Don Covay / The Mar-Keys / Bar-Kays - See Saw / Mercy Mercy / Last Night / Soul Finger

Year Released: 1973
Genre: Soul / Funk / R&B Compilation

Description:
This 7″ EP, issued as a Stax/Atlantic soul sampler, brings together powerhouse performances from Don Covay, The Mar-Keys, and The Bar-Kays — effectively showcasing the Southern soul and Memphis funk lineage that defined 1960s R&B.

Covay’s “See Saw” (1968) delivers blues-inflected grit and gospel phrasing, later covered by Aretha Franklin. “Mercy Mercy,” another Covay classic, features raw guitar and emotive vocals that influenced early rock and R&B artists alike.

The Mar-Keys’ “Last Night” (1961) and The Bar-Kays’ “Soul Finger” (1967) are two of the most recognizable Memphis instrumentals ever recorded — the former rooted in early Stax rhythm-and-blues swagger, the latter exploding with youthful funk exuberance. “Soul Finger,” in particular, has been heavily sampled in hip-hop and used in film soundtracks including Spies Like Us (1985) and Soul Men (2008).

Together, the four tracks form a concise yet potent overview of R&B’s evolution — from raw soul shouts to the brass-driven funk that shaped modern rhythm music.