The Art of Soul Covers

When African-American music broke out of the church in the early 1960s and singers like Ray Charles and Sam Cooke added secular lyrics to gospel to reach a new audience, the 7″ single was the medium of the moment. The early soul LPs were mostly compilations of successful singles, enriched with cover versions. This was to change radically in 1971, when Marvin Gaye released “What’s Going On” against the resistance of his label Motown. After that, there was no stopping them.

Sly & The Family Stone, Stevie Wonder, Isaac Hayes, The Temptations, James Brown and countless criminally ignored groups used the medium to comment on grievances and dare to experiment. Songs stretched over ten minutes and left the radio-friendly three-minute format. In addition, the music was given a visual aesthetic, the musicians were given a face and told their story on the back of the cover. Anyone who previously loved Al Green’s voice could now hold him in their hands as an LP, lounging on a wicker chair in a white suit.

Today, original LPs are traded for dizzying sums. Record shops and online markets are booming. The feel of the record, the crackling sound when the needle hits the groove, analogue playback and, last but not least, DJ culture have simply defied the logic of technological progress. They say that those who are said to be dead live longer. That is certainly true of the LP. This calendar is dedicated to the aura that only an original pressing can have.