Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Music»Artists - A to K»Artists - I
    Artists - I Music - 1970s 6 Mins Read

    Isaac Hayes

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    Isaac Hayes lived a remarkable life. One that took him from poverty and orphanhood in 1940s Tennessee to success in the 1960s as a soul songwriter for Stax in Memphis, to millionaire wealth and global fame as the composer of the Oscar-winning Shaft score, and then to bankruptcy and ultimately to prison (in 1989 for non-payment of alimony and child support).

    This was followed by a financial and creative recovery, and finally a stroke in 2006 that was blamed for some uncharacteristically erratic appearances from this most elegant of men.

    He fathered 12 children, had been married several times and was – amongst his other achievements – an honorary king in Ghana.

    Hayes was raised by his grandmother in the musical hotbed of Memphis, and after singing in a local gospel choir and playing in the high school band, Hayes began to form his own soul music groups and put out singles.

    His career took off when he began to concentrate on songwriting and teamed up with fellow Memphis songsmith David Porter.

    isaachayes2

    Together, they penned several hits for the duo act Sam and Dave, including Soul Man and Hold On, I’m Comin’. Still, Hayes wanted to be a performer and began recording albums of his own, starting with 1967s Presenting Isaac Hayes.

    Its low-key, jazzy feel was a hint of the great things soon to come from Hayes as a solo artist.

    Between the years of 1969 and 1973, when encouraged by Stax to record anything he liked, Hayes had the notion of taking a rock-style approach to making soul albums.

    To the instant delight of late-night radio DJ’s in America (who were looking for longer and longer pieces of music to play), Hayes broke free of the soul genre’s three-minute confines and produced dramatic – and very lengthy – versions of familiar pop hits (Walk On By, The Look Of Love, (They Long To Be) Close To You) in which psychedelic guitars were placed alongside lush strings and gorgeous flutes, gospel-influenced organ and cooing female backing singers.

    Hayes’ own baritone voice floated on top, addressing the listener in a tone of oddly bashful regret, often speaking rather than singing.

    The results were spectacular. Hot Buttered Soul (1969), the first of these LPs, sold an estimated five million copies. Its mammoth version of Jimmy Webb’s By The Time I Get To Phoenix – which sees Hayes ‘introduce’ the song while his drummer patiently taps a ride cymbal for eight-and-a-half minutes – rewrote all the rules for Memphis, and soul-based music.

    Hayes’ breakthrough as a solo artist was unexpected. His debut album, Presenting Isaac Hayes (1968), had been a low-selling jazz trio LP, which he later admitted to recording while drunk.

    His reputation in the music industry was based on songwriting – particularly the hits he had co-written with David Porter for Sam & Dave  – so it was ironic that this massively successful chapter of Hayes’ life (from Hot Buttered Soul onwards) consisted primarily of interpreting other people’s songs. But nobody interpreted other people’s songs like Isaac Hayes!

    Their length, for one thing, increased to around the 12-minute mark as Hayes began a full-scale vocal and musical seduction process involving every instrument in the soul orchestra. Men would play his albums to their girlfriends, he revealed, and stop him in the street the next day to offer their profuse gratitude for his music’s stunning effect.

    isaachayes5

    Whereas songwriters like Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder turned to socio-political lyrics and made listeners confront issues of identity and empowerment in everyday black America life, Ike for the most part stayed on the romantic side of the street – though he was certainly an activist in real life – and most of the songs he wrote and recorded in the early 70s are about what happens late in the evening between a man and a woman, rather than people’s struggles on the street during the day.

    As the 1970s began, Isaac Hayes continued to develop his distinctly epic flavour of soul on albums like The Isaac Hayes Movement and To Be Continued. He reached a new level of fame in 1971 when he composed the score for the film Shaft.

    Hayes gave this detective story about “a black private dick who’s a sex machine with all the chicks” a classic sound that blended R&B grit with orchestral smoothness.

    Its finest moment was #1 hit Theme From Shaft, a silky groove driven by wah-wah guitar and a half-spoken, half-sung rap from Hayes. Shaft became a big hit, spawning a wave of black action films that imitated the rich sounds of Hayes’ score and netting Hayes an Oscar nomination for Best Score to go with his win for Best Song.

    Isaac Hayes continued to score hits throughout the 1970s with songs like the bass-driven Joy and his moody remake of Never Can Say Goodbye. He also devoted much time to film scores like Three Tough Guys and Truck Turner (1974) in which he also starred as the title character, a bounty hunter.

    During this time, his combination of romance-minded music and a striking visual image (a shaved head, big gold chains) helped him become one of the more interesting sex symbols of the 1970s.

    Hayes further cemented this sex-symbol image by recording duet albums with both Millie Jackson and Dionne Warwick. He also continued to score hits throughout the 1970s with danceable R&B like Zeke The Freak and Don’t Let Go.

    The arrival of Disco effectively put an end to Hayes’ musical success in the latter part of the 70s, and he turned to a new career as an actor and started turning up in episodes of The Rockford Files.

    isaachayes3

    Acting remained his main source of income in the 1980s – he usually played bad guys and starred in John Carpenter’s Escape From New York (1981) – which added a degree of ‘heaviness’ to his already formidable image.

    But behind the forbidding glare and intimidating bling he remained a warm, humorous, and entertaining performer (witness his performance on his 1973 album, Live At The Sahara Tahoe).

    In the latter half of the 1980s, he began to work his way back into the music scene with albums like U-Turn and Love Attack. He even scored a Top-10 R&B hit in 1986 with Ike’s Rap, a song that brought the rap style he pioneered into the modern era. Just the same, Hayes returned his attention to acting by the end of the decade.

    In 1995, after years of being name-checked by the new breed of rappers, Hayes signed a new record deal and embarked on a comeback with Branded – his first album in seven years.

    But it was the TV show South Park which was to become his main claim to fame from the late 90s until his stroke in 2006. The series was a surprising project for him to endorse but it paid well, and the likeable, sexually encyclopaedic school chef made Isaac Hayes a star all over again, until after six years – and a UK #1 hit with Chocolate Salty Balls – he left the show suddenly, unable to see the funny side of an episode about Scientology (he had converted in the early 90s).

    Hayes died on 10 August 2008. After spending a few hours at the piano, the 65-year-old turned on his treadmill for an afternoon jog. His wife, Adjowa, and his 12th child, two-year-old Nana Kwadjo, were out running errands when he suffered a stroke.

    Rescue workers attempted CPR, but at 2 pm, Hayes was pronounced dead.

    Related Posts

    • Jesse Winchester
      Jesse Winchester
      James Ridout "Jesse" Winchester was born on 17 May 1944 in Shreveport, Louisiana. His father, stationed there as an Air…
    • Atlantic Records
      Atlantic Records
      Atlantic Records has introduced the world to some of the most influential musicians this planet has ever produced; Jazz icons…
    • Staple Singers, The
      Staple Singers, The
      The Staple Singers were truly a family. Originally composed of Roebuck 'Pops' Staples – "our name is Staples but we…
    • Jackie Lee
      Jackie Lee
      Jackie Lee was born Jacqueline Norah Flood on 29 May 1936 in Clontarf, Dublin (Ireland). As a child, she won…
    • Teena Marie
      Teena Marie
      Born Mary Christine Brockert in 1956, she was billed as Tina Marie Brockert when she appeared on an episode of…
    • Ron Dante
      Ron Dante
      Even if you don't know Ron Dante by name, you know his voice: a smooth, youthful, pop-friendly sound that can…
    • Al Green
      Al Green
      If Otis Redding dominated 60s soul, Al Green bestrode the 70's thanks to a voice that glided and levitated, spiralling into a…
    • Big Star
      Big Star
      Named after a Memphis supermarket, Big Star were so far ahead of the game that even though co-founder Chris Bell…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleIron Maiden
    Next Article Isley Brothers, The

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    You May Also Like
    • Interpretaris, The
      1 9 6 6 (Australia) 6 x 30 minute episodes This short-lived […]
    • Ol’ 55
      Formed in Sydney, Australia, in 1975, Ol’ 55 were […]
    • Thorns, The
      1 9 8 8 (USA) 12 x 30 minute episodes Mike Nichols produced this […]
    • Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers
      1 9 5 6 – 1 9 5 7 (USA) 26 x 30 minute episodes Set in […]
    • Mastermind
      1 9 7 2 – Current (UK) Mastermind began as a late-night […]
    • Coming Home (1978)
      Coming Home is very much Jane Fonda’s project. She […]
    Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

    OUR LATEST FACEBOOK POSTS

    edition.cnn.com/2023/01/30/entertainment/cindy-williams-dead/index.html

    More sad news 😢
    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    'Laverne & Shirley' star Cindy Williams dead at 75 | CNN

    edition.cnn.com

    Cindy Williams, the dynamic actress known best for playing the bubbly Shirley Feeney on the beloved sitcom "Laverne & Shirley," has died, according to a statement from her family, provided to CNN by a...
    7 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64442824 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Television frontman Tom Verlaine dies at 73

    www.bbc.co.uk

    His band rose to fame in the 1970s New York punk scene, scoring UK hits including Marquee Moon.
    1 week ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64418847 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Mr Blobby costume sells for more than £62,000 on eBay

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The character, made famous by BBC show Noel's House Party, had been in storage since the 1990s.
    1 week ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Put some beefiness into your mid-week menu with these recipe ideas published in a Birds Eye advertisement from the Radio Times on 30 September 1965.

    Put some "beefiness into your mid-week menu" with these recipe ideas published in a Birds Eye advertisement from the "Radio Times" on 30 September 1965. ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 3
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    They were awful. An overpowering savoury flavour that lingered in your mouth for hours. Heaven knows what unmentionable parts of a bull went into making them 😳

    More sad news 😪

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    US rock legend David Crosby dies aged 81

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Crosby, who co-founded both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills and Nash, had been ill for some time.
    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    This is what they promised us when I was a kid. What happened? 

All I have is 700 channels of rubbish on the TV in High Def, TikTok, Facebook and a phone I can take photographs with . . .

    This is what they promised us when I was a kid. What happened?

    All I have is 700 channels of rubbish on the TV in High Def, TikTok, Facebook and a phone I can take photographs with . . .
    ... See MoreSee Less

    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 54
    • Shares: 22
    • Comments: 7

    Comment on Facebook

    I thought we would have moving pavements by now when I was a kid 😂

    Totally agree!!!

    The new Tesla, 4.6 next century.

    We got transvestite story hour instead

    We appear to be going backwards

    There's actually a very good David Graeber essay on this very topic: thebaffler.com/salvos/of-flying-cars-and-the-declining-rate-of-profit

    The Jetsons strike again.

    View more comments

    Renowned Australian singer Renee Geyer is dead at 69 following complications from hip surgery. Such a fabulous voice. RIP😢

https://nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-r/renee-geyer/

    Renowned Australian singer Renee Geyer is dead at 69 following complications from hip surgery. Such a fabulous voice. RIP😢

    nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-r/renee-geyer/
    ... See MoreSee Less

    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    That is so sad to hear 😥 rest in peace 🙏 🕊 xx

    Gina Lollobrigida: Italian screen star dies at 95
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64292026

    Gina Lollobrigida: Italian screen star dies at 95
    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64292026
    ... See MoreSee Less

    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 5
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    😍😍😍😍

    Vale Jeff Beck. Dead at 78. 😢

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Jeff Beck: British guitar legend dies aged 78

    www.bbc.co.uk

    One of rock's most influential guitarists, he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
    4 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Hi everyone. Were in the process of moving www.nostalgiacentral.com to new dedicated servers to better cope with the volumes of traffic. Please ignore any SSL security errors you may receive when visiting the site over the next 24 hours while the move completes.

    Hi everyone. We're in the process of moving www.nostalgiacentral.com to new dedicated servers to better cope with the volumes of traffic. Please ignore any SSL security errors you may receive when visiting the site over the next 24 hours while the move completes. ... See MoreSee Less

    4 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 5
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 2

    Comment on Facebook

    Ironically, this post has jumped off the page at me. You'll probably get most traffic today because everyone will want to see what they might be missing!

    Martin Platt

    Load more
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Sport Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.