James Carr, Living on “The Dark End of the Street”

Soul singer James Carr’s troubled life kept him from continued success, but his original recording of “The Dark End of the Street” remains the classic version of the great song.

Soul and R&B singer James Carr was born on June 13, 1942 in Mississippi. His family soon moved to Memphis, where Carr would grow up singing in the church and eventually for Goldwax Records (after being rejected by Stax). Carr is most remembered for his amazing vocal performance on the original recording of “The Dark End of the Street.”

But, despite a spotty recording career for various reasons, Carr created some other great recordings in addition to “The Dark End of the Street.” Below, a young Carr sings “Love Attack” live in 1967, early in his career when he was full of promise.

Prior to “Dark End of the Street,” Carr’s first success came from “You Got My Mind Messed Up,” which he released in 1966. Below he performs the song live late in his career.

The Dark End of the Street

Dan Penn and Chips Moman wrote “The Dark End of the Street,” and many artists have covered the song over the years, including Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge, and Gram Parsons. But it is Carr’s original 1967 recording that stands out. It went to number 10 on the R&B chart and number 77 on the pop chart, but the recording remains timeless.

Penn and Moman had the idea for the song when they were playing cards, with their conversation turning to the subject of cheating. During a break from the game, in about a half hour the two men created what Penn initially considered a “straightforward country cheatin’ ballad.”

Carr’s version of the song may be the best recording ever made about a forbidden love. The two lovers meet “at the dark end of the street” where they are “hiding in shadows where we don’t belong.” During the day, they can’t acknowledge each other. But the most anguished part of the song is where Carr’s voice reveals that the singer knows it is a sin and inevitable they will be caught.

Carr’s Life & Career

Like the narrator of the song, James Carr experienced a lot of anguish in his life. And perhaps some of that pain came through in his songs. As “The Dark End of the Street” songwriter Dan Penn explained regarding the various versions of that song, “Nobody did it as good as James Carr. Not even me.”

Carr suffered from bipolar disorder much of his life, and his recording career was off and on, without ever providing him the fame he deserved. His mental condition impaired his career in a number of ways, including abandoned recording sessions. Similarly, an overdose of antidepressants led him to freeze onstage before an audience in Japan in 1979. Even as he struggled with his mental health, he periodically made music, even recording two albums in the early 1990s.

But in the mid-1990s, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He passed away on January 7, 2001 at the age of 57 in a Memphis nursing home, leaving us too soon but leaving us with some great music from a troubled soul.

Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • 10 Thoughts on Bruce Springsteen’s “Only the Strong Survive”
  • Performance of the Day: Aretha Franklin Live at Fillmore West 1971
  • 10 Thoughts on Bruce Springsteen’s “Only the Strong Survive”

    Here are 10 thoughts about Bruce Springsteen’s “Only the Strong Survive,” an album of covers of classic Soul and R&B songs.

    Springsteen Only the Strong Survive

    Bruce Springsteen released a covers album of classic Soul and R&B songs called Only the Strong Survive (2022). Springsteen has often covered songs live and he has done another album of covers (We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions). Yet, many fans are disappointed that the songwriter is not releasing an album of new material. There are plenty of sources providing in-depth reviews, so instead Chimesfreedom gives you ten quick takes.

    1. Short Overall Review: If you like Springsteen, Only the Strong Survive features the artist singing great songs. So if you get past being disappointed by the lack of new original songs, you should just sit back and enjoy this lovely album.

    2. Do album reviews matter anymore? Most folks pay for a streaming service and can listen to anything they want without commitment. So if you like Springsteen or are curious, you can listen to the album and make up your own mind. I am old school and resisting streaming so I did buy it as I have done for every Springsteen album; and I’m happy I did.

    3. Springsteen’s Voice: As others have noted, Springsteen’s voice has aged like a fine wine, and he is able to pull off these classic songs quite well. For example, on “I Wish It Would Rain,” one of the greatest pop records of all time, nobody can hold a candle to the Temptations’ David Ruffin. Springsteen does not surpass Ruffin or any of the originals, but he does a darn good job.

    4. Well, then why do we need this album if we have the better originals? First, Springsteen has earned the right to do whatever he wants, and great songwriters can do tributes to music they love (as Merle Haggard did with albums honoring Jimmie Rodgers and Bob Wills). Second, if you are a fan, it is fun to hear him sing these classics. And third, while compilation albums can be good and you could make a playlist of the original versions of these songs, one artist doing a covers album offers a consistency to your listening that jumping between artists does not.

    5. Good Song, Strange Video: Springsteen’s weird hand movements in the video for the Commodores’ “Nightshift” are distracting and may make it one of his worst videos ever. His facial expressions are distracting too.

    6. Sounds Like a Springsteen Classic: By contrast, his recording of and video for “Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)” sounds like a classic Springsteen song from the first moment when the Boss yells “C’mon.” The video is fantastic and fun too.

    6. The Music: The musicians, including the E Street Horns, and backing singers (Soozie Tyrell, Lisa Lowell, Michelle Moore, Curtis King Jr., Dennis Collins, and Fonzi Thornton) on this album are absolutely fantastic.

    7. A Southside Johnny Album? Not surprisingly, Springsteen singing R&B covers at times makes you think you are listening to an album by that other guy from Jersey, Southside Johnny. That is not necessarily a bad thing. At no point is the Southside Johnny connection stronger than on “Don’t Play that Song,” initially made famous by Ben E. King. Springsteen even inserts a reference to the Jersey Shore.

    8. Covering Diana Ross: Maybe my favorite track on the album is the final song, with Springsteen singing “Someday We’ll Be Together,” made famous by Diana Ross & the Supremes. Along with Aretha Franklin’s “Don’t Play That Song” and Jackie Shane’s “Any Other Way,” the Supremes song features one of the selections where he is covering a song made famous by female singers. So Springsteen’s recording does add a twist to hear a male voice sing the lyrics. Or maybe it is that Springsteen finds a special connection to the song, having previously written a song with the nearly identical title, “Someday (We’ll Be Together).” Springsteen wrote that outtake from Darkness on the Edge of Town around 1977, but first released it on The Promise (2010).

    9. Guest Artist: It’s cool that Sam Moore from Sam & Dave sings on two tracks with Springsteen. But why not a Sam & Dave song? Springsteen has indicated there were a lot of tracks recorded that are not on the album, so I wonder if there will be a sequel album.

    10. Repeated Listens: Okay, you could have just read the first point and stopped reading. But the more I listen to the album, the more I get past focusing on differences from the originals and let go and just enjoy the songs. While this album probably won’t be at the top of my list of the greatest Springsteen albums, it will likely be in the running for one of the Springsteen albums I am most likely to play. It will be a great one to play if you have company who may not think they are Springsteen fans.

    What do you think of Only the Strong Survive? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Performance of the Day: Aretha Franklin Live at Fillmore West 1971

    Aretha Franklin Live

    One of the greatest singers of all time (if not the greatest), Aretha Franklin, passed away on Thursday, August 16, 2018.  The singer of songs such as “Respect,” “(You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman,” and “Think” leaves a lasting impact on anyone who loves music.

    Below is a full performance from March 7, 1971, where the Queen of Soul performs at Fillmore West.  Check it out and bask in the joy she brought to the world.



    What is your favorite song by Aretha? Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • James Carr, Living on “The Dark End of the Street”
  • 10 Thoughts on Bruce Springsteen’s “Only the Strong Survive”
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