Staple Singers – Why (Am I Treated So Bad) (Soul 45 mix)
The Staple Singers
Listen/Download The Staple Singers – Why (Am I Treated So Bad)
Greetings all
The record I bring you today is an interesting one indeed.
I first heard ‘Why (Am I Treated So Bad)’ as an organ instrumental by the Wildare Express.
The first vocal versions I heard were by Brian Auger and Julie Driscoll, and the mighty Bobby Powell.
It wasn’t until later that I realized that the song had been written by Roebuck ‘Pop’ Staples, and originally waxed by the Staple Singers in 1965.
While I haven’t spent a lot of time tracking down and digging for gospel, I am a huge fan of the Staple Singers, especially their early work for VeeJay and Epic.
In the years before they broke through on Stax, the Staples were a gospel group, almost always recorded with just their voices and the accompaniment of Pop Staples remarkable guitar.
The original version of ‘Why (Am I Treated So Bad)’ opens with an introductory monologue by Pop, backed by his guitar, bass and some very spare percussion before Mavis, Cleotha and Pervis join in.
It is a remarkable testament to the group’s power as singers (and vocal arrangers) as well as the song’s simply stated message.
If you get the chance, pick up any of the Staples’ Epic-era LPs, as they are uniformly excellent.
It wasn’t but a few weeks ago, when I was posting some videos on Facebook, that I discovered – quite by accident – the version of the song you see before you today.
Though I haven’t been able to nail down the recording date for this session, I suspect it was sometime in 1967 or early 1968, before the group left Epic.
Produced by Larry Williams (with no arranging credit listed) this version of ‘Why (Am I Treated So Bad)’ is a radical reinterpretation of the song, excising the monologue, but adding in a full, funky band.
The tempo is a touch faster, and the spare accompaniment of the original is replaced with electric guitar, bass, drums and a horn section, with a very groovy electric piano leading the show.
The 45 you see before you was released in 1971 and it was included on a compilation of their Epic material (studio and live) called ‘The Staple Singers Make You Happy’, intended to cash in on their success with Stax (the title is even a shamless reference to one of their Stax hits, 1970’s ‘Heavy Makes You Happy’).
Though I’m not 100% positive, I think this version of ‘Why (Am I Treated So Bad)’ was issued (and charted briefly) in 1967. There is some confusion because both ‘Why (Am I Treated So Bad’’ and ‘For What It’s Worth’ were issued multiple times, with different B-sides. I suspect this version did in fact get issued, since the Brian Auger and Julie Driscoll version seems to mirror its arrangement (especially the horns).
If anyone knows for sure, please drop me a line.
That said, it’s a great record, and I hope you all dig it.
See you on Wednesday.
Keep the faith
Larry
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Themocracy
Hi Larry:
I went over to 45cat website and you are correct, it’s a fairly confusing story. First issued in 1965 as The Staples Singer with the a-side “What Are They Doing(In Heaven Today). Then in 1968 on the Epic Memory Lane label with the tune as the a-side and “It’s Been A Change” on the flip,(once again as the Staples,with the “s”). Then there is your version. Heck, there may be more. Phew.
I also remember seeing Billy Sherrill as producer on their Epic stuff, unusual given his country history, but I believe he was an in-house producer for Epic.