West Side Soul Explained

West Side Soul
Type:	studio
Artist:	Magic Sam Blues Band
Cover:	Magic_Sam-West_Side_Soul.jpg
Recorded:	July 12 & October 25, 1967
Studio:	Sound Studios, Chicago
Genre:	Chicago blues
Length:	44:26
Label:	Delmark
Producer:	Robert G. Koester
Chronology:	Magic Sam
Next Title:	Black Magic
Next Year:	1969

West Side Soul is the debut studio album by Chicago blues musician Magic Sam. Released by Delmark Records in 1968, it is often cited as one of the key modern electric blues albums.^{[1] [2] [3]} The album includes a re-recording of Magic Sam's first Cobra Records single, "All Your Love" (1957), and an updated "Sweet Home Chicago", which became a popular blues anthem.

Critical reception

In an album review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album five out of five stars and commented:

In 1984, West Side Soul was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame as a classic of blues recording. Blues historian Jim O'Neal wrote in the induction statement:

Track listing

Side A

1. "That's All I Need" – 3:40
2. "I Need You So Bad"^[4] – 4:51
3. "I Feel So Good (I Wanna Boogie)"^[5] – 4:36
4. "All of Your Love"^[6] – 3:43
5. "I Don't Want No Woman"^[7] – 3:38

Side B

1. "Sweet Home Chicago"^[8] – 4:11
2. "I Found a New Love"^[9] – 4:03
3. "Every Night and Every Day"^[10] – 2:19
4. "Lookin' Good" [instrumental]^[11] – 3:11
5. "My Love Will Never Die"^[12] – 4:04
6. "Mama Talk to Your Daughter"^[13] – 2:40

Personnel

Musicians

• Magic Sam – vocals, guitar
• Mighty Joe Young – guitar
• Stockholm Slim – piano
• Earnest Johnson – bass, except tracks 1, 3, 8
• Odie Payne – drums, except tracks 1, 3, 8
• Mac Thompson – bass on tracks 1, 3, 8
• Odie Payne, III – drums on tracks 1, 3, 8

Production

• Recorded – July 12 and October 25, 1967
• Album production and supervision – Robert G. Koester
• Recording – Stu Black, Sound Studios

Notes and References

1. Web site: Magic Sam: West Side SoulReview. Erlewine. Stephen Thomas. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. AllMusic. August 17, 2021.
2. Encyclopedia: Herzhaft. Gerard. 1992. Magic Sam. Encyclopedia of the Blues. Fayetteville, Arkansas. University of Arkansas Press. 1-55728-252-8. 215–216.
3. Web site: 1984 Hall of Fame Inductees: West Side Soul — Magic Sam Blues Band (Delmark, 1968). O'Neal. Jim. Jim O'Neal. Blues.org. August 17, 2021.
4. [B.B. King]
5. [Junior Parker]
6. Magic Sam first recorded "All Your Love" in 1957.
7. [Don Robey]
8. [Robert Johnson]
9. [Little Milton]
10. [Jimmy McCracklin]
11. Magic Sam is credited with "Lookin' Good" on Rockin' Wild in Chicago.
12. [Otis Rush]
13. [J.B. Lenoir]