TBGB Pick of the Week: February 16, 2009

“We’re Going to a Meeting”
The Soul Stirrers
From the Malaco CD A Soul Stirring Reunion (2008)
www.malaco.com

Lead singer Willie Rogers summons the spirit of fellow Stirrers alumni Sam Cooke, Johnnie Taylor, Spencer Taylor and Martin Jacox on “We’re Going to a Meeting.” The song was written by Malaco quartet maven Darrell Luster, but it contains echoes of Cooke’s bubbly pop hit “We’re Having a Party.”

The “meeting” the Stirrers sing about in “We’re Going to a Meeting” is in the afterlife, but Rogers reminds us that this is a happy song, and it is. Happy to the last note.

And speaking of Malaco…

“Holy Ghost,” Georgia Mass Choir’s fast-paced hand-clapper from its 2007 Savoy album Tell It, reappeared on the R&R gospel charts recently. It was listed among the “most added” singles during the week of February 13, 2009. “Holy Ghost” features fine evangelistic lead singing by Lorrain “Punch” Baldwin.