SSS International Album Discography

SSS International Album Discography
By Mike Callahan, Patrice Eyries, David Edwards, Randy Watts and Tim Neely
Last update: July 17, 2011

Johnny Adams, 1969 Shelby Sumpter Singleton, Jr., a veteran of the music business, left Smash/Mercury and started his own SSS International label in 1966, using his initials for the label name. His first hit was Mickey Murray's "Shout Bamalama" [SSS International 715], which reached #11 on the soul charts and #54 on the pop charts in the fall of 1967. This was followed the next year by several more soul hits by Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson. "Lover's Holiday" [SSS International 736] reached #8 on the soul charts and #31 pop in the spring of 1968, followed by "Pickin' Wild Mountain Berries" [SSS International 748, 10/68, #8 R&B, #27 pop], "Soulshake" [SSS International 761, 2/69, #13 R&B, # 37 pop], and "I Want To Love You Baby" [SSS International 769, 5/69, #24 R&B, #81 pop].

In 1968, Singleton signed Johnny Adams, a soul singer with a remarkable voice. Adams had had a minor hit for the New Orleans-based Ric label in 1962 ("A Losing Battle" [Ric 986, 6/62, #27 R&B]), but had been having trouble getting on the national charts since. A New Orleans native, Adams had started out as a gospel singer, but eventually brought his voice and soaring falsetto to secular music, first with Ric and then with Wardell Quezergue's Watch label. It was for Watch that he recorded a country song, "Release Me," but it had little success until he signed with Singleton and reissued it on the SSS International label [SSS International 750]. This time, it reached #34 R&B and #82 pop when issued at the end of 1968. For a followup, he tried another country song, "Reconsider Me" [SSS International 770], with Shelby Singleton producing and Adams going through an amazing vocal workout which reached #8 R&B and #28 pop. It proved to be Adams' biggest hit. Two more minor hits followed, after which Adams left the label, only to fall into relative national obscurity again. At home in New Orleans, he performed for years at clubs until his death in 1998 in Baton Rouge.

Singleton's sister label, Plantation, was scoring country hits during this time like Jeanne C. Riley's "Harper Valley P.T.A." [Plantation 3, 8/68, #1 C&W, #1 pop]. After the hits by Mickey Murray, Scott & Benson, and Johnny Adams, SSS International cooled down. A series of albums by saxophonist Sil Adams, early albums by David Allan Coe, a few various artist albums, and some miscellaneous schmaltz kept the label afloat but out of the national charts. At the end SSS International was reduced to putting out live albums by artists who had passed their primes, with Singleton spending more time mining the Sun label for reissues after his purchase of that label in the early 1970s.

No one could accuse Singleton of not having any new ideas. On the back of the early SSS International albums (as well as on his other labels at the time), was a "lifetime guarantee" offer. Albums would be replaced if broken or any other vague reason, for the price of postage and handling of one dollar. We have no idea how this worked out, or how many offers he got.

Singleton's Lifetime Guarantee

Shelby Singleton died in 2009.

Early singles (far left) were beige with a blue "globe" oval (the International part) across the center hole, and a simple logo different from the more familiar later logo. Promotional singles had an all-white label with black print (near left).

Singles starting in 1968 (far left) had a complex design of orange, purple, blue, and yellow, with black print and the SSS logo at the top in white. Promotional singles (near left) had a white label with black print..

The SSS International label throughout the SSS-1 series (far left) was similar to the later 45 label. Promotional labels (near left) were usually the same label with a promotional overprint, but some promo labels, especially early numbers, were white with black print.

We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no association with SSS International Records. Should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this discography (which are all out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow the instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 2009 by Mike Callahan.

SSS INTERNATIONAL ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY

Cover	Number - Title - Artist - [Release Date] Contents
	SSS International SSS 100 Series:
	SSS LP-100 - The Basic Principles of Kreskin's ESP - Kreskin [1968] A Basic Introduction To E.S.P./The Pendulum And How To Use It/Testing Your Accuracy With The Pendulum/The Sex Detector/The Lie Detector/Brothers And Sisters/The Uncanny Test/How To Catch A Murderer//Using Your Imagination To Test Your E.S.P./Imagination And Swallowing/Setting Up The SＢnce For The Table Tilting/The Phenomenon Of Table Tilting
	SSS LP-101 -
	SSS LP-102 - Shout Bamalama and Other Super Soul Songs - Mickey Murray [1967] Shout Bamalama/Hit Record/Lonely Room/Are You Ready/Got You On My Mind/I'm Coming Back To You/How To Hide From Love/How Many Breaks Can One Heart Take/Pledging My Love/East Of Nowhere/Treat Her Right/Am I That Easy To Forget?
	SSS International SSS-1 Series:
	SSS #1 - Soulshake - Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson [1968] Soulshake/We Got Our Bag/We Were Made For Each Other/Here With You/Blow Your Mind/Lover's Holiday// Til The Morning Comes/Doin' Our Thing/Love Will Come Sneaking Up On You/Fine As Frog Hair/If That's The Only Way/Pickin' Wild Mountain Berries
	SSS #2 - Lover's Heaven - Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson [1969] Original cover opens in the center, with two fold-open flaps. Lover's Heaven/Over The Hill Underground/Magic Fingers/Money Don't Satisfy/Knee Deep In Clover/I Want To Love You Baby//Sugarmaker/True Soul Lovin'/We're Gonna Get Back Together/Show It/Big City Blues
	SSS #3 - Solid Gold, Vol. 1 - Various Artists [1969] Release Me - Johnny Adams (S)/Shout Bamalama - Mickey Murray (E)/Lover's Holiday - Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson (S)/The Train - Big John Hamilton (E)/Pledging My Love - Laura Greene & Johnny McKinnis (S)/Danny Boy - Sil Austin (S)//Pickin' Wild Mountain Berries - Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson (M)/Honey - Sil Austin (S)/I Have No One - Big John Hamilton (E)/Flat Foot Sam - Mickey Murray (S)/I Almost Called Your Name - Johnny Soul (S)/There's A Break In The Road - Betty Harris (E)
	SSS #4 - Honey Sax - Sil Austin [1969] Danny Boy/Alfie/Honey/A Whiter Shade Of Pale/Turn The World Around/I Really Don't Want To Know/Ode To Billy Joe/Days Of Wine And Roses/I Was Made To Love Her/Red Roses For A Blue Lady/San Francisco (Wear Some Flowers)
	SSS #5 - Heart And Soul - Johnny Adams [1969] Georgia Morning Dew/In A Moment Of Weakness/Real Live Living Hurtin' Man/Lonely Man/I Won't Cry/Resease Me//Proud Woman/I Can't Be All Bad/A Losing Battle/Living On Your Love/Reconsider Me
	SSS #6 - Original New York Rock & Roll Vol. 1 - Various Artists [1970] The Boy From New York City - Ad Libs/People Say - Dixie Cups/Baby Be Mine - Jelly Beans/Remember (Walking In The Sand) - Shangri-Las/New York's A Lonely Town - Trade Winds/I Wanna Love Him So Bad - Jelly Beans//Chapel Of Love - Dixie Cups/Down Home Girl - Alvin Robinson/I Can't Let Go - Evie Sands/He Ain't No Angel - Ad Libs/Leader Of The Pack - Shangri-Las/Let The Good Times Roll - Alvin Robinson
	SSS #7 - For Women Only - Bergen White [1970] Second Lovers Song/Let Me Stay Awhile/On And On/She Is Today/It's Your Time/It's Over Now/Gona Again/Lisa Was Hurt So Bad/Look At Me Now/The Bird Song
	SSS #8 - Soft Soul with Strings - Sil Austin [1970] Massachusetts/Lover's Holiday/Stardust/Johnny Guitar/Fly Me To The Moon//Moon River/Tara's Theme/Harlem Nocturne/Broken Promises/Summertime/I Left My Heart In San Francisco
	Note: At this point, the catalog numbering system changes slightly, dropping the number sign (#) in favor of a dash.
	SSS-9 - Penitentiary Blues - David Allan Coe [1970] Penitentiary Blues/Cell #33/Monkey David Wine/Walkin' Bum/One Way Ticket To Nowhere//Funeral Parlor Blues/Death Row/Oh Warden/Age 21/Little David/Conjer Man
	SSS-10 - Golden Guitar Hits - Tennessee Guitars [1970] Tennessee Bird Walk/The Ballad Of Morgan/Never On Sunday/Calcutta/Gentle On My Mind/Lisbon Antigua/Pretend/Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White/Yakety Axe/Sentimental Journey/Spanish Harlem
	SSS-11 - Today's Generation - Rex Allen Jr. [1971] Younger Generation/I Back Up/Children/You Weren't There/Other Husbands And Wives/Home Song (Dreams Of What Will Come)/Wake Up Morning/Father Needs A Man/Push To The Ground/Black Skies/Corners Of My Life
	SSS-12 - U.S. Apple Corps - The U.S. Apple Corps [1970] Promotional copies pressed on blue vinyl with a white label. Ain't It Like Me/Peace In The Valley/Will The Circle Be Unbroken//Down By The Riverside/Ride On King Jesus/Swing Low Sweet Chariot
	SSS-13 - Spanish Gold - Tennessee Guitars [1971] In A Little Spanish Town/La Paloma/Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)/Maria Elena/Celito Lindo/Pepito//The Lonely Bull/Guantanamera/Nuevo Laredo/Vaya Con Dios/Perfidia
	SSS-14 - Sil and the Silver Screen - Sil Austin [1971] Misty/September In The Rain/Tara's Theme/Smoke Gets In Your Eyes/Alfie/Body And Soul//Moon River/Someone To Watch Over Me/Sumertime/I've Got You Under My Skin/Autumn In New York
	SSS-15 - Beethoven Bittersweet - Benninghoff's Bad Rock Blue Band [1971] #6 The Boggy Bayou Revival, Parts I, II & III/#3 The Error-atica, Parts I & II//#5 Da-Da-Da-Da-Daah/It's Nota/Supersong
	SSS-16 - Sweet Revival - Sweet Revival [1971] Sidewalk Christian/Mr. Soul Saving Man/Joseph And Mary/Swing Out Sweet Mary/Reach Out, Give A Little Love//Simon Zealots- Hosanna/Sister Carolina/This Holy Night/Will The Real Jesus Please Stand Up/Sweet Revival
	SSS-17 - Church Bach - Benninghoff's Bad Rock Blue Band [1971] Brandenburg Concerto #2/St Matthew Passion/Prelude Rock Fugue in D Minor/Cantana #80/Prelude Rock Fugue in F Major/Cantana #140/Mystree Tune/Prelude In C Major/B Minor Mass
	SSS-18 - Madrigal - Madrigal [1971] I Believe In Sunshine/Picture Frame/Boog/Television Nightmare/Lady//Lovely Lady/The Diddler Song/Weekend/Tell Her That/You Got It Wrong
	SSS-19 - Houston - Houston [1971] Pretty Millie/Mucho Gusto/Hairy One/Fast Thinkin' Sam/Sally Bumper//Some Day Do/All My Life/Fly/Elizabeth/Doctor
	SSS-20 - The Basic Principles of Kreskin's ESP - Kreskin [1971] Reissue of SSS LP-100. A Basic Introduction To E.S.P./The Pendulum And How To Use It/Testing Your Accuracy With The Pendulum/The Sex Detector/The Lie Detector/Brothers And Sisters/The Uncanny Test/How To Catch A Murderer//Using Your Imagination To Test Your E.S.P./Imagination And Swallowing/Setting Up The SＢnce For The Table Tilting/The Phenomenon Of Table Tilting
	SSS-21 - Cosmic Bean - Arnold Bean [1971] I Can See Through You/The Long Stretch Of Blue/Fortune And Fame/Daddy's Got The Clap/Really Haven't Got The Time/Penny, Dear//Indian Summer/Listening To The River/I've Got The Key/Captain Marvel/(Open Up Your Heart) Nature Boy
	SSS-22 - Bootleg Music - H.Y. Sledge [1971] Citation On Liberty/Such An Easy Day/Canadian Exodus/Cellophane Lady-Nowhere To Go//Ride The Waves/I'm Your Brother/Tamara/Day Of Realization/It's In The Air/Finding It
	SSS-23 - Songs of Gold - Sil Austin [1975]
	SSS-24 - Jewels Vol. 1 - Various Artists [1975] Crimson And Clover - Tommy James & Shondells/Soulshake - Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On - Jerry Lee Lewis/You, I - Rugbys/The Boy From New York City - Ad Libs/Leader Of The Pack - Shangri-Las//Tighter And Tighter - Alive And Kickin'/Raunchy - Bill Justis/Chapel Of Love - Dixie Cups/I Wanna Love Him So Bad - Jelly Beans/Maybe - Three Degrees/Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins
	SSS-25 - Jewels Vol. 2 - Various Artists [1975] He Made A Woman Out Of Me - Betty LaVette/Summertime - Bill Hemmans & Clay's Composite/You've Got To Pay The Price - Gloria Taylor/Reconsider Me - Johnny Adams/Them Changes - Big John Hamilton/Lover's Holiday - Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson/Cryin' In The Streets, Part II - George Perkins & Silver Stars/My Heart Is Yours - Wilbert Harrison/Cummins Prison Farm - Calvin Leavy/Sunday Morning Coming Down - Hank Ballard/Shout Bamalama - Mickey Murray
	SSS-26 - Real N' Funky - Michael Henry Martin [1976]
	SSS-27 - Hawaiian Gold - Tennessee Guitars [1976] Hawaiian War Chant/My Little Grass Shack In Kealakehua Hawaii/Pearly Shells/Sweet Leilani/Blue Hawaii/Shangri-La/Aloha Oe/Hawaiian Sunset/Hawaiian Wedding Song/Cocoanut Grove/White Silver Sands
	SSS-28 -
	SSS-29 -
	SSS-30 -
	SSS-31 - Requiem for a Harlequin - David Allan Coe [1976] Side 1: The Beginning//Side 2: The End
	SSS-32 - Original Golden Hits of the Great Groups - Various Artists [1976] Ask Anybody - Ad Libs/The Boy From New York City - Ad Libs/Baby Be Mine - Jelly Beans/Goodnight Baby - Butterflys/I Wonder - Butterflys//People Say - Dixie Cups/Chapel Of Love - Dixie Cups/Remember (Walking In The Sand) - Shangri-Las/Leader Of The Pack - Shangri-Las/New York's A Lonely Town - Tradewinds
	SSS-33 - Dancin' - Van McCoy & Friends [1976]
	SSS-34 - The Vogues' Greatest Hits - The Vogues [1977]
	SSS-35 - Bob Marley and the Wailers - Bob Marley & The Wailers [1981] There She Goes/Put It On/How many Times/Mellow Mood/Chances Are//Hammer/You Can't Do That To Me/Touch Me/Treat You Right/Soul Rebel
	SSS-36 - Chuck Berry Live, Volume One - Chuck Berry [1981] Rock And Roll Music/Nadine/Hail, Hail, Rock & Roll/In The Wee Wee Hours (I Think Of You)//Medley: Johnny B. Goode-Oh Carol/Blues Tune/Sweet Little Sixteen

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		Early singles (far left) were beige with a blue "globe" oval (the International part) across the center hole, and a simple logo different from the more familiar later logo. Promotional singles had an all-white label with black print (near left).
		Singles starting in 1968 (far left) had a complex design of orange, purple, blue, and yellow, with black print and the SSS logo at the top in white. Promotional singles (near left) had a white label with black print..
		The SSS International label throughout the SSS-1 series (far left) was similar to the later 45 label. Promotional labels (near left) were usually the same label with a promotional overprint, but some promo labels, especially early numbers, were white with black print.