The living heart of soul
Great soul music reduced to its simplest form. Penn and Oldham make personal statements of some of their best known compositions, and there isn't a false note in the performances. Honest, heartfelt, and dramatic.

Dan Penn ... Heartfelt & Soulful Songwriter!
I was fortunate enough to see Dan Penn perform solo (opening act for the brilliant Hacienda Brothers) in a small club in Philadelphia last night, and he held the audience completely spellbound for his entire set. Penn has written several heartfelt and soulful songs over the years (many are hidden gems), and his guitar talent and vocal abilities are very touching and bring out the best in each song. Several of the songs on this CD with Spooner Oldham were played by Penn last night, and they were all terrific ... some touching and some funny ... and all played with his total heart and soul with such natural ease. My favorites from this CD with Spooner Oldham that Penn played solo last night were the tender and romantic "I'm Your Puppet", the upbeat "I Met Her In Church", the heartaching song "It Tears Me Up", the sensitive and touching tribute to seniors "Ol' Folks", and the downright funny "Memphis Women & Chicken" which contains clever and comical lyrics. I was deeply impressed by Dan Penn, and consider him to be a brilliant songwriter and underrated and naturally gifted performer. Needless to say, I am buying this CD now!

It tears me up!
Soul music knows no greater friends than Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham. The wrenching vocal on 'It Tears Me Up' does exactly that, while the spare arrangements lend a poignancy to these songs that is missing from the more famous versions. This is music to break up/make up/make love by. I toyed with the idea of buying this CD for a long time before buying it. Shame on me! I won't be dithering about buying anything else these two have done, I got the plastic out and ready!

This has it all
Some of the greatest songs ever written. I mean, "Memphis women and chicken" - doesn't that say it all? And, "Dark End of the Street" - if that song cut any deeper, you'd have to have a transfusion to listen to it...

Beautiful, spare versions by the songwriters - it doesn't get any more heartfelt and direct.

And, if "Old Folks" doesn't make you a little misty, you should check your ticker - it might be missing.