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Wilson Pickett
From Wikipedia
Wilson Pickett was an American singer and songwriter.
Discography & Previews
Browse through and click an album to open and play 30-second previews streamed from Apple Music.
In the Midnight Hour
1965 · 12 tracks
- 1 In the Midnight Hour ↗ 2:37
- 2 Teardrops Will Fall ↗ 2:34
- 3 Take a Little Love ↗ 2:22
- 4 For Better or Worse ↗ 2:53
- 5 I Found a Love (Single Version) ↗ 3:00
- 6 That's a Man's Way ↗ 2:24
- 7 I'm Gonna Cry (Single Version) ↗ 2:20
- 8 Don't Fight It ↗ 2:33
- 9 Take This Love I've Got ↗ 2:15
- 10 Come Home Baby ↗ 2:37
- 11 I'm Not Tired ↗ 2:47
- 12 Let's Kiss and Make Up ↗ 2:34
The Exciting Wilson Pickett
1966 · 12 tracks
- 1 Land of 1000 Dances ↗ 2:27
- 2 Something You Got ↗ 2:58
- 3 634-5789 ↗ 2:59
- 4 Barefootin' ↗ 2:22
- 5 Mercy, Mercy ↗ 2:27
- 6 You're So Fine ↗ 2:38
- 7 In the Midnight Hour ↗ 2:37
- 8 Ninety-nine and One-half (Won't Do) ↗ 2:38
- 9 Danger Zone ↗ 2:13
- 10 I'm Drifting ↗ 2:55
- 11 It's All Over ↗ 2:22
- 12 She's So Good to Me ↗ 2:18
The Sound of Wilson Pickett
1967 · 11 tracks
- 1 Soul Dance Number Three ↗ 2:42
- 2 Funky Broadway ↗ 2:37
- 3 I Need a Lot of Loving Every Day ↗ 2:23
- 4 I Found a Love - Part I ↗ 2:34
- 5 I Found a Love - Part II ↗ 3:00
- 6 You Can't Stand Alone ↗ 2:52
- 7 Mojo Mama ↗ 2:02
- 8 I Found the One ↗ 2:33
- 9 Something Within Me ↗ 3:44
- 10 I'm Sorry About That [Singl ↗ 3:07
- 11 Love Is a Beautiful Thing ↗ 2:16
The Wicked Pickett
1967 · 12 tracks
- 1 Mustang Sally ↗ 3:08
- 2 New Orleans ↗ 2:32
- 3 Sunny ↗ 3:11
- 4 Everybody Needs Somebody to Love ↗ 2:17
- 5 Ooh Poo Pah Doo ↗ 2:33
- 6 She Ain't Gonna Do Right ↗ 2:16
- 7 Knock On Wood ↗ 2:39
- 8 Time Is On My Side ↗ 2:35
- 9 Up Tight Good Woman ↗ 2:31
- 10 You Left the Water Running ↗ 2:29
- 11 Three Time Loser ↗ 2:21
- 12 Nothing You Can Do ↗ 2:13
The Midnight Mover
1968 · 10 tracks
Hey Jude
1969 · 11 tracks
In Philadelphia
1970 · 12 tracks
- 1 Run Joey Run ↗ 2:43
- 2 Help the Needy ↗ 2:34
- 3 Come Right Here ↗ 2:39
- 4 Bumble Bee (Sting Me) ↗ 2:19
- 5 Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You ↗ 2:50
- 6 Get Me Back on Time, Engine Number 9, Pts. 1& 2 ↗ 6:28
- 7 Days Go By ↗ 2:28
- 8 International Playboy ↗ 2:31
- 9 Ain't No Doubt About It ↗ 2:24
- 10 Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You (Single Version) ↗ 2:48
- 11 Engine Number 9 (Single Version) ↗ 2:52
- 12 International Playboy (2nd Single Version) ↗ 2:33
Right On
1970 · 12 tracks
Don’t Knock My Love
1971 · 12 tracks
- 1 Fire and Water ↗ 3:39
- 2 A Mighty Long Way ↗ 3:08
- 3 Covering the Same Old Ground ↗ 3:13
- 4 Don't Knock My Love, Pt. 1 (Remastered Single Version) ↗ 2:16
- 5 Don't Knock My Love, Pt. 2 (Remastered Single Version) ↗ 4:06
- 6 Call My Name, I'll Be There ↗ 2:25
- 7 Hot Love ↗ 3:11
- 8 Not Enough Love to Satisfy ↗ 2:59
- 9 You Can't Judge a Book By It's Cover ↗ 2:52
- 10 Pledging My Love ↗ 3:21
- 11 Mama Told Me Not to Come ↗ 2:51
- 12 Woman Let Me Down Home ↗ 3:00
A Funky Situation
1978 · 10 tracks
The Very Best of Wilson Pickett
1993 · 16 tracks
- 1 In the Midnight Hour ↗ 2:37
- 2 634-5789 ↗ 2:59
- 3 Land of 1000 Dances ↗ 2:27
- 4 Mustang Sally ↗ 3:08
- 5 Funky Broadway ↗ 2:37
- 6 I'm In Love (Single Version) ↗ 2:29
- 7 She's Lookin' Good ↗ 2:27
- 8 Hey Jude ↗ 4:08
- 9 Sugar Sugar ↗ 2:58
- 10 Engine Number 9 (Single Version) ↗ 2:51
- 11 Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You (Single Version) ↗ 2:48
- 12 Don't Knock My Love, Pt. 1 ↗ 2:16
- 13 Fire and Water ↗ 3:09
- 14 I'm a Midnight Mover ↗ 2:26
- 15 I Found a Love, Pt. 1 (Single Version) ↗ 2:34
- 16 Everybody Needs Somebody to Love ↗ 2:17
Land of 1000 Dances
2018 · 48 tracks
- 1 Land of 1000 Dances ↗ 2:27
- 2 In the Midnight Hour ↗ 2:37
- 3 Mustang Sally ↗ 3:07
- 4 Hey Jude ↗ 4:08
- 5 Something You Got ↗ 2:58
- 6 Stagger Lee ↗ 2:20
- 7 Hey Joe (Single Version) ↗ 3:04
- 8 Knock On Wood ↗ 2:39
- 9 Ninety-Nine and One-Half (Won't Do) [Single Version] ↗ 2:41
- 10 Barefootin' ↗ 2:22
- 11 Engine Number 9 (Single Version) ↗ 2:52
- 12 You Keep Me Hangin' On (Single Version) ↗ 4:56
- 13 Funky Broadway (Single Version) ↗ 2:35
- 14 Soul Dance Number Three (Single Version) ↗ 2:42
- 15 Bumble Bee (Sting Me) ↗ 2:19
- 16 Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You (Single Version) ↗ 2:47
- 17 Fire and Water (Single Version) ↗ 3:16
- 18 Funk Factory ↗ 2:56
- 19 New Orleans ↗ 2:32
- 20 Don't Fight It (Single Version) ↗ 2:34
- 21 Sugar Sugar (Single Version) ↗ 2:57
- 22 Groovin' ↗ 3:51
- 23 634-5789 ↗ 2:58
- 24 Don't Knock My Love, Pt. 1 ↗ 2:12
- 25 Ooh Poo Pah Doo ↗ 2:33
- 26 You Can't Judge a Book By It's Cover ↗ 2:52
- 27 Hello Sunshine ↗ 2:34
- 28 Born to Be Wild ↗ 2:47
- 29 Danger Zone ↗ 2:13
- 30 Groovy Little Woman ↗ 2:40
- 31 Don't Cry No More ↗ 2:19
- 32 (Your Love Has Brought Me) A Mighty Long Way ↗ 3:01
- 33 A Mighty Long Way ↗ 3:08
- 34 You Can't Stand Alone ↗ 2:52
- 35 Call My Name, I'll Be There (Single Version) ↗ 2:18
- 36 A Man and a Half (Single Version) ↗ 2:51
- 37 Mini-Skirt Minnie (Single Version) ↗ 2:59
- 38 Three Time Loser ↗ 2:21
- 39 Cole, Cooke & Redding ↗ 3:53
- 40 She's Lookin' Good (Single Version) ↗ 2:24
- 41 Ain't No Doubt About It ↗ 2:24
- 42 Come Right Here ↗ 2:39
- 43 Funky War ↗ 2:30
- 44 Dance with Me ↗ 4:54
- 45 Days Go By ↗ 2:28
- 46 Dance You Down ↗ 3:40
- 47 Bring It On Home to Me ↗ 3:03
- 48 A Funky Situation ↗ 3:56
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In the Midnight HourWilson Pickett196512 tracks -
The Exciting Wilson PickettWilson Pickett196612 tracks -
The Sound of Wilson PickettWilson Pickett196711 tracks -
The Wicked PickettWilson Pickett196712 tracks -
I’m in LoveWilson Pickett196810 tracks -
The Midnight MoverWilson Pickett196810 tracks -
Hey JudeWilson Pickett196911 tracks -
In PhiladelphiaWilson Pickett197012 tracks -
Right OnWilson Pickett197012 tracks -
Don’t Knock My LoveWilson Pickett197112 tracks -
A Funky SituationWilson Pickett197810 tracks -
I Want YouWilson Pickett19797 tracks -
Right TrackWilson Pickett19817 tracks -
American Soul ManWilson Pickett19879 tracks -
The Very Best of Wilson PickettWilson Pickett199316 tracks -
It’s Harder NowWilson Pickett199911 tracks -
Land of 1000 DancesWilson Pickett201848 tracks
Deep Dive
Overview
Wilson Pickett stands as one of the defining voices of American soul and rock music, a singer whose raw emotional intensity and command of the microphone helped shape the sound of 1960s soul and beyond. Active from the early 1950s through the 2000s, Pickett built a career spanning multiple decades and evolving musical landscapes, establishing himself as both a recording artist and a live performer of considerable power. His work bridged soul, rock, and rhythm-and-blues, making him a crucial figure in the broader story of American popular music.
Formation Story
Wilson Pickett was born in 1941 and came of age during the post-war American era when gospel, rhythm-and-blues, and rock and roll were beginning to merge into new hybrid forms. He emerged from a musical tradition deeply rooted in soul and the African-American musical experience, eventually finding his voice as a vocalist capable of conveying both tenderness and gritty power. His early career saw him recording with smaller labels before landing with Cub Records, an important stepping stone that led to his work with Atlantic Records, the major label that would become his primary home and the vehicle for his greatest commercial and critical success.
Breakthrough Moment
Pickett’s breakthrough arrived with the release of In the Midnight Hour in 1965, an album that announced him as a major force in soul music. The title track became his signature piece, a song that showcased his ability to command a groove and sell a lyric with passionate conviction. This album and the success of its lead single established Pickett as more than a session singer or opening act; he was now a headliner and a consistent hitmaker. The momentum from In the Midnight Hour carried into subsequent releases and solidified his position within the Atlantic Records roster during a period when the label was home to some of soul music’s most important voices.
Peak Era
The mid-to-late 1960s and early 1970s represented Pickett’s peak commercial and creative period. Albums such as The Exciting Wilson Pickett (1966), The Sound of Wilson Pickett (1967), The Wicked Pickett (1967), and I’m in Love (1968) came in rapid succession, each adding to his catalog and his live reputation. The Midnight Mover (1968) continued this streak, followed by albums like In Philadelphia (1970) and Right On (1970), which showcased his adaptability to the evolving soul and funk landscape. Through the early 1970s, with albums such as Don’t Knock My Love (1971) and Miz Lena’s Boy (1973), Pickett remained a prolific recording artist, though the 1970s also saw the industry shifting toward new subgenres and younger artists claiming the spotlight.
Musical Style
Wilson Pickett’s voice was his primary instrument: a husky, powerful tenor capable of delivering both shouted exhortations and more intimate vocal passages. His approach to soul music emphasized emotional directness over technical virtuosity, a quality that made him an effective communicator in both studio and live settings. His singing style was rooted in gospel and R&B traditions, delivered with a rock and roll urgency that helped him appeal across the increasingly blurred boundaries between soul, rock, and pop audiences. Over his career, his production and arrangements evolved to keep pace with changing trends—from the tighter soul-pop hybrids of the mid-1960s through the funkier, more rhythm-driven approaches of the late 1960s and 1970s—but his fundamental approach remained consistent: channeling emotional authenticity through an immediately recognizable vocal presence.
Major Albums
In the Midnight Hour (1965)
Pickett’s definitive album and the one that established his national reputation, featuring the title track that became his signature song and a staple of soul radio.
The Exciting Wilson Pickett (1966)
A strong follow-up that continued to showcase his range and his ability to interpret material across the soul and rock spectrum with equal conviction.
The Wicked Pickett (1967)
Released the same year as The Sound of Wilson Pickett, this album further demonstrated his prolific output during his peak period and his status as a reliable hit-maker for Atlantic Records.
Don’t Knock My Love (1971)
A successful early-1970s release that showed Pickett adapting to the era’s funkier production trends while maintaining his core appeal and vocal authority.
American Soul Man (1987)
A late-career studio recording that found Pickett re-engaging with contemporary soul and rock sounds, proof of his longevity as a recording artist.
Signature Songs
- In the Midnight Hour — His signature piece and the song most closely associated with his name, a slow-burning soul classic that showcases his vocal control and emotional depth.
- The Midnight Mover — An album title track that demonstrated his ability to anchor a funk-tinged arrangement with his powerhouse vocal delivery.
- Don’t Knock My Love — A successful single and album title track from his early-1970s peak, combining soul sensibility with contemporary funk rhythms.
- Land of 1000 Dances — A song that appeared on his 2018 release and remains part of his enduring catalog, representing his work across multiple decades.
Influence on Rock
Wilson Pickett’s influence extends across the broad territory of soul, rock, and funk music. He was part of the generation of soul singers—alongside and in conversation with artists at Atlantic Records and beyond—who helped legitimize soul music as a major force in American popular music during the 1960s. His approach to vocal delivery and his willingness to engage with rock and roll energy helped break down the artificial barriers between “soul” and “rock,” making it possible for artists to move fluidly between those categories. His career longevity and his consistent ability to record and perform across changing musical landscapes set a template for soul artists seeking to remain relevant through evolving trends. The raw emotional power and groove-oriented sensibility he brought to his work influenced subsequent generations of soul, funk, and rock vocalists.
Legacy
Wilson Pickett remained an active recording artist well into the 2000s, releasing It’s Harder Now in 1999, Baby Call on Me in 2004, and Land of 1000 Dances in 2018, a testament to his enduring commitment to music-making. His career arc—from the early recordings with Cub Records through his peak years at Atlantic to his continued output in later decades—places him squarely within the history of American soul music. Though not always at the forefront of contemporary discussion, his influence on the sound and approach of soul and rock music of the 1960s and 1970s remains significant, and his catalog continues to be available to listeners through streaming and reissue formats. His passing in 2006 marked the end of a career that spanned more than five decades, leaving behind a body of work that documents the evolution of soul and rock music across that period.
Fun Facts
- Pickett recorded prolifically during his Atlantic Records years, with multiple album releases in single years, reflecting both his productivity and the label’s investment in his commercial potential.
- His 2018 album Land of 1000 Dances arrived more than a decade after his previous studio release, demonstrating an unexpected late-career return to recording.
- Over his nearly fifty-year recording career, he worked with multiple record labels and producers, adapting his approach to changing industry standards and musical trends while maintaining his core identity as a vocalist.