When Stax Records released Isaac Hayes’ second album in 1969, it was unlikely that anyone at the label considered that it might be the kind of groundbreaking record it became on so many levels. Hayes had already been a highly successful producer and songwriter for the label and even if he had ambitions as a solo artist, the lack of response to his first LP, 1967’s “Presenting Isaac Hayes” did not bode well. But “Hot Buttered Soul” was light years ahead of Ike’s debut set: with just four tracks, The Bar-Kays playing brilliantly, an unnamed female coterie of background vocalists and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra providing a sumptuous backdrop, Hayes embellished two classic songs of the day – the Bacharach/David-Dionne Warwick 1964 hit “Walk On By” and Glen Campbell’s “By The Time I Get To Phoenix” – adding vocal nuances, a soulful emphasis (particularly on ‘Phoenix,’ a country-flavored pop ode, for which Hayes created an unforgettable opening monologue) and his own distinctive baritone.

For good measure, there were two original tunes, “One Woman” (later recorded by Al Green) and Hayes’ own unpronounceable but compellingly funky “Hyperbolicsyllabicsequedalymistic” but undoubtedly, the two cover tunes (covering a total of thirty minutes of music between them) served as masterful bookends, making “Hot Buttered Soul” unlike any other piece of work geared towards an R&B/soul audience at the time.

The climactic build-up Hayes offered on both “Walk On By” and “Phoenix” was breathtaking: lyricist Hal David probably never envisaged the insertion of the phrase ‘you socked it to me, mama’ into his bittersweet tale of a broken love affair and composer Jim Webb likely never imagined Ike’s slice-of-life-and-love, eight-and-a-half minute philosophical rap that preceded the stirring interpretation Hayes brought to his tune. Personally, it was a little tough for me to get used to the ‘new’ way Ike approached “Walk On By”: it was the record by Dionne Warwick that first ‘introduced’ me to soul music and set me on the pathway to a lifelong passion and indeed, an entire career! I eventually came to enjoy and appreciate the Hayes’ version once I stopped comparing the two; and years later, when I saw Isaac and Dionne in concert as part of a nationwide tour (known as ‘A Man And A Woman’), I fully recognized just how much deep appreciation and admiration Ike felt for Dionne’s music.

“Hot Buttered Soul” – recently reissued by Concord in glorious 120 gram vinyl due to the increased interest and demand among collectors (and also available on CD) – not only established Isaac Hayes as a contemporary musical icon, it gave Stax Records a massive best-seller, at the same time initiating a whole new approach to albums by black music artists of the day. It’s no surprise that it sounds as good now as it did in ’69.

David Nathan
A/k/a the British Ambassador Of Soul
Secretary, The Rhythm & Blues Foundation (www.rhythmblues.org)
Owner,
www.soulmusic.com,
www.soulmusicstore.com,
www.soulmusicglobal.com

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