The Shark Guys » R.I.P. Isaac Hayes, Soul Man

August 12, 2008

This week, we mourn the passing of a soul legend, whose output in the early 60s alone, would’ve been enough to launch him into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.

I’d go a step further and say “I Thank You” is enough to put him in the Hall. Hell, if Bon Jovi memorabilia is good enough to collect dust, (and with any luck get eaten by species of Tineola bisselliella), I.H. deserves his own damn wing, can you dig it?

[Editor's note, for those of you interested in hearing Bon Jovi debasing Hayes' Stax Records legacy, check out Cover Your Ears: The Worst Bon Jovi Cover Versions of all Time.]

The Hayes-penned hit, “I Thank You”, as performed by Sam & Dave and later given a Jeffrey Dahmer-like treatment by ZZ Top, starts off with a sick drum pattern, eighth notes accented on every third beat, before this pulpit requisition:

“I want everybody to get up off your seat
And get your arms together, and your hands together
And give me some of that o-o-old soul clapping,” followed by a leering octave bass run punctuated by glorious horns.

[see below]

Hold On! I’m a Comin’, rather than referring to anything sexually suggestive, was co-written by Hayes when writing partner Dave Porter was taking an inordinate length of time in the bathroom. Thankfully, for the history of soul music, Porter didn’t call out “Man, I think I ate something funny” instead. In my estimation, the opening horns in this tune are rivaled only by Knock on Wood or In the Midnight Hour, by Wilson Pickett as some of the greatest horn riffs of all time. Here they are back to back.

We’ve all heard Soul Man, so here’s another ‘Soul’ classic, Soul Sister, Brown Sugar, another S&D hit from this period, with a propulsive bass line similar to ‘I Thank You’ with start & stop horns and luscious high harmonies.