Isaac Hayes – Shaft

Album Revolution #5:

Well, "Isaac Hayes" has been TEARING UP the "Soul & R&B" Charts, with his MASTERFUL albums....I even said since "...To Be Continued", that some of his "Isaac Hayes Movement Arrangements" sounded like Movie Scores!!!

Well GUESS WHAT?!?!?!? We HAVE come to that POINT!!!!!

"Isaac Hayes" was approached by Director, "Gordon Parks", so "Ike" could FINALLY Write a Film Score for a Movie...So, we come to the Soundtrack for the CLASSIC Blaxploitation Film, "Shaft'!!!!!! Not only was this a GREAT opportunity for "Isaac Hayes", it also introduced the World to a VERY GIFTED Actor in "Mr. Richard Roundtree"...

After seeing the Film, it was TIME for "Ike" to GET TO WORK!!!!! With that he PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS!!! He called on his "Isaac Hayes Movement" Band: "Ronnie Hudson", "Gary Jones", "Willie Hall", "Lester Snell", "Charles "Skip" Pitts", "Mickey Gregory" and "Sidney Kirk"...He also called on his "Bar-Kay" Buddies if he needed them....He comprised the "The Memphis Strings & Horns"...And OF COURSE he HAD to HAVE his TRIED AND TRUE Background Vocalist, "Hot, Buttered & Soul" ("Pat and Diane Lewis" and "Rose Williams")....

Now, FINALLY getting to the Soundtrack, unlike MOST Soundtracks of today, you had exerts and sound parts that you heard during the Film...

With that, we OBVIOUSLY start with the "Theme From Shaft"!!!!!

I mean REALLY, WHO DOES NOT KNOW THIS CLASSIC Theme Song?!?!?!??!?! We FINALLY have those "Isaac Hayes Movement Arrangements" for a MOVIE!!!!! What I LOVE about this one is that, just like MOST of those "Isaac Hayes Movement Arrangements", we STILL have a LONG Intro, but it GENIUSLY clocks at "4:37"...This is one of the MOST SUNG ALONG Themes EVER!!!!! You KNOW WHY!!! Especially the part, "You Know That Brother "Shaft" is a BADD MOTHER---", before "Hot, Buttered & Soul" ONISHES "Ike", to "SHUT YOUR MOUTH"!!!!! Again, PURE GENIUS ON WAX!!!!!!

Then Most of the Soundtrack goes into what I said earlier that you hear throughout the Movie, like, "Bumpy's Lament", "Walk From Regio's" and even LONG Players like, "Cafe Regio's" and "No Name Bar"...These Songs REALLY fit the parts of the Movie, showcasing those SOULFUL "Isaac Hayes Movement Arrangements", so that even if you are not watching the Movie, you could VISUALIZE it , by using your imagination....

The last 2 Vocal Performances just was WOW!!!!!

"Soulsville"

I have NO IDEA WHY I didn't like this Song when I was Kid!!!!! This t is THE BOMB!!!! I guess I thought it was TOO BLUSEY for me, but the subject matter is ON POINT!!!! Also if you listen to the meaning of "Soulville" (also like, the "Ghetto", Slums, or "Blackbelt"), it was GENIUS....It talks about EVERYTHING, including the conditions of Buildings, Crime Rates, Drug Use and Hunger within the Inner City...My MOST TRIPPED OUT part, is when "Ike" REALLY WENT THERE with: "Some Of The Brothers, Got Plenty Of Cash, Tricks On The Corner, Gonna See To That"....WOW!!!!! On top of that, "Ike" pulls out his Saxophone to go along with the Melody, while "Hot, Buttered & Soul" just rounds it out PERFECTLY!!!!!

Now, "Do Your Thing"....

Yeah, you know "Ike" HAD to get with "The Bar-Kays" for this one!!!!!! There was no "Ike Rap", and there way only about 1 to 2 minutes of Lyrics...But yeah we have "19:38" of PURE FUNK!!!!! It HAS EVERYTHING!!!!!! With having a "GANSTA Groove", then around 7:35 it goes into the "Ike/Bar-Kays" FRENZY MODE!!!! It does that for SEVERAL minutes, before going back to GANSTA MODE, only to finish off in 2 to 3 minutes in SUPER DOOPER DOOPER DRAMATIC FASHION!!!!!! Guitarist "Michael Toles", again was given the GREEN LIGHT to just GO CRAZY ON HERE!!!! In fact MY HANDS HURT after hearing him do this!!!!!! I think this also sparked "Isaac Hayes" to steal another "Bar-Kay" (also "Willie Hall") in "Toles" for his "Movement" Band!!!! This ULTIMATE FUNK WORKOUT is also PERFECT for the ROAD!!!!! One day (when they were little) I DROVE my Daughters INSANE playing this Record!!!!!! I also wonder if this is where "Prince" got the inspiration for, "Let's Go Crazy" from the "Purple Rain" Soundtrack? Who Knows!!!!!!

Well, now, "Isaac Hayes" was ASTRONOMICAL!!!

Both "Shaft" single and Soundtrack HIT #1!!!!! On top of that, he won an "Oscar" for "Best Movie Score"!!!!! So you know with ALL this SUCCESS, "Stax" was able to continue to keep the lights on!!!!!

This Soundtrack is also TIMELESS!!!! It CONTINUES to INSPIRE future generations...There was also 2 Re-Boots of the Film, My FAVORITE one in 2000 (Directed by "John Singleton", with "Roundtree", "Samuel L. Jackson", "Vanessa Williams", "Jeffrey Wright", "Christian Bale" and "Busta Rhymes"), and 2019 (Directed "Tim Story" and Written by "Kenya Barris" and "Alex Barnow", starring "Roundtree", "Jackson", "Jessie T. Usher" and "Regina Hall").....

So, again, the "Isaac Hayes Saga" continues!!!! As long as he had BREATH in his lungs, he was going to try continue to CREATE in a way that STUNS the senses!!!! "Shaft" GAVE "Ike" the LICENSE to continue to DO SO!!!!!!