THE STAPLE SINGERS BEALTITUDE: RESPECT YOURSELF RARE ORIG '72 STAX LP BEAUTIFUL

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41

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·      STAPLE SINGERS (FEATURING MAVIS STAPLES) – BEALTITUDE: RESPECT YOURSELF - ORIGINAL 1971 STAX RECORDS STEREO LP STS-3002

·      ORIGINAL U.S. PRESSING

·      ORIGINAL YELLOW STAX LABEL WITH SNAPPING FINGERS LOGO (NO OTHER STOCK PRESSINGS OR LABELS EXIST)

·      AMERICAN RECORD PRESSING CORP., OWOSSO, MI PRESSING.

·      THIS IS THE ORIGINAL, AUTHENTIC, FIRST U.S. PRESSING; THIS IS NOT A REISSUE, AN IMPORT, OR A COUNTERFEIT PRESSING.

·      ORIGINAL GATEFOLD COVER, MADE OF THICK CARDBOARD (AMERICAN STYLE) 

·      FAIRLY THICK VINYL PRESSING On the scale from 1 to 10 (1 being the least thick, and  10 being the thickest), we assess the thickness of the vinyl as 6.

·      CLEAN, WEAR-FREE LABELS

(►PLEASE SEE THE IMAGE OF THE COVER, LABEL OR BOTH, SHOWN BELOW)

(Note: this is a REAL image of the ACTUAL item you are bidding on. This is NOT a "recycled" image from our previous auction. What you see is what you’ll get.  GUARANTEED!)

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'BeAltitude: Respect Yourself' is often seen as the group's finest album, and I couldn't disagree there (although I really dig their Steve Cropper-produced earlier LPs as well).

The nestor of the family, singer/guitarist Pops 'Roebuck' Staples, took his three daughters (Cleotha, Mavis and Yvonne - son Pervis had opted to quit the group and become a session musician for Stax) to the funky FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama where they would cut some of their biggest hits.

The incredible soul romp "This World" kicks off proceedings in grand style. A thick, mighty groove immersed in layers of brass and carried by Mavis' mature, raspy vocal. David Hood's bass and Roger Hawkins' drums provide a bonecrunching beat, here...

"Respect Yourself" was the first of two huge hits: a down-to-earth sermon set to a more than funky rhythm. Pops takes the first lead here, while Mavis finishes the song. Both stress the importance of self-respect, cause if you don't respect yourself "ain't no one gonna give a hoot". A fine groove, with an ominous beat and steadfast group vocals... if only the use of the synthesizer on the last few choruses would have been omitted.

"Name the Missing Word" seems to tread calmer waters, but it too soon evolves into another biting, threatening protest tune, driven by thundering drums, Pops' reververating guitar chops and tasty jabs at the Hammond organ. Coming from the pens of Stax-writers Homer Banks, Bettye Crutcher and Raymond Jackson, this is a heavy, heavy funk workout that somewhat resembles the grit of the Temptations' "Papa Was a Rolling Stone"... just harder, in my humble opinion.

"I'll Take You There" naturally was the big hit, and rightfully so. A slightly reggae-induced sing-a-long that combines the aesthetics of gospel church choir participation, gritty soul and hypnotizing funk. The lyrics are simple but effective; written up by Mavis and Stax exec Al Bell, it keeps things basic - there's a better place, and the Staples are gonna take you THERE, bubba.

The rockin' & rollin' "This Old Town (People in This Town)" fares the same, further mocking the entire ideological/racial bs theory and taking it on down to 'the community just up over the hill'. Once more, Mavis is on fire on this one, and check Pops' chanking guitar too.

The thumping "We the People" is one of my all-time favorites: a southern-fried, bass-driven funk anthem that just won't let up. The rhythm keeps flowing, like a slowpaced Gospel Train that only picks up speed on the bridges and the swooping horn break.

"Are You Sure" probably is the most confronting piece here, with the Staples' hinting at the Bigger Questions in life over a lazy, country-soul beat, although Pops' own "Who Do You Think You Are (Jesus Christ the Superstar)" - a smouldering, swampy groove that has the group gettin' down in church. Never preachy, this is just wonderful, intense witnessin' for the Lord.

The Staples' gospel rep is further enhanced by the droning (in a GOOD way) "I'm Just Another Soldier" and the album's closing song, the relaxed, pensive "Who", another ode to Man from Galilee.

The Staple Singers were virtually always positive in their music - mixing the inclusive message of the Gospel with the streetbeats of the early '70s. Where more pessimistic prophets - such as Sly Stone, Eugene McDaniels, early Funkadelic etc. - put the darkness to use to deliver their message, the Staples were more in sync with the likes of Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions.

A wonderful album, one that demonstrated that protesting and positivism could work when the mixers were of grade A pedigree, such as the legendary and sincere Staple Singers.

 (EXCERPT FROM AN ANONYMOUS ONLINE REVIEW)

The Staples' finest single album, containing three Top Ten R&B hits, "Respect Yourself," "I'll Take You There," and "This World." The first two also were pop Top 20s, "I'll Take You There" going all the way to number one.

 (EXCERPT FROM AN ONLINE REVIEW BY ROB BOWMAN, ALL MUSIC GUIDE  /ALLMUSIC.COM/)

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·                          CONDITION:

·                          THE RECORD

(IMPORTANT NOTE: unless otherwise noted, ALL records are graded visually, and NOT play-graded!; we  grade records under the strong, diffuse room light or discrete sunlight)

(a)         WE GRADE THE VINYL  AS  NEAR MINT. Some VERY LIGHT AND SUPERFICIAL abrasions – mostly sleeve scuffs -  are (barely) visible, but are probably inaudible,  and do not affect visual integrity or beauty of the vinyl. The original luster is very much intact, and the vinyl shines and sparkles almost like new.

(b)         The record is pressed on a RELATIVELY  thick, inflexible vinyl. This is NOT a thin, flimsy ('dynaflex' type),  vinyl, but not the thickest, most rigid vinyl, either.

(c)         The record comes in a hi-grade PVC inner sleeve, which has - apparently with success - shielded the record from the harmful impact of elements over many years!

(d)         Of course, this is a full-bodied ANALOG recording, and not an inferior, digital recording!!!

·                          THE COVER

THE COVER IS ABOUT VERY GOOD+(+)

The following flaws or imperfections are noted on the cover:

-       Cover has some ring wear.  On the scale from 1 to 10 (1 being the least, and  10 being the most severe), we assess the severity of ring wear as 5. Inside gatefold has some light ring wear as well.

-       Cover shows some light yellowing on both sides, apparently from aging.

-       Visible shelf wear noted on the top and bottom seams.

-       Cover has two corners slightly worn / dinged  (just a beginning of the split seam)

NO OTHER VISIBLE FLAWS OR IMPERFECTIONS ON THE  COVER

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POSTAGE & SHIPPING:

We offer three postage rates for domestic orders: USPS Media Mail, USPS Priority Mail and USPS Express Mail and three rates for international shipments:  USPS First Class, USPS Priority International Mail, and USPS Express International Mail (in a small number of cases, we will, at our discretion and for purely technical reasons, substitute First Class Mail with eBay's Global Shipping, which is fundamentally the same service at about the same cost). INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS PLEASE NOTE: WE RECOMMEND (BUT DO NOT INSIST) that you select USPS International Priority Mail when making a payment.

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CRITICALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

(A) All orders valued at $50.00 or more will be shipped fully insured against loss, damage or theft by ShipCover, eBay's contracted insurer, at our expense (B) Yes, we do combine items into a single shipment; in order to enable this feature, the winning bidders should WAIT until their last item of interest ends and ONLY THEN make a payment. Doing otherwise will result in multiple shipments to the same customer and forfeiture of multiple shipping charges already paid. (C) Because we do not play-grade our items, we do not know how the purchased item will play on the buyer's equipment. We can only make reasonable inference on the record's playing condition based on its visual appearance. (D) This seller will NOT cancel erroneous, frivolous and prank bids. The bidders can do so on their own, by visiting eBay's Site Map, then clicking on Bid Retractions link. (E) This seller does not specifically grade or describe certain items, such as: shrink (cellophane) wrap and accompanying extras (inserts, booklets, etc.); however, the presence of these items WILL be noted and accompanied by the gallery photo(s). (F) Please do not submit any bids on our items if you have insufficient user history. (G) Other than in very rare justified cases, failure to pay for the item you won amounts to a fraud and will result in a permanent ban on bidding on our future listings. (H) We will NEVER deliberately, knowingly or willingly provide a false, deceitful or misleading information.

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OUR REFUND POLICY :

WE OFFER UNCONDITIONAL MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE (POSTAGE INCLUDED) WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM THE RECEIPT OF THE MERCHANDISE, NO QUESTIONS ASKED; STILL SEALED ITEMS MUST BE RETURNED SEALED IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A REFUND.   NO EXCEPTIONS!

FINE (BUT IMPORTANT!) PRINT

 (1) The year indicated in the title bar is the year of the original release,  NOT necessarily the year of the actual pressing; for the actual generation of the pressing, please see our item description (top section, the text in red letters). (2) Please do NOT bid based on the title bar, subtitle bar or item specifics box alone; instead, please read the entire description before bidding; (3) Absolutely NO order cancellations after the auction closes. ever, under any circumstances. We can ONLY cancel bids before the item closes. (4) We are unable to provide matrix-, stamper- or other pressing  information in the final 24 hours of the auction. (5) All disagreements and miscommunications can be - and will only be - solved in a civil and mutually respectful manner; please avoid puerile, offensive, abrasive or menacing language (6) This seller will accommodate all reasonable requests and - unless seriously molested - is generally a flexible, pragmatic and agreeable person.

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