Hank Ballard - You Can't Keep a Good Man Down

Hank Ballard achieved great success in the mid 1950's firstly with the Royals and then with the Midnighters with whom he topped the R&B charts with songs like 'Work with Me Annie' (the biggest selling R&B track in 1954 selling over a million copies)and 'Annie Had a Baby'. He wrote and originally recorded 'The Twist' in 1959, but it was Chubby Checker who had the big hit with it a year later. By the late 60's the Midnighters run out hits had finished and Hank joined his long time friend and label mate James Brown. James produced Hank's 'You Can't Keep a Good Man' album for King in 1968, and the funkier tracks have Brown's sound stamped all over them. 'How You Gonna Get Respect' featuring instrumentation from the Dapps has a very similar backing track to 'Lickin Stick'. 'Unwind Yourself' was also recorded by Marva Whitney and 'Funky Soul Train by Bobby Byrd, 'Come on Wit' It' and 'With Your Sweet Lovin Self' are classic late 60's Brown grooves. Of the bonus tracks 'Blackenized' has a great jazzy groove and the black consciousness lyrics that James was writing at the time, after his big hit 'Say it Loud'. 'Butter Your Popcorn' is another great JB funky track. After King folded Hank recorded a couple of sides for James' People label funky re-incarnations of his 50's/60's hits 'Annie Had a baby' and 'Finger Poppin Time' and then his classic 'From the Love Side' for Polydor in 1972. Which was based on the rhythm track of Marva Whitney's earlier 'I Made a Mistake'. The specially adapted limited edition vinyl version concentrates on the funkier tracks from the album plus the non album singles, making it a James Brown produced funk bomb. This album has been in demand for many years and the original vinyl LP is extremely rare, in fact one of the rarest of all the James Brown Productions. We are delighted to be able to present it in our classic album series re mastered from the original tapes. The late 60's funk sound is particuarly in vogue at the moment with Sharon Jones and Mark Ronson recent albums selling very well. This release will be well received by James Brown and Funk fans throughout the world and we expect good press and airplay. Soul Brothers.