally, the wonder of having bought one of the best records I have ever listened to many years ago.
Sam Cooke dies on a December 1964 night.
I don’t know if he died from a temporary loss of sanity, his or whoever pulled the trigger, or from a conspiracy. I do know, however, that if it ever dies, music dies the day Sam Cooke dies.
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 You Send Me (02:47)
Darling you send me
I know you send me
Darling you send me
Honest you do, honest you do, honest you do, oh
You thrill me
I know you, (you, you) thrill me
Darling you thrill me
Honest you do
At first I thought it was infatuation
That has lasted so long
But now I find myself wanting
To marry you and take you home
Ohhh you send me
I know you send me
I know you send me
Honest you do
Whoa whenever I'm with you
I know, I know, I know that I'm near you
Umm-humm, umm-humm
Honest you do honest you do
I know I know I know when you hold me,
I know I know wooo whenever you kiss me
Honest you do
At first I thought it was infatuation
But it has lasted so long
But now I find myself wanting
To marry and take you home
I know I know I know you send me
I know you send me
Ohh you send me
Honest you do
02 Only Sixteen (01:56)
She was only sixteen, only sixteen
But I loved her so
She was too young to fall in love
And I was too young to know
We'd laugh and we'd sing
and do funny things
And it made our hearts glow
But she was too young to fall in love
And I was too young to know
So why did I give my heart so fast
it never will happen again
But I was a mere child of sixteen
I've aged a year since then
She was only sixteen, only sixteen
oh with eyes that would glow
But she was too young to fall in love
and I was too young to know
(So why did I give my heart so fast)
Biy, it never will happen again
(But I were a mere child of sixteen)
Oh, I've aged a year since then
She was only sixteen, only sixteen
Oh but I loved that girl so
But she was too young to fall in love
And I was too young to know
She was too young to fall in love
And I, I was too young, I was much too young know
04 For Sentimental Reasons (03:17)
I love you
For sentimental reasons
I hope you do believe me
I've given you my
Given you my heart because I mmm you
And you alone were meant for me
Please give your loving heart to me
And say we'll never part
I think of you every morning
I dream of you every night
And I know I'm never lonely
Whenever you are in sight
I know I love you
And you alone were meant for me
Please give your loving heart to me
And tell we'll never part
I think of you every morning
Can I help it if I dream of you every night
No, no, no, no, I'm never lonely
Whenever you are in sight
I know that I love you
And you alone were meant for me
Please give your loving heart to me
And tell we will never part
My darling I love you
I love you
05 Having a Party (02:29)
We're having a party
dancing to the music
played by the DJ
on the radio
the cokes are in the icebox
the popcorn's on the table
me and my baby, we're out here on the floor
So listen, Mr. DJ
keep those records playing
'cause I'm having such a good time
dancing with my baby
Everybody's swinging
Sally's doing that twist now
if you take request, I....
I got a few for you
play that song called Soul Twist
play that one called I Know
don't forget the Mashed Potatoes
no other songs will do
Let me tell you Mr., Mr. DJ
why don't you keep those records playing
'cause I'm having such a good time
dancing with my baby
Having a party--yeah
everybody's swinging--oh we're
dancing to the music--yeah
on the radio--oh we're
having a party--man
everybody's swinging--yeah
dancing to the music--yeah
on the radio--say it one more time
We're having a party--yeah
everybody's swinging--oh we're
dancing to the music--yeah
on the radio (song fades and ends)
06 Summertime (02:25)
Summertime,
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin'
And the cotton is high
Your daddy's rich
And your ma is good lookin'
So hush little baby
Don't you cry
One of these mornings
You're going to rise up singing
Then you'll spread your wings
And you'll take to the sky
But till that morning
There's a'nothing can harm you
With daddy and mamma standing by
Summertime,
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin'
And the cotton is high
Your daddy's rich
And your mamma's good lookin'
So hush little baby
Don't you cry
07 Chain Gang (02:36)
(Hoh! Ah!) I hear something saying (Hoh! Ah!)
(Hoh! Ah!)(Well don't you know)
That's the sound of the men,
Working on the chain, ga-ang
That's the sound of the men,
Working on the chain, gang
All day long they're singing (Hoh! Ah!)
(Well don't you know)
That's the sound of the men,
Working on the chain, ga-ang
That's the sound of the men,
Working on the chain, gang
All day long they work so hard till the sun is going down
Working on the highways and byways and wearing, wearing a frown
You hear they moaning their lives away
Then you hear somebody say
That's the sound of the men,
Working on the chain, ga-ang
That's the sound of the men,
Working on the chain, gang
Can't you hear them singing, mmm (Hoh! Ah!)
I'm going home one of these days
I'm going home, see my woman
Whom I love so dear
But meanwhile I gotta work right here
(Well don't you know)
That's the sound of the men,
Working on the chain, ga-ang
That's the sound of the men,
Working on the chain, gang
All day long they're singing, mmm (Hoh! Ah!)
My work is so hard
Give me water
I'm thirsty, my work is so hard
Woah ooo
My work is so hard
08 Cupid (02:31)
Cupid draw back your bow
And let your arrow go
Straight to my lover's heart for me, for me
Cupid please hear my cry
And let your arrow fly
Straight to my lover's heart for me
Now I don't mean to be bother to you
But I'm in distress
There's danger of me losing all of my happiness
For I love a girl who doesn't know I exist
And this you can fix So...
Cupid draw back your bow
And let your arrow go
Straight to my lover's heart for me, nobody but me
Cupid please hear my cry
And let your arrow fly
Straight to my lover's heart for me
Now, Cupid if your arrow make her love strong for me
I promise I wll love her until eternity
I know between the two of us her heart we can steal
help me if you will So...
Cupid draw back your bow
And let your arrow go
Straight to my lover's heart for me, nobody but me
Cupid please hear my cry
And let your arrow fly
Straight to my lover's heart for me
Now, Cupid
don't you hear me
calling you
I need you
Cupid
help me
I need you
Cupid
09 Twistin' The Night Away (02:42)
Let me tell you 'bout a place
Somewhere up-a New-York way
Where the people are so gay
Twistin' the night away
Here they have a lot of fun
Puttin' trouble on the run
Man, you find the old and young
Twistin' the night away
They're twistin', twistin', everybody's feelin' great
They're twistin', twistin', they're twistin' the night away
Here's a man in evenin' clothes
How he got here, I don't know, but
Man, you oughta see him go
Twistin' the night away-ay
He's dancin' with the chick in slacks
She's a-movin' up and back
Oh man, there ain't nothin' like
Twistin' the night away
They're twistin', twistin', everybody's feelin' great
They're twistin', twistin', they're twistin' the night away
Let's twist a while!
Lean up, lean back
Lean up, lean back
Watusi, now fly, now twist
They're twistin' the night away
Here's a fella in bluejeans
Dancin' with a older Queen
Who's dolled up in-a diamond rings and
Twistin' the night away-ay
Man, you oughta see her go
Twistin' to the rock and roll
Here you find the young and old
Twistin' the night away
They're twistin', twistin', man, everybody's feelin' great
They're twistin', twistin', they're twistin' the night away
One more time!
Lean up, lean back
Lean up, lean back
Watusi, now fly, now twist
They're twistin' the night away
10 Sad Mood (02:31)
(start with chorus)
I'm in a sad mood tonight
oh I'm in a sad mood
I'm in a sad mood tonight
oh my baby done gone away and left me
my baby done gone yeah
my baby done gone away and left me
my baby done gone
I don't know why she left me
I don't know where shes gone
all I know is that I'll never be happy
until my baby comes back home yeah
(repeat chorus)
I don't know why she left me
but this one thing I know
that if my baby tells me that she'll come back home
I'll never, ever do it no more yeah
(repeat chorus--song fades)
11 Wonderful World (02:07)
Don't know much about history
Don't know much about biology
Don't know much about a science book
Don't know much about the French I took
What I do know that I love you
And I know that if you love me too
What a wonderful world this would be
Don't know much about geography
Don't know much trigonometry
Don't know much about algebra
Don't know what a slide rule is for
What I do know, one and one is two
And if this one could be with you
What a wonderful world this would be
Now, I don't plan to be an A student
But I'm trying to be
For maybe by being an A student, baby
I can win your love for me
Don't know much about history
Don't know much about biology
Don't know much about a science book
Don't know much about the French I took
What I do know that I love you
And I know that if you love me too
What a wonderful world this would be
What I do know that I love you
And I know that if you love me too
What a wonderful world this would be
12 Bring It on Home to Me (02:40)
If you ever, change your mind
About leaving, leavin' me behind
Oh-oh, bring it to me
Bring your sweet lovin'
Bring it on home to me, yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)
I know I laughed, when you left
But now I know, I only hurt myself
Oh-oh, bring it to me
Bring your sweet lovin'
Bring it on home to me, yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)
I'll give you jewellery, and money too
That ain't all, that ain't all I'd do for you
Oh, if you bring it to me
Bring your sweet lovin'
Bring it on home to me, yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)
You know I'll always, be your slave
Till I'm buried, buried in my grave
Oh honey, bring it to me
Bring your sweet lovin'
Bring it on home to me, yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)
One more thing
I tried, to treat you right
But you stayed out, stayed out late at night
But I forgive you, bring it to me
Bring your sweet lovin'
Bring it on home to me, yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah)
Yeah (yeah) yeah (yeah) '''REPEAT TO FADE'''
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