Billy Preston - 8 Albums (Japan SHM-CD, Issue 2008)

It's advantageous to get an early start on your chosen career, but Billy Preston took the concept to extremes. By age ten he was playing keyboards with gospel diva Mahalia Jackson, and two years later, in 1958, he was featured in Hollywood's film bio of W.C. Handy, St. Louis Blues, as young Handy himself. Preston was a prodigy on organ and piano, recording during the early '60s for Vee-Jay and touring with Little Richard. He was a loose-limbed regular on the mid-'60s ABC TV series Shindig, proving his talent as both a vocalist and pianist, and he built an enviable reputation as a session musician, even backing the Beatles on their Let It Be album. That impressive Beatles connection led to Preston's big break as a solo artist with his own Apple album, but it was his early-'70s soul smashes "Outa-Space" and the high-flying vocal "Will It Go Round in Circles" for A&M that put Preston on the permanent musical map. Sporting a humongous Afro and an omnipresent gap-toothed grin, Preston showed that his enduring gospel roots were never far removed from his joyous approach. He continued to perform and record throughout the '80s, '90s, and 2000s, until he fell into a coma caused by pericarditis late in 2005; sadly, he never regained consciousness and passed away on June 6, 2006.


Tracks:


1971 - I Wrote A Simple Song

01. Should've Known Better (2:30)
02. I Wrote A Simple Song (3:26)
03. John Henry (3:17)
04. Without A Song (4:58)
05. The Bus (3:27)
06. Outa-Space (4:10)
07. The Looner Tune (2:49)
08. You Done Got Older (3:05)
09. Swing Down Chariot (4:17)
10. God Is Great (3:32)
11. My Country 'Tis Of Thee (4:31)


1972 - Music Is My Life

01. We're Gonna Make It (3:15)
02. One Time Or Another (2:49)
03. Blackbird (2:46)
04. I Wonder Why (5:43)
05. Will It Go Round In Circles (4:29)
06. Ain't That Nothin' (3:49)
07. God Loves You (2:54)
08. Make The Devil Mad (Turn On To Jesus) (5:25)
09. Nigger Charlie (6:32)
10. Heart Full Of Sorrow (3:35)
11. Music's My Life (4:02)
12. Slaughter (bonus track) (2:45)


1973 - Live European Tour

(US version)
01. Day Tripper (US Version) (2:08)
02. The Bus (US Version) (10:58)
03. Let It Be (US Version) (2:29)
04. Will It Go Round In Circles (US Version) (3:44)
05. Lets Go Get Stoned (US Version) (1:37)
06. Space Race (US Version) (1:57)
07. Amazing Grace (US Version) (4:44)
08. That's The Way God Planned It (US Version) (4:05)
09. Outa-Space (US Version) (8:53)

(UK version)
10. Day Tripper (UK Version) (2:05)
11. The Bus (UK Version) (10:31)
12. Let It Be (UK Version) (2:32)
13. Let's Go Get Stoned (UK Version) (1:12)
14. Billy's Bag (UK Version) (3:19)
15. Will It Go Round In Circles (UK Version) (3:58)
16. Outa-Space (UK Version) (3:55)
17. Higher (UK Version) (6:58)
18. Get It Back (UK Version) (5:18)


1973 - Everybody Likes Some Kind Of Music

01. Everybody Likes Some Kind Of Music (1:10)
02. You're So Unique (3:20)
03. How Long Has The Train Been Gone (2:30)
04. My Soul Is A Witness (2:53)
05. Sunday Morning (1:46)
06. You've Got Me For Company (2:15)
07. Listen To The Wind (3:16)
08. Everybody Likes Some Kind Of Music (Reprise) (0:19)
09. Space Race (3:31)
10. Do You Love Me? (3:00)
11. I'm So Tired (4:29)
12. It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) (3:52)
13. Minuet For Me (2:12)


1974 - The Kids & Me

01. Tell Me You Need My Loving (2:45)
02. Nothing From Nothing (2:36)
03. Struttin' (2:34)
04. Sister Sugar (3:05)
05. Sad Sad Song (2:30)
06. You Are So Beautiful (4:49)
07. Sometimes I Love You (3:14)
08. St. Elmo (2:29)
09. John The Baptist (3:24)
10. Little Black Boys And Girls (2:28)
11. Creature Feature (3:35)


1975 - It's My Pleasure

01. Fancy Lady (5:46)
02. Found The Love (4:02)
03. That's Life (3:40)
04. Do It While You Can (6:47)
05. It's My Pleasure (3:51)
06. Song Of Joy (3:22)
07. I Can't Stand It (6:33)
08. All Of My Life (5:52)


1976 - Billy Preston

01. Do What You Want (2:56)
02. Girl (3:16)
03. Bells (3:21)
04. I've Got The Spirit (3:58)
05. When You Are Mine (2:51)
06. Bad Case Of Ego (2:57)
07. Take Time To Figure It Out (3:15)
08. Let The Music Play (3:01)
09. Simplify Your Life (3:47)
10. Let's Make Love (2:46)
11. Ecstacy (Instrumental) (4:07)


1977 - A Whole New Thing

01. Whole New Thing (3:36)
02. Disco Dancin' (3:31)
03. Complicated Sayings (2:55)
04. Attitudes (Instrumental) (2:31)
05. I'm Really Gonna Miss You (3:51)
06. Wide Stride (3:17)
07. You Got Me Buzzin' (2:45)
08. Sweet Marie (3:44)
09. Happy (Instrumental) (2:21)
10. Touch Me Love (3:22)
11. You Don't Have To Go (3:01)
12. Get Back (Bonus Track) (3:11)