Posted on 01/12/2024 7:39:17 PM PST by nickcarraway
Less than a month after his mysterious and tragic shooting, Sam was back in the charts with ‘Shake.’
The sudden, shocking, and needless death of Sam Cooke in December 1964 deprived the world of music of one of its true originals. Countless fans of this superb vocal stylist, songwriter and performer were understandably inconsolable when they heard about his mysterious shooting at the age of just 33. Less than a month later, those fans gave Cooke his first posthumous hit.
“Shake,” an infectious upbeat composition by Cooke himself, was recorded at his last studio session at RCA Studios in Hollywood, just a month before his demise. It was released a mere ten days after he was killed, in a historic double-sided single that also featured the epic and elegiac “A Change Is Gonna Come,” a song that would soon become forever associated with the civil rights movement.
The A-side entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No.73 on January 9, 1965, and the R&B chart a week later. “Shake” became a major hit in both genres, climbing to No.7 in the pop market and spending three weeks at No.2 on the soul chart.
The song went on to be covered by a who’s who of artists, hitting the R&B Top 20 in 1967 for Otis Redding and inspiring pop covers by the likes of the Small Faces and a young Rod Stewart. There were also versions by Ike & Tina Turner and the Supremes, who four months of his death, released the tribute album We Remember Sam Cooke.
This fifth studio album by the Motown trio also featured their version of “A Change Is Gonna Come” and other fondly-remembered Cooke numbers such as “You Send Me,” “Chain Gang,” and “Only Sixteen.” There was also a rare lead vocal for Florence Ballard on his “(Ain’t That) Good News.”
Buy or stream “Shake” on the Sam Cooke compilation Portrait Of A Legend.
A few weeks ago, I read a bio book on Tom Parker, best known as Elvis Presley’s manager. Within the book, the author said it has always been assumed by many, that Sam Cooke was knocked off by a local Mafia. Why? Because Sam was dating this this very attractive white girl. Her father told Sam to stay away from her, but Sam refused, not thinking the crabby old man was serious with his constant threats.
Back then, there was far less tolerance for mixed dating than there is now. Still against the law in some states.
(his mysterious shooting)
The woman (manager) at the hotel shot him.
Supposedly his “date” ran with his money/stuff.
One story is that golden voiced Sam had a wandering pecker and a lady’s significant other didn’t like that.
There was a lot of fooling around on the black gospel circuit.
I read that too. Still love his songs though.
He brings down the house in the movie “Monterey Pop” with that song. Similarly with his appearance in the BBC’s “Top of the Pops”
Wasn’t Monterey Pop after he died?
Do you mean Otis Redding? He was at Monterey Pop.
Sorry, yes I was thinking of Otis Redding.
Sorry, I was thinking of Otis Redding.
Yes, he died not too long after Monterey Pops.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.