• Track Listing

Remember when Aretha sang "Think," when Ray Charles (and his Raelettes) belted out "Tell the Truth" and when both the Shirelles and the Mamas & the Papas scored ’60s smashes with "Dedicated to the One I Love"? All those classics originated as singles by the "5" Royales, whose ’50s hits influenced countless R&B and soul artists who followed. Just as influential was the slashing, searing guitar of "5" Royales guitarist/songwriter Lowman Pauling, a hero to Steve Cropper, Eric Clapton and countless other future axe-men. This first-ever anthology of the complete recordings by these revered R&B trailblazers looks as classy and impressive as it should: 5 CDs housed inside a beautiful hardcover package and joined by a 124-page booklet with an introduction by Mr. Cropper himself. You’ll have a ball, and make many discoveries, as you proceed through these 141 tracks: their hits "Baby Don’t Do It," "Help Me Somebody," "Crazy, Crazy, Crazy," "Too Much Lovin’ (Much Too Much)," "I Do," "Tears of Joy" and "Think" plus "Journey’s End," "Laundromat Blues," "I Want to Thank You," "Good Things," "What’s That," "School Girl," "With All Your Heart," "How I Wonder," "Do unto You," "Come On and Save Me," "Get Something Out of It," "Messin’ Up," "The Real Thing," "Jail Bird," "Much in Need," "Faith" and more including alternate takes! Rock Beat.