Photo: RCA Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Our Top 10 Wilson Pickett songs list looks back at the career of what may be the most passionate rock and roll soul singer of all time. No one has ever screamed as musically as Wilson Pickett. James Brown may have gotten close, but Wilson Pickett was in a league all his own. The man could sing anything and make it sound great. Wilson Pickett’s pitch was always perfect, his phrasing set the bar for soul singers and his energy and emotion became a template for all future rock singers to learn from.
# 10 – Hey Jude
We open our top 10 Wilson Pickett songs list with this great cover of The Beatles classic “Hey Jude.” Wilson Pickett recorded the song in the southern music capitol of the world down in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Appearing on the track was the legendary founding member and lead guitarist of The Allman Brothers Band, Mr. Duane Allman. This is an an incredible version of the song. Listen to Wilson Pickett hit those high notes at the end. One of the best rock and roll vocals ever recorded. Hey Jude was also the title track of Wilson Pickett’s ninth album released in 1969.
# 9 – I’m In Love
Continuing with our Top 10 Wilson Pickett songs we turn to the magical recording “I’m In Love.” This is just one of those songs that gets better every 30 seconds. It starts out with a mighty infectious soul groove. As soon as the incredible voice of Wilson Pickett enters, the song is elevated times ten. The horns make their way in at the end of the verse and the listener is just left feeling breathless. Incredible! “I’m in Love” was written by Bobby Womack. Wilson Pickett had a top 10 hit with the song on the Billboard R&B Charts in 1968.
# 8 – Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You
The grooves that were laid down on these classic Wilson Pickett songs are some of the best ever recorded. They had to be, because the grooves were surrounded by one of the best vocalists of all time. “Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You,” was released on the album In Philadelphia in 1971. The song “Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You,” was a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number 17. The song was much more successful on the Billboard R&B Charts where it peaked at number two.
# 7 – Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
This classic Wilson Pickett song “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love,” served as the follow up single to Wilson Pickett’s great recording “Mustang Sally.” The song “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love,” was written by Jerry Wexler Bert Berns and the great Solomon Burke. The song was also featured in the original Blues Brothers movie.
# 6 – 634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)
“634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.),”was released on the album The Exciting Wilson Pickett. The album was released in 1966. The song broke the Billboard Top 20 peaking at number 13. However, the song was a huge R&B hit for Wilson Pickett as it hit number one on the U.S. Billboard R&B charts. “634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.),” was written by Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper.
# 5 – Don’t Knock My Love – Pt. I
As we enter the second half of our top 10 Wilson Pickett songs list, we present the classic track “Don’t Knock My Love Pt.1.” The song was released in 1971 on the Don’t Knock My Love album. This was another big hit for Wilson Pickett. “Don’t Knock My Love Pt.1.” hit number one on the Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles Chart in 1971. The song was later covered in a duet between Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross.
# 4 – Funky Broadway
Hands down, “Funky Broadway,” is easily one of our favorite Wilson Pickett songs. This one defines what funk and soul are all about. Wilson Pickett’s “Funky Broadway,” enjoyed great chart success. The song hit number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967. Once again, Wilson Pickett had another number one hit on his hands as “Funky Broadway,” landed in the number one spot on the Billboard R&B charts in 1967.
# 3 – In The Midnight Hour
“In The Midnight Hour,” stands as one of the most popular songs ever recorded by Wilson Pickett. It would prove to be Wilson Pickett’s first number one record as it hit number one on the Billboard R&B Charts in 1967. It also did well on the mainstream charts just missing breaking the top 20 as it peaked at number 21. The song was written by Wilson Pickett and Steve Cropper.
# 2 – Land of 1,000 Dances
As we close in on the top spot of our top 10 Wilson Pickett songs list, we turn to the song that was Wilson Pickett’s highest charting song of his career on the Billboard Hot 100. Wilson Pickett’s “Land of 1,000 Dances,” broke the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 10 in 1966 peaking at number six. The song hit number one on the Billboard R&B Charts. A position that Wilson Pickett would hit multiple times throughout his career on the R&B charts.
# 1 – Mustang Sally
We hit number one on our top 10 Wilson Pickett songs list with Wilson Pickett’s classic single “Mustang Sally.” While the song many not have been Wilson Pickett’s highest charting song when it was first released, we believe that the stature of the song grew over time more than any of his other recordings. Ask anyone to name a Wilson Pickett song and chances are they will usually come up with “Mustang Sally,” first. The song was originally released in 1965 by Mack Rice who also wrote the song. The Young Rascals had recorded a version of it. However it was Wilson Pickett’s recording in 1966 that sent the track up the charts while it became the definite version of the song. “Mustang Sally,” was released on the album The Wicked Pickett. The song peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.
Top 10 Wilson Pickett Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2020
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