Live And Lively
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Album Summary
Recorded live and released in 1968 on Atlantic Records, 'Live And Lively' captures Joe Tex in his natural habitat — on stage, working a crowd the way only he knew how. By this point, Joe Tex was one of the most electrifying live performers in the soul circuit, a man who could preach, clown, and croon all in the same breath, and this album bottles that lightning. Atlantic, the label that understood soul music in its bones, gave the world a front-row seat to the Tex experience, with the singer tearing through a set that mixed his own hits with covers that he made entirely his own. The production lets the live energy breathe, keeping things raw and real rather than polished, which was exactly the right call for an artist whose greatest gift was his unfiltered connection to an audience.
Reception
- The album was warmly received by fans of Southern soul and funk, who recognized it as an authentic document of Joe Tex's formidable live presence.
- Critical response praised the album for capturing the spontaneous, testifying energy that made Joe Tex a beloved figure on the chitlin' circuit and beyond.
- The inclusion of crowd-pleasing tracks like 'Skinny Legs And All' helped keep the album relevant to listeners who already knew and loved his studio recordings.
Significance
- The album stands as one of the definitive live soul records of the late 1960s, showcasing how Joe Tex could hold a room with nothing but his voice, his wit, and his unshakeable groove.
- By covering songs like 'Do Right Woman - Do Right Man' and 'Get Out Of My Life, Woman,' Joe Tex was in direct conversation with the broader Southern soul tradition, staking his own claim in a genre he helped define.
- Closing with 'Skinny Legs And All,' one of his signature novelty-soul smashes, the album illustrates the rare range of Joe Tex — a man equally at home with deep emotional sincerity and warm, crowd-shaking humor, a balance that few artists in any era have managed so gracefully.
Samples
- "Skinny Legs And All" — one of Joe Tex's most recognizable records, this track has been dipped into by hip-hop and funk producers drawn to its infectious groove and Tex's comedic vocal delivery.
Tracklist
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A1 Show Me 146
3:07
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A2 Do Right Woman - Do Right Man 116
2:54
-
A3 Get Out Of My Life, Woman 95
2:57
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A4 Wooden Spoon 98
2:58
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A5 That's Life 119
3:50
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B1 Love Is A Hurtin' Thing 112
2:22
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B2 Don't Give Up 84
3:07
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B3 A Woman's Hands 83
3:28
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B4 You're Gonna Thank Me, Woman 98
2:00
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B5 Papa Was, Too 91
2:54
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B6 Skinny Legs And All 130
3:10
Artist Details
Joe Tex was a soulful, funky treasure out of Rogers, Texas, who came up in the early 1960s and carved himself a righteous lane in Southern soul with that smooth-talking, preacher-man delivery that made records like "Hold What You've Got" and "Skinny Legs and All" feel like a Saturday night revival and a house party all rolled into one. He was a founding father of what folks would come to call funk, right there alongside James Brown, blending gospel fire with bluesy grit and a sharp wit that made him one of the most original voices the South ever produced. Joe Tex never got quite all the credit he deserved, but his influence ran deep through the veins of soul and funk music, and every time that needle hit his groove, you knew you were in the presence of something genuinely, beautifully real.
