Recorded in 1963 at The Harlem Square Club, One Night Stand was not released until 1985. Cooke felt the material was too gritty and raw and could damage his pop image. Widely considered one of the greatest live recordings ever, One Night Stand offers an unparalleled glimpse into the artist's power at its peak. Cooke himself says in the album’s introduction, 'don’t fight it, you're gonna feel it.'

Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rated 62/500

Included in 1000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die!

Included in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die!

• Limited Edition
• Audiophile 180 Gram Vinyl
• Pressed at RTI, USA
• Mastered from Original Master Tapes by Bob Ludwig
• Cut by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
• Old-style Tip-on Gatefold Cover
• Stoughton Printing cover

"Live At Harlem Square is one of my favorite live recordings of all time. It captures the true energy of this staggering, passionate talent. It's such an intimate recording - you can hear cracks in his voice, the madness of the crowd who are so with him, encouraging him, shouting for him in each song. A particular favorite is 'Twistin' The Night Way.' Sam Cooke will always be a tremendous influence on me, and who knows, if there weren't a Sam, there might not have been a Rod." - Rod Stewart, June 23, 2005

Widely considered to be one of the greatest live recordings ever released, Sam Cooke’s One Night Stand: Live at the Harlem Square Club offers an unparalleled glimpse into the artist's power at its peak. Close your eyes as you listen, and the magic of Cooke’s performance comes alive and transports you back in time to downtown Miami, FL, 1962, amongst the lively crowd at the historic Harlem Square Club. Listen as Cooke effortlessly works his magic, whipping his audience into a frenzy. As Cooke himself says in the album’s introduction, “don’t fight it, you're gonna feel it.”

"Not only is this one of the greatest live soul albums ever released, it also reveals a rougher, rawer, and more immediate side to Sam Cooke that his singles only hinted at, good as they were. Working with a merged band that included guitarist Cliff White and drummer Albert "June" Gardner from Cooke's regular touring outfit and saxophonist King Curtis and his band, Cooke brings a gospel fervor to these whirlwind versions, which are fiery, emotionally direct, and hit with uncommon power. Every track burns with an insistent, urgent feel, and although Cooke practically defines melisma on his single releases, here he reaches past that into deeper territory that finds him almost literally shoving and pushing each song forward with shouts, asides, and spoken interactions with the audience, which becomes as much a part of this set as any bandmember. "Chain Gang" is stripped down to a raw nerve, "Twistin' the Night Away" explodes out of the gate like a runaway rocket, and Curtis' sax breaks on "Somebody Have Mercy" make it sound like the saxophone was invented for this one song alone. Throughout Cooke's voice is a raspy laser that makes it obvious what Rod Stewart picked up from this recording, and it is impossible not to hear Cooke's voice looming behind Stewart's once you've heard this amazing live set. Although recorded January 12, 1963, at the Harlem Square Club in Miami in 1963, RCA didn't release it as an album until 1985. The crucial key is and was always Cooke's vocals, and while he was a marvelously smooth, versatile, and urbane singer on his official pop recordings, here he explodes into one of the finest sets of raw secular gospel ever captured on tape. It is essential listening!" - Steve Leggett, All Music

Track Listing:

Side A
1. Soul Twist / Introduction
2. Feel It (Don't Fight It)
3. Chain Gang
4. Cupid
5. Medley: It's All Right / For Sentimental Reasons
6. Twistin' The Night Away

Side B
1. Somebody Have Mercy
2. Bring It On Home To Me
3. Nothing Can Change This Love
4. Having A Party

Click here to listen to samples on YouTube.com ♫