Theme from Shaft
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| "Theme from Shaft" | ||
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| Single by Isaac Hayes | ||
| from the album Shaft | ||
| Released | October, 1971 | |
| Format | 7" single | |
| Genre | Soul | |
| Length | 4:34 | |
| Label | Enterprise 9038 |
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| Writer(s) | Isaac Hayes | |
| Producer(s) | Isaac Hayes | |
| Chart positions | ||
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"Theme from Shaft", written and recorded by Isaac Hayes in 1971, is the soul- and funk-style theme song to the film Shaft. The theme, released as a single two months after the movie's soundtrack, went to #1 in the United States in November 1971. The following year, "Theme from Shaft" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, with Hayes becoming the first African American to win that honor (or any Academy Award in a non-acting category). Since then, the song has appeared in numerous television shows, commercials, and other movies, including the 2000 remake of Shaft, for which Hayes re-recorded the song without making any changes to it. "Theme from Shaft" is sometimes considered more iconic than the movie for which it was written.[1][2]
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[edit] Composition and history
In 2000, Hayes told National Public Radio that he had only agreed to write and perform the song after the movie's producers promised him an audition for the lead role. He never got the chance to audition, but kept his end of the deal anyway.[3] Director Gordon Parks also had a hand in composing the theme, describing the character of private detective John Shaft to Hayes and explaining that the song had to familiarize the audience with him. Hayes recorded the rhythm parts on the theme first, scored the entire rest of the film, then returned to the theme song.[3]
The song begins with a sixteenth-note hi-hat ride pattern, played by Willie Hall, which was drawn from a break on Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness", a Stax record on which Hayes had played.[3] Also featuring heavily in the intro is Charles Pitts' guitar, which uses a wah-wah effect common in 1970s funk; the riff had originally been written for an unfinished Stax song. The synthesized strings are played by Hayes. Even on the edited single version, the intro lasts for more than two and a half minutes before any vocals are heard.
The lyrics describe John Shaft's coolness, courage, and sex appeal, and Hayes' lead vocals are punctuated by a trio of female backup singers. At one famous moment, Hayes calls Shaft "a bad mother—" before the backup singers interrupt the implied profanity with the line "Shut your mouth!" Hayes immediately defends himself by replying that he's "talking about Shaft". Other well-known passages include "You're damn right!" also uttered by Hayes, and "He's a complicated man/but no one understands him/but his woman/John Shaft."
The song was considered very racy for its time; as late as 1990, censors at the FOX Network thought it too risqué to be sung on The Simpsons (until it was demonstrated that the song had indeed been played on television before).[4]
The song was not intended to be a single, but the success of the film and the popularity of the track in nightclubs led to a 45 record of the theme being released on Enterprise Records two months after the soundtrack. Within two months, it hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there a second week.[1] The song had an enormous influence on the disco and soul music of the decade.[3]
In 1972, Hayes performed "Theme from Shaft" as part of the Academy Awards ceremony in his trademark chainmail vest, but accepted the award later that night wearing a tuxedo.[1] Later that year, he played it live in the Wattstax concert; the footage of this performance is featured in the Mel Stuart documentary film made of the concert. The song has been played or parodied in television shows including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Simpsons, Sesame Street, Scrubs, Father Ted, Histeria!, and The Wire.
[edit] Sample
- Theme from Shaft (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- Single version of "Theme from Shaft", performed by Isaac Hayes.
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
[edit] Credits
- Vocals, keyboards, lyrics and arrangement by Isaac Hayes
- Electric piano by Lester Snell
- Bass guitar by James Alexander
- Guitar by Charles Pitts,
- Guitar by Michael Toles,
- Drums by Willie Hall
- Conga drums by Gary Jones
- Backup vocals by Pat Lewis, Rose Williams, and Telma Hopkins
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Douglas Wolk (2005). The Greatest Songs Ever! Theme from Shaft. Blender.
- ^ Alex Pappademas (2000). Shafted: The baddest "theme from" ever.. Boston Phoenix.
- ^ a b c d NPR, "The NPR 100," December 21, 2000. Radio program. Archived at [1]. Retrieved September 9, 2006.)
- ^ Al Jean. (2002). The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season, "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish" commentary track [DVD]. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
| Preceded by "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" by Cher |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single November 20, 1971 |
Succeeded by "Family Affair" by Sly & the Family Stone |
| Preceded by "For All We Know" from Lovers and Other Strangers |
Academy Award for Best Original Song 1971 |
Succeeded by "The Morning After" from The Poseidon Adventure |
