Billy Hawks - Heavy Soul

Review by Renee Hollifield

Heavy Soul by Billy Hawks: A Wild Ride Through Jazz, Funk, and Blues Vibes Billy Hawks’ Heavy Soul isn’t just an album; it’s more like a time machine that drops you straight into 1988 with all the swagger of soul-jazz and rhythm & blues. Released on Prestige Records (you know, the label that gave us some serious legends), this record is part gritty blues, part funky groove, and 100% unforgettable. With Hawks manning the organ and vocals, he proves he’s not just here to play—he’s here to slay. Let’s dive into two tracks that’ll stick in your brain like gum on a hot sidewalk. First up: "Whip It on Me." This track hits harder than your morning coffee. From the opening riff, Maynard Parker’s guitar work dances around like it owns the joint, while Rudy Van Gelder’s engineering makes every note crisp enough to bite. The groove? Oh, it’s nasty—in the best way possible. You can practically hear Henry Terrell’s drums smirking at you from behind the beat. And Billy? Dude sounds like he’s having the time of his life belting out lyrics that are equal parts playful and suggestive. It’s impossible not to move to this one—it’s as if the song dares you to sit still. Spoiler alert: you won’t. Then there’s "Drown In My Own Tears," which flips the mood entirely. If "Whip It on Me" is the life of the party, this track is its moody cousin sulking in the corner. Buddy Terry’s tenor saxophone weeps so hard you might need tissues. Seriously, the guy could make a robot cry. Hawks’ organ swells under his own vocal delivery, dripping with raw emotion. By the end, you’re convinced he wrote this after losing a bet or maybe his keys—either way, it’s devastatingly good. The rest of the album follows suit, mixing upbeat bangers with slow-burning heartbreakers. Tracks like “That’s Your Bag” bring the funk, while others like “O’Baby (I Believe I’m Losing You)” remind you why soul music will always have a pulse. Credit where it’s due: Cal Lampley’s production keeps things tight, and Mary Jo Schwalbach’s artwork gives the whole package a cool vintage vibe. So yeah, Heavy Soul is kind of a masterpiece. But let me leave you with this random thought: What if Billy Hawks had Instagram back then? Imagine him posting cryptic captions about bad girls and drowning in tears. Maybe we’d finally get answers—or just more questions. Either way, this album deserves a spot in your collection. Now go listen to it before someone else tells you how awesome it is.

Artist: Billy Hawks
Album: Heavy Soul

1988

Rating: 4.45

Review
About Album
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Tracks
Video
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Catalog Numbers
Labels
Listen online
Formats
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Credits
Notes
Barcodes
About Artist
Interesting fact
Comments
Related albums

Download

Filename: billy-hawks-heavy-soul.zip

MP3 size: 125.8 mb
FLAC size: 668.1 mb

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Tracks

Track	Duration	Preview
I Can Make It	4:13
Drown In My Own Tears	4:35
You've Been A Bad Girl	2:40
Drown' In My Own Tears	4:35
O'Baby (I Believe I'm Losing You)	3:00
I'll Be Back	2:41
What More Can I Do? (To Prove My Love to You)	3:9
Heavy Soul	5:25
I'll Be Back	2:30
That's Your Bag	5:30
Whip It On Me	3:15
You've Been a Bad Girl	2:45
What Can I Do ? (To Prove My Love To You)	2:30
Drown in My Own Tears	4:46
Whip It on Me	3:20
O'Baby (I Believe I'm Losing You)	3:6
That's Your Bag	5:30

Video

Billy Hawks - I'll Be Back

Billy Hawks - You've Been A Bad Girl

Billy Hawks - (Oh baby) I do believe I'm losing you.wmv

Billy Hawks - Drown In My Own Tears (1967)

Images

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Catalog Numbers

PR 7556, PRLP-7556
PR 7556

Labels

Prestige

Listen online

kuunnella verkossa
lyssna på nätet
escuchar en línea
écouter en ligne
ascolta in linea
online luisteren
ouvir online
online anhören
lytte på nettet

Formats

Vinyl
LP
Reissue
Album
Stereo

Companies

Role	Company
Phonographic Copyright (p)	Fantasy, Inc.
Record Company	Prestige Records Inc.
Published By	Prestige
Copyright (c)	Fantasy, Inc.

Credits

Role	Credit
Artwork	Mary Jo Schwalbach
Design	Don Schlitten
Drums	Henry Terrell
Engineer	Rudy Van Gelder
Guitar	Maynard Parker
Organ	Billy Hawks
Vocals	Billy Hawks
Written-By	Billy Hawks
Producer	Cal Lampley
Liner Notes	Ralph Berton
Tenor Saxophone	Buddy Terry (tracks: A2, B2)

Notes

PR 7556 on the front cover. PRLP-7556 n the label.
Same matrixes & barcode, different colors of the birds on front
PR 7556 on the front cover and on the label.
Cover artwork is slightly different in color: the orange birds on this release are printed in green.

Barcodes

Matrix / Runout (Side A runout etched ("Lee g6S" is a guess, of how it looks like) ): 3972-PRLP7556(A) S-46953 Lee g6S
Matrix / Runout (Side B runout etched (the first (B) is scratched out, "Lee RcS" is a guess, of how it looks like) ): 3972-PRLP7(B) 556-1(B) S-46954 Lee RcS
Matrix / Runout: DMC - 5500 A-1/11-88
Matrix / Runout: DMC - 5500 B-1/11-88
Rights Society: BMI
Barcode: 029667555616
Matrix / Runout: DMC-5500 A-1/11-88
Matrix / Runout: DMC-5500 B-1/11-88

About Billy Hawks

Real Name

William Hawkes

Name Vars

B Hawks
B. Hawks
Billy Hawkes
Hawks
William Hawks

Interesting fact about Album

Did you know that Billy Hawks' album *Heavy Soul*, released in 1988, was a melting pot of genres like Jazz, Funk, Soul, and Blues? It’s wild how one record can blend so many styles seamlessly. The legendary Rudy Van Gelder, known for his iconic sound engineering, worked on this project. And guess what? The track "Drown In My Own Tears" is listed three times with slightly different titles—it’s like they couldn’t get enough of it! Plus, the album hit shelves in the US, Germany, and the UK, showing just how universal its groove truly was.

Comments

backtoyourselfblog

2025-03-13

Classic! Thanks for sharing a great post.

ontechmediaplay

2025-03-13

VERY cool! I sort of "collect" different versions of this song, and I actually had never heard this one. I'm sure gonna get this recording now!

evakulesa

2025-03-13

mohdumar8182

2025-03-13

If you think this is something, you should hear Billy Preston's instrumental version, and, my personal favourite, Her Royal Highness Aretha Franklin!!! Let me know what you think.

programabeta

2025-03-12

i just loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove it

masterstlcreno

2025-03-12

bommmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,legal,e so sair dançandooooooooooooo,samba rock nostalgiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

mkengle09

2025-03-11

@37Rusty Hi, I think it's only available on LP, the Heavy Soul LP I think.

didisignupforthis

2025-03-11

This was issued in France as a 45 on Stateside, but it's very rare, expensive and highly sought after in Mod & Soul circles. However, it was issued as a double header 45 coupled with What A Man by Lynda Lyndell by the BGP label in 2002 to promote a compilation album that included both tracks. These are far easier to find and generally go for around the £30 mark for a mint copy - happy hunting!