Money Talks (Remastered) The Bar-Kays

• 1 Holy Ghost 03:56
• 2 Feelin' Alright 04:56
• 3 Monster 06:50
• 4 Money Talks 06:51
• 5 Mean Mistreater 05:45
• 6 Holy Ghost (Reborn) 06:01
• Total Runtime 34:19

Info for Money Talks (Remastered)

The Bar-Kays released their first single "Soul Finger" in April 1967. That same year they were chosen by Otis Redding to play as his backing band. In December Otis and four of the Bar-Kays band members died in an airplane-crash. Trumpeter Ben Cauley, Bassist James Alexander and producer Allen Jones assembled a new lineup and became the Stax house band. The 1978 they released 'Money Talks', in fact an album of unreleased Stax material. 'Money Talks' is the essence of late 70's funk. The title track is the most mainstream cut, but that's just an aperitif for the rest of the album. Two superb versions of their top ten hit-single "Holy Ghost" with a sheer percussive joy held together with prototypical Stratocaster work. 'Money Talks' is for sure a 100% Soul-Funk classic!

"Although the Bar-Kays stuck with the Stax Records until its demise in 1976, the label stopped releasing the group's recordings after 1973. However, when they re-emerged as a success on the Mercury label with hits like "Shake Your Rump to the Funk," some unreleased recordings they made between 1974 and 1976 were released as an album entitled Money Talks. Although this repackaging was obviously designed to cash in on the group's success, Money Talks stands up as a solid and consistent album in its own right. This material lays the groundwork for the Bar-Kays' post-Stax style by trading live-in-the-studio jams for a carefully produced sound and blending in standout pop hooks into the funky grooves. The best example is "Holy Ghost," a hard-grooving monster of a jam where elaborate horn arrangements dance around a thick synthesizer bassline as Larry Dodson lays down a salacious vocal about his lover's otherworldly romantic skills. It became a big R&B hit when released as a single in 1978 and was later sampled by M/A/R/R/S on their club classic "Pump Up the Volume." Other memorable tracks include the title track, a high-stepping tune that showcases the chops of the horn players, and "Mean Mistreater," an unlikely but effective Grand Funk Railroad cover that transforms the minimalist original tune into a spooky yet sexy mood piece built on some languid keyboard work. None of the other tracks are as strong as "Holy Ghost" (which is so good that it bookends the album in two versions), but they are all listenable and flow together surprisingly well as an album. All in all, Money Talks is a fine slab of vintage funk that will please anyone who loves old-school grooves." (Donald A. Guarisco, AMG)

Larry Dodson, lead vocals
James Alexander, bass
Michael Beard, drums
Lloyd Smith, guitar
Winston Stewart, keyboards, synthesizer
Ralph MacDonald, percussion
Bill Summers, congas, percussion
Harvey Henderson, tenor saxophone
Charles Allen, trumpet

Digitally remastered

Please Note: We offer this album in its native sampling rate of 96 kHz, 24-bit. The provided 192 kHz version was up-sampled and offers no audible value!

The Bar-Kays
Despite unimaginable obstacles, the Bar-Kays have endured as one of the longest-running funk and soul groups ever, while their talents as a backing band can be heard on some of the most popular albums of the ’60s and ’70s. In their earliest incarnation—more than 55 years ago—the band proved the power of determination, working tirelessly to earn their place at Stax and perform alongside one of the label’s biggest stars. But when tragedy struck, the remaining members of the group were forced to channel that passion to reimagine what—and who—the Bar-Kays could be.

The Bar-Kays were formed in the mid-’60s by Memphis teenagers Ben Cauley (trumpet), James Alexander (bass), Jimmie King (guitar), Ronnie Caldwell (organ), Phalon Jones (saxophone), and Carl Cunningham (drums). Standing out as one of the region’s few integrated groups, the instrumental sextet developed their skills at local clubs, while Cauley gained foundational experience in the studio at Stax, recording horns for artists like Carla Thomas and Rufus Thomas. But the high schoolers yearned to be a permanent fixture at the local label and, despite several failed auditions, persisted in their quest.

Finally, in 1967, the Bar-Kays impressed Stax’s team with their playful and funky original tune, “Soul Finger.” The song not only marked the group’s debut single but also their first big hit—landing in the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 20 and peaking at No.3 on the R&B chart that spring.

The Bar-Kays also made an impression on Stax’s marquee star, Otis Redding, who hired them as his touring band. While the young musicians’ parents were concerned about the group finishing school, Redding made special arrangements so that they could continue their studies. “Otis loved those kids so much,” Redding’s widow, Zelma, told Robert Gordon in Respect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion. “One of the reasons for getting a new, bigger plane was so the Bar-Kays could tour with him and he could get them home on Sunday night or Monday morning so they could go to school.”

With their debut album, Soul Finger, recorded and primed for a July release, the Bar-Kays set out on tour, enjoying the rarified excitement of playing alongside one of the country’s most popular performers. Then, on December 10, 1967, the unthinkable happened. A plane carrying most of the band members, including a 26-year-old Redding, crashed, killing seven of the eight passengers. Ben Cauley was the sole survivor. James Alexander had not been on the plane.

Following funerals for their friends and colleagues, 20-year-old Cauley and 17-year-old Alexander were left to pick up the pieces. Finding solace in music, the duo chose to channel their devastation and rebuild the band, adding organist Ron Gorden, saxophonist Harvey Henderson, and guitarist Michael Toles. This time, they also enlisted a vocalist, Larry Dodson, as well as two drummers: Roy Cunningham (brother of the late bandmember Carl) and Willie Hall. By the end of the ’60s, the reformed Bar-Kays had recorded a new album (1969’s Gotta Groove) and were backing some of Stax’s biggest acts, including Isaac Hayes. Under Hayes’ wing, the Bar-Kays appeared on such legendary albums as Hot Buttered Soul (1969), Black Moses (1971), and the GRAMMY® and Academy Award-winning soundtrack to Shaft (1971). (STAX Records)

This album contains no booklet.