- Grammy award for Best Instrumental Composition Written Specifically For A Motion Picture or for Television – Can you dig it?
- The first African American to win an Oscar for a non-acting category – Damn right!
- The best selling LP ever released on Stax Records – Shut your mouth!
- The first double LP of original studio material released by an R&B artist – Right on!
Shaft delivered all these for Isaac Hayes and more. Truly God hath no higher peak of creation than a completely bald man.
Ike was slightly suckered into his involvement with Shaft, fondly hoping he would be cast as John Shaft not knowing that Richard Roundtree had already snagged the role*. Now I would have thrown all my toys out of the pram at this time, luckily Mr Hayes was a far better man than I and stayed on board to write the soundtrack.
Released in August 1971** Shaft consisted of three vocal tracks and a smattering of instrumental pieces. Whilst the instrumental tracks grab the attention less they helped define a whole hip-hop aesthetic in the 90’s, the Beasties sampling ‘Walk From Regio’s’ for ‘Sounds Of Science’.
But we’re here for the big hitters and they don’t come much bigger than ‘Theme From Shaft’ and I’ll fight anyone who doesn’t admit that Charles ‘Skip’ Pitts’ wah-wah guitar is one of the best, most evocative lines ever committed to wax. The track was cooked up by Hayes having been given early rushes of Shaft leaving a subway and walking along the street and it just grabs that cool right out of the air. It struts and preens and is damn silly into the bargain. ‘Theme From Shaft’ fits the 1537 definition of perfection, you could not either add or take any single thing to/from it to make it any better at all.
(This may genuinely be the coolest clip of anything ever – this is what the inside of my head looks like most days on my way to work. The sheer WTF-ery of the ‘pushing Ike down a corridor’ sequence remains the pinnacle of all human culture thus far. True story.)
Where ‘Theme …’ struts, ‘Soulsville’ slinks. It is smooth as silk and twice as sweet to uncover; gentle backing vox, carefully deployed orchestration and some non-penetrative sax. Baby. Even after owning this LP for 23 years I still double take at the clever social realism in the lyrics. Right on.
Best track on Shaft for me is the ludicrously epic ‘Do Your Thing’, a quite frankly awesomely proportioned shagfest weighing in at a regal 19:38. Hayes’ incredible band just fill the space perfectly, no stretching, no dragging ‘Do Your Thing’ knows exactly where its at and where its going. There is a 3 minute single version out there, which is simply not the point – this is a whole wet weekend’s worth, not a Saturday morning special. Guitarists Pitts and Michael Toles raise the roof but the real star for me is drummer Willie Hall. There’s no more to say.
My copy is a ’71 original that I picked up cheap, way back when such things were possible. It has the added advantage that the sides are ordered for a vinyl autochanger – side 1 and 4 together on the same LP, it does get a lot more play than the, mostly instrumental, 2 and 3 disc.
One of my very favourite things about Shaft are the beyond parody sleevenotes^ giving a précis of the film’s plot, which never fail to bring me pleasure. Read on, right on! Worth the price of the LP by themselves, I love their descriptions of John Shaft ‘black, muscular, fine looking’ and his woman^^ ‘a doll, also black’. Priceless. I just wish that whenever I put my name to something at work I was allowed to insert the description ‘pale, muscular, fine looking’ after it.
My love of Ike Hayes and Shaft bubbled to the surface in hospital about a decade ago, I was in the X-ray waiting room whilst the orderly waited to come in and call us one by one. In he came and called out ‘John Graft’ and before I could help myself I blurted out ‘Can you dig it?’ and chuckled manically at my own joke. What can I say? I’m a complicated man and no one understands me but my woman.
966 Down (muscular and fine looking).
PS: Play the next track carefully, I cannot be help responsible for its powerful effects on the suggestible:
*and very rightly so.
**5 months before me.
^sleevenotes! Sleevenotes!! Sleevenotes!!!
^^of ‘only one who understands him’ fame.
It’s a good thing CB wasnt in that waiting room with ya. I would have been … who knows but my instincts would have took me with you.. I will keep that one with me forever.
Yasss! Really enjoyed this one. I have a pal who has a few Hayes records… says they’re really quite something and the jams are particularly amazing. I’ve only heard this and that was only cause I like the Theme.
And y’know, this has bumped up a few spots on my wishlist purely for the outrageously awesome sleeve notes.
Great post.
Thanks J, that’s mighty kind of you. This is great but Hot Buttered Soul (always available cheap from good retailers) is the winner.
What would you add to your signature? Shaft-style.
Oooft. Maybe something like ‘pale, overweight, cardigan wearer’?
So we wouldn’t be getting Richard Roundtree to play you anytime soon then in, WordPress: The Movie?
Not this time. Maybe the sequel? WordPress 2: Keyboard Warriors.
I like to think John Goodman would do a good turn as me in the movie if you don’t mind. Danny DeVito if Goodman is unavailable.
I was going to get Aardman Animations in for the 1537 Story.
I remember that film, it was cool and so was the title song! Isaac Hayes did get a chance at acting, he was in the film “Escape from New York” with Kurt Russell.
I’ve never seen the film actually – only clips from it.
Plus Ike was the chef on South Park, until they did a joke too many about scientology …
That’s true and I love his character. If you get a chance, see the film. It’s dated now but stil worth the watch.
Funny enough I was thinking of reviewing this album as well. No need to now.
I can only imagine that when you are pushed down the streets of your hometown by one of your minions, the lady folk pop out of doors and windows like the video clip.
It’s a bit too cold for the chainmail tank top at the moment. other than that you’re spot on.
It’s a cracking listen still.
We will have no need to duel as I concur, that wah wah speaks for itself!
Your woman is the only one that needs to understand you. The rest of us will shake our and nod like we do.
Good thinking John. Can you dig it?
Superb piece. And very timely, just got hold of the new remastered/rereleased double CD. The opening minute of ‘Theme From Shaft’ does weird things to my brain. And you’re right about that ‘pushing Ike down a corridor’ bit. Or the whole damn clip really…
Cheers Matt, I had no idea it had been redone.
That clip … just, wow. The man doesn’t do low-key.
That promotional poster is amazing. Butter your soul. I like Hayes getting talked about, he’s great.
I loved it so much. I don’t have ‘To be Continued’, its the only one of them I’m missing.
Me too actually.
I’m going to add pale, scrawny, fine looking to my email signature.
It’s your right Zack and don’t you let anyone tell you different!
I remember watching that Oscars performance when I was 15, it was quite mind blowing for someone who was into Led Zep and the like back then.
Wow, you saw it at a vulnerable age too. Were you never tempted to recreate it?!
I did!!!! Should get parole soon…
Good to see you worked your way up to earning internet privileges at whichever institution you’re currently housed in.