ISAAC HAYES: Theme From Shaft (Enterprise).
Truly one of the hottest records of this or any other year, as well as the biggest success story of 1971, must be ‘Shaft’. ‘Shaft’ is a movie about black private eye John Shaft, made by black director Gordon Parks unabashedly with an eye to pleasing the black audience in America, with incidental music penned and performed by the black superstar of Atmospheric Soul, Isaac Hayes.
Ike’s music has been released as a double album, plus the opening credit theme as this single, and taken as a whole it has broken all previous records in the American music trade charts. Record World’s Charts present the most awe-inspiring placings, but Billboard and Cash Box have similar combinations that are almost impressive.
Can you dig it – Number One on the Pop Album Chart, the R&B Album Chart and the Jazz Album Chart, and on the Pop Single Chart and the R&B Single Chart (rising fast on the Easy Listening Single Chart)? All on the same week!
If you didn’t realise it, apart from the C&W Charts (and there’s not much chance of it scoring there!) and some small local Latin-American surveys, there’s nothing else for it to top!
All this, and the success of the very realistic true-to-life Manhattan- set movie, are directly attributable to the cunning concerted promotional efforts of MGM and Stax Records (the movie’s and Enterprise Records’ parents respectively), who ensured that both media worked together to build demand for the whole package. And they had a good package.
Isaac Hayes may not be widely known in Britain, but in America his last three LPs have been gold winning million sellers. Although famous for his lengthened versions of contemporary standards that are enhanced by his mesmeric orchestral arrangements and croaky non-singing delivery, Ike’s had room on this double album to reveal more facets of his talent and to expand on the funkier aspects of his music.
For obvious reasons, most of the music is instrumental. Some is very pretty in a lightly Jazzy, Bossa Nova-ish way, some is tough and dramatic in a menacingly Big Band-ish way, while the music called ‘Do Your Thing‘ which accompanies the satisfyingly well-planned climactic attack on the Mob’s gunmen is one of Ike’s extended pieces, featuring wah-wah and acid guitar lines over an unremitting plodding foundation.
The single hit, ‘Theme From Shaft’, echoes (if something at the start of a film can echo the final climax) the wah-wah from this, but amongst a much more sprightly, ever-changing and thundering bass-accentuated arrangement. This almost perplexing instrumental pulse-quickening build-up only lurches unexpectedly into being the backing for Ike’s mooing vocal about John Shaft after two or more minutes.
Scarcely a song, scarcely a conventional instrumental, and difficult to get into fully without the context of not only the album but also the movie, its exceptional success must only reflect on the power of Isaac Hayes’ name in America (and the promotion). How long before he hits Britain?
MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS: Bless You (Tamla Motown TMG 794).
For a change, this is brand new material … although it doesn’t sound it. Consequently, it’s full of life, zest, zing, bouncy Motown beat and all the other qualities that spell H-I-T.
RITA WRIGHT: I Can’t Give Back The Love I Feel For You (Tamla Motown TMG 791).
Mrs Syreeta Wonder’s 1968 Holland & Dozier-produced Ashford-Simpson-Holland-penned Diana Ross-like noisy keening stop-and-start slowie has been resurrected to combat the new and lusher version by VIKKI CARR (CBS 7583).
Syreeta’s original and its label credits mark an interesting transitional period of Motown’s history and will obviously appeal to label freaks, but may be too piercingly shrill for even Diana Ross fans, who will possibly prefer Vikki.
JAMES BROWN: Hey America!; Brother Rapp – Part 1 (Mojo 2093006).
First sound of Brown on Mojo is his last year’s Christmas hit, a good leaping J.B. dancer that bears as much relation to traditional Xmas fare as … you name it, I’ll claim it! Full of messages of brotherly love and inter-racial understanding, and that inimitable rhythm.
Mojo were originally planning to put it out with its original backing-track B-side, but have relented only to give us part of his great though already available ‘Sex Machine’ album track. His other year-old Xmas hit, the slow ‘Santa Claus Is Definitely Here To Stay‘ (right on!), would have been doing us a bigger favour.
FREDA PAYNE: You’ve Got To Love Somebody (Let It Be Me) (lnvictus INV 518).
While Freda storms up the Yankee Charts with her best outing for ages, ‘You Brought The Joy’, British lnvictus unleashes for our delectation a torpid, uninspired, predictable, monotonous and above all DULL mid-tempo slab of mediocrity. For heaven’s sake, why? The equally dull flip is a sort of answer version to ‘Patches’.
THE PERSUADERS: Thin Line Between Love & Hate (Atlantic 2091164).
Deservedly (and ain’t it nice to see it?) a huge U.S. hit, this ultra-slow and ultra-Soulful group goodie is absolutely superb, and should not on any account be missed – certainly not by all paid-up Soul Group Freaks, although its appeal should be much wider than that.
The lead singer, who predominates while the group accentuate key phrases in the background, has a voice that is so full of emotion and individuality that he must be destined for enduring greatness. Hear the record, assimilate the storyline, and let the beauty seep into you.
THE SUPREMES & FOUR TOPS: You Gotta Have Love In Your Heart; I’m Glad About It (Tamla Motown TMG 793).
Out for quite a while in America this slightly-out-of-the-rut chanted wailing vocal interplay chugging beater looked to me an unlikely British release thanks to the delay. Thankfully, it is out, and it’s well worth investigation by those who want more than a disco stomping beat of their record. The intricate slow and beautiful flip is especially fine.
JOE TEX: Give The Baby Anything The Baby Wants; Takin’ A Chance (Mercury 6052111).
Mmmm-huh! Joe Tex has gone funky! Actually, he’s been listening to the Malaco Funk of King Floyd, but as it’s Joe and not King singing the result is still nice and fresh. Lots of choppy rhythm, funky pauses and overall tightness, making it very good (and a welcome departure for Joe). The slow flip is much more typical, even with hoarse gentle whoops and semi-recitation delivery.
OTIS LEAVILL: There’s Nothing Better; I’m So Jealous (Atlantic 2091160).
Willie Henderson has produced and Eugene (Chi-Lites) Record has penned yet another stone bitch of a light and plopping beat beauty for the uncrowned King of Chicago Soul (Interpretive Class), Otis Leavill.
OK, well the record may not top the charts, nor win any BMI citations for songwriting success, but judged for its spiritual rather than commercial qualities it is the good good relaxed feeling it imparts that makes it a winner.
On the flip, after a deceptive start, the effect is decidedly weird if not truly polyrhythmic, while everything seems to be struggling to play at a different tempo.
JAMES HAMILTON’S DISCOTHEQUE PICKS
UNTRIED BUT GOOD
JOE TEX: Give The Baby Anything The Baby Wants (Mercury 6052111) R&B
JESSE DAVIS: Every Night Is Saturday Night (LP ‘Jesse Davis’ Atco 2400106) Mod
TRIED AND TRUE
JAMES BROWN: Hey America! (Mojo 2093006) R&B
THE WHO: Won’t Get Fooled Again (long version) (LP Who’s Next’ Track 2408102) Mod/Prog
MARSHALL HOOKS & CO: Hookin’ It, Part 1 (LP ‘Marshall Hooks & Co’ Blue Horizon 2431003) Mod/R&B
BING CROSBY: White Christmas (MCA MU 1048) EL
MRS MILLS: Knees Up Mother Brown (45 ‘Glad’s Party’ Parlophone R 5748) Rave
PHIL TATE: The Conga; Hokey Cokey; Gay Gordons; Boomps-A-Daisy (EP ‘Party Dances’ CBS EP 6170) Rave
James Hamilton's Disco Page 