Soul Man (song)
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| “Soul Man” | |||||
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| Single by Sam and Dave | |||||
| B-side | "May I Baby" | ||||
| Released | 1967 | ||||
| Format | 7", 45rpm | ||||
| Recorded | 1967 | ||||
| Genre | Soul | ||||
| Length | 2:40 | ||||
| Label | Stax/Atlantic S-231 |
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| Writer(s) | Isaac Hayes David Porter |
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| Producer | Isaac Hayes David Porter |
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| Sam and Dave singles chronology | |||||
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"Soul Man" is a 1967 song written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, first successful as a hit single by Atlantic Records soul duo Sam and Dave.
Contents |
[edit] Original version
Co-author Isaac Hayes found the inspiration for "Soul Man" in the turmoil of the African-American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. In July 1967, the 12th Street Riot in Detroit, Michigan occurred. Watching a television newscast of the aftermath of the riots, Hayes noted that black Detroit residents had marked the buildings that had not been destroyed during the riots - most African-American owned and operated institutions - with the word "soul". [1] Relating this occurrence to the biblical story of the Passover, [2] Hayes and songwriting partner David Porter came up with the idea, in Hayes' words, of "a story about one's struggle to rise above his present conditions. It's almost a tune [where it's] kind of like boasting 'I'm a soul man'. It's a pride thing." [1]
Issued on the Atlantic-distributed Stax label for which Hayes and Porter worked, Sam and Dave's "Soul Man" was the most successful Stax single to date upon its release. [1] The single peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, and at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States during the autumn of 1967. "Soul Man" was awarded the 1968 Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance, Vocal or Instrumental. [1]
The exclamation "Play it, Steve" heard in the song refers to guitarist Steve Cropper of Booker T. & the M.G.'s, the house band who provided the instrumentation for this and many other Sam and Dave singles. Has anyone heard a rumor that Dennis Yost of "The Classics IV" may have actually co-written "Soul Man" but failed to copyright it, then lost it to Hayes and Porter? This something I just heard as I do some research about Dennis.
[edit] Cover versions
The Blues Brothers performed the song on an episode of the NBC comedy/variety show Saturday Night Live in late November of 1978, and later released the song as a single that reached the top twenty in March, 1979. The song was performed by Lou Reed and Sam Moore on soundtrack to comedy movie "Soul Man" (1986), supported by a music video.
In 2004, the song was once again performed, this time by comedy duo Drake Bell and Josh Peck on their sitcom Drake & Josh in the episode "Blues Brothers". The song appeared on the show's soundtrack, released in 2005. In 2007, Australian singer Guy Sebastian covered the song for his fourth album The Memphis Album which featured Steve Cropper and Donald 'Duck' Dunn, two of the musicians featured on the first ever recording of "Soul Man" 40 years ago.
Ted Nugent often performs "Soul Man" in his live shows. A cover of the song was often played on Prince's Musicology tour.
[edit] Credits
- Vocals by Sam Moore and Dave Prater
- Instrumentation by Booker T. & the MG's and the Mar-Keys Horns
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Bowman, Rob (1997). Soulsville U.S.A.: The Story of Stax Records. New York: Schirmer Trade. ISBN 0825672848. Pg. 128
- ^ Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon, and Mark Crosby [directors, writers, producers]. (2007). Great Performances - Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story [TV documentary]. New York City: Tremolo Productions, Concord Music Group, Thirteen/WNET New York.
