Trove Of Tunes – Soul Man
From Detroit’s 1967 riots to Saturday Night Live’s comedy stage, Soul Man became an anthem of resilience, identity, and groove across six decades.
We’re going back to the 1960s and ’70s for a little soul-reflection. It’s layered with history, politics, and a pinch of philosophy — but at its core, it’s a flat-out entertainer.
Listen to ‘Soul Man’ by The Blues Brothers, part of their 1978 album, ‘Briefcase Full of Blues’.
Riots, A Billboard Smash, And A Grammy
It was 1967, and the Civil Rights Movement in America was gaining in chorus, momentum, and action on the streets. In July of that year, a riot was triggered post the Detroit police raid on an unlicensed bar. Bar raids weren’t uncommon in Detroit, but this one triggered destruction of peace, property, and loss of lives.
Isaac Hayes and David Porter, belonging to Stax Records, put pen to paper after the Detroit uprising. Hayes said, “I remember in Detroit, I saw the news flash where they were burning the neighbourhoods. Where the buildings weren’t burnt, people would write ‘soul’ on the buildings. The big thing was ‘soul brother.’ So I said, ‘Why not do something called “Soul Man” and kind of tell 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—a pride thing.” The R&B duo Sam and Dave (Sam Moore and Dave Prater) added their voices to the lyrics. The song graced the Billboard charts and won a Grammy in 1968.
The ’70s, Saturday Night Live, And The Blues Brothers
I recently spotted The Blues Brothers’ version of ‘Soul Man’ on X (formerly Twitter). The groove is insatiable, and the swagger is all class. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, the two veteran Saturday Night Live (SNL) comedians decided to turn their sketch characters into a working band. They brought in Steve Cropper (guitar) and Donald Dunn (bass), who were the performers on the original Stax sessions of ‘Soul Man’ in 1967. They first performed as the opening act for Steve Martin, carrying their SNL sketch characters into a full-fledged band called The Blues Brothers. The line-up went through many changes over the years, but their first major milestone post gracing the SNL stage, was the 1979 live album ‘Briefcase Full of Blues’, on which their roaring version of ‘Soul Man’ was released. It again charted on the Billboard Hot 100, catching audiences who were swaying between disco, heavy metal, glam rock, R&B, and Pop in the late ’70s.
The chorus ‘I’m a soul man’ has been a crowd puller across many a stage and genre over the past six decades. For me, it’s a line that transcends pride, joy, identity, and recognition.
I’ll be back soon with another number that pins my ear, finds my trove, and stays with me. Till then, you can continue to check out my Trove Of Tunes curated in a Spotify playlist by clicking here.
Cheers,
Shri