Sam And Dave - "Soul Sister, Brown Sugar" (1968)

This isn't as well known as, say, "Soul Man" or "Hold On I'm Coming", and very rarely commented upon, but it boasts one of the weirdest romantic triangles in the annals of soul music.

I will always be with your man
It's about time he took your hand
I was goin' proud, so now I'm sailing now
Keep on givin' it to me

I keep looking for strands of connections in the world of music and the one I hear is in the bridge, which could well have come from The Band's Music From Big Pink. Which is not surprising considering the Band's musical beacon shone from south of the Mason-Dixon line. There is a warmth and sense of camaraderie, echoed in Levon Helm, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel's various hamronizings and which belies the duo's famous ill relationship, when they sing

Somebody said what's in the dark
Will surely come to the light
All your days are brighter and your burden is lighter

Lyrics copyright 1968 I. Hayes and D. Porter