Lean on me Series

The Great Performances/Great Songs series by Verve is a new attempt to get prospective buyers interested in its vast jazz catalog by introducing them to large-scale hits by artists who appeared either on its label proper, or on one of its licensees'. In the case of saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr., these are sides he cut for Creed Taylor's Kudu imprint - Motown’s jazz label at the time - between 1971 and 1978. The six selections are all covers of very popular soul or pop numbers, and come from recordings like Inner City Blues, All the King’s Horses, and Soul Box, Vol. 2, though the gorgeous reading of Billy Joel's “All the Things You Are” comes from 1978’s Reed Seed. Other tracks included here are stylish renditions of “Where Is the Love?,” “Georgia on My Mind,” Marvin Gaye's “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology Song),” a reggae version of Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me,” and Stevie Wonder’s "You are the Sunshine Of My Life”…

The series was revived as "AM Gold" in 1995, with a different cover design (early volumes had an artist's drawing of a pocket transistor radio, with later volumes bearing a "gold record" with the year or era spotlighted emblazoned over the top). The first 20 volumes were re-titled issues of volumes from the former "Super Hits" series with identical track lineups, while new volumes covering the mid- and late-1970s (including individual volumes for each of the years 1974-1979) were included.

The series was revived as "AM Gold" in 1995, with a different cover design (early volumes had an artist's drawing of a pocket transistor radio, with later volumes bearing a "gold record" with the year or era spotlighted emblazoned over the top). The first 20 volumes were re-titled issues of volumes from the former "Super Hits" series with identical track lineups, while new volumes covering the mid- and late-1970s (including individual volumes for each of the years 1974-1979) were included.

'' 1000 Original Hits '' is the title of a compilation series published by EMI Plus (Europe). This release contains portions of this series, released in 2001, containing works performed from 1970 to 1979.