Candi Staton, Muscle Shoals

This is probably one of THE definitive 45's in Candi Staton's career. It's "Stand By Your Man" b/w "How Can I Put Out the Flame (When You Keep the Fire Burning)." This was a hit for her on the famous Fame record label in Muscle Shoals from the late 60's. "Stand By Your Man" is a massive country song, made popular first by the woman who co-wrote it, Tammy Wynette. It's been covered countless times since, but this has to be the best, most genuinely soulful version ever made. This is a great southern soul record, as it truly shows how parallel southern soul was with country. Artists like Otis Redding and OV Wright are other great examples of the melding together of the styles, but this song in particular is just incredible. Staton delivers it with unbelievable passion. It's brilliant. The b-side is equally soulful, or moreso. It's slow and serious, and concerns a theme pretty much everyone I know can relate to, myself included. "I'm trying so hard to forget you, but you just keep me stringing along." What a line, you've probably been there. This song slays me. Amazing 45, download both sides in one shot below this rather sexy photo of Candi Staton:

http://www.mediafire.com/?cjmnzny1enn

And incidentally, I think moving forward I'm gonna just upload one record at a time. I feel like I get to say a bit more about it if I don't feel so anxious to move on and post another record or 2. Plus, the few people I talk to who actually read and download this stuff usually haven't gotten to listen to everything they downloaded before I have something new up there already. So I'll do one record per post, and one post a day maybe 4-5 days a week. And, please, seriously, talk to me. I'm lonely in my room surrounded by all these records. Start a discussion on the blog or something so I don't feel like I'm just typing at you nice folks. Thanks!