In the 1960s, the Staple Singers began to make music that spoke to a wider audience than their core gospel fans. Gospel had served as the musical backbone for the Civil Rights movement from the beginning, but Pops Staples was spurred on by the inspirational messages of Martin Luther King Jr. to address more explicitly these issues. This 1972 record, an apex of groovy, mellow soul music (thanks to Al Bell's production and the definition-of-funky Muscle Shoals rhythm section), landed the group three Top 10 R&B hits and their first pop chart-topper, the joyous, bouncy "I'll Take You There." The Staples were always a one-of-a-kind gospel group; they managed to be the only one to inhabit the Top 10 without ever diluting their messages of tolerance, respect, and love. Who can fault any great preacher for wanting to spread the word to as many people as possible, especially when it sounds this glorious? --Mike McGonigal
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