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{{about|the song by the Bar-Kays|the album|Soul Finger (Bar-Kays album)|the album by Art Blakey and The Messengers|Soul Finger (album)}} |
{{about|the song by the Bar-Kays|the album|Soul Finger (Bar-Kays album)|the album by Art Blakey and The Messengers|Soul Finger (Art Blakey album)}} |
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{{Infobox |
{{Infobox song |
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| name = Soul Finger |
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| type = single |
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| artist = [[the Bar-Kays]] |
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| B-side = Knucklehead |
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| released = April 14, 1967 |
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| recorded = March 31, 1967 |
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| length = 2:18 |
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| label = [[Volt Records]] |
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| writer = [[Jimmy King (musician)|Jimmy King]]<br>[[Phalon Jones]]<br>[[Carl Cunningham (musician)|Carl Cunningham]]<br>[[Ben Cauley]]<br>[[Ronnie Caldwell]]<br>[[James Alexander (musician)|James Alexander]] |
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| Label = [[Volt Records]] |
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| Misc = |
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| next_year = 1967 |
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| misc = {{External music video|header=Official audio|{{YouTube|SaE4Byj1Z3g|"Soul Finger" (2006 Remaster)}}}} |
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'''"Soul Finger"''' is the first [[single (music)|single]] released by [[R&B]] group |
'''"Soul Finger"''' is the first [[single (music)|single]] released by [[R&B]] group [[the Bar-Kays]]. It was issued by [[Stax Records]] on the [[Volt Records]] label on April 14, 1967. |
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==Background== |
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The song was written by the Bar-Kays while they were rehearsing with [[Norman West]] to perform a [[cover version|cover]] of [[J.J. Jackson (singer)|J.J. Jackson]]'s "But It's Alright".<ref name=stax>Liner notes, ''The Complete Stax/Volt Singles, 1959–1968''. [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]], 1991. p. 31.</ref> It begins with the [[melody]] of the popular children's song "[[Mary Had a Little Lamb]]" and then cuts into the main riff, punctuated with a high [[trumpet]] trill. It features a chorus of neighborhood children who had been [[loitering]] outside the [[recording studio]]; they were instructed to shout "Soul Finger!" and were paid with [[Coca-Cola]].<ref name=stax/> The idea for the title and the shouts came from the Stax songwriters [[Isaac Hayes]] and [[David Porter (musician)|David Porter]].<ref name=stax/> |
The song was written by the Bar-Kays while they were rehearsing with [[Norman West]] to perform a [[cover version|cover]] of [[J. J. Jackson (singer)|J. J. Jackson]]'s "But It's Alright".<ref name=stax>Liner notes, ''The Complete Stax/Volt Singles, 1959–1968''. [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]], 1991. p. 31.</ref> It begins with the [[melody]] of the popular children's song "[[Mary Had a Little Lamb]]" and then cuts into the main riff, punctuated with a high [[trumpet]] trill. It features a chorus of neighborhood children who had been [[loitering]] outside the [[recording studio]]; they were instructed to shout "Soul Finger!" and were paid with [[Coca-Cola]].<ref name=stax/> The idea for the title and the shouts came from the Stax songwriters [[Isaac Hayes]] and [[David Porter (musician)|David Porter]].<ref name=stax/> The track was used as the opening theme tune to BBC Radio 1 DJ [[Stuart Henry (DJ)|Stuart Henry]]'s shows from 1969 to 1974. |
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==Chart performance== |
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"Soul Finger" was a hit in the United States, peaking at number 3 on the U.S. ''[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]]'' R&B singles chart and number 17 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref name=amg>[{{ |
"Soul Finger" was a hit in the United States, peaking at number 3 on the U.S. ''[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]]'' R&B singles chart and number 17 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref name=amg>[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p54079/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} Billboard Singles], [[Allmusic]].</ref> The [[B-side]] of the single was "Knucklehead", written by [[Booker T. Jones]] and [[Steve Cropper]], which reached number 28 on the R&B singles chart and number 76 on the Hot 100.<ref name=amg/> "Soul Finger" and "Knucklehead" were the first two tracks of the Bar-Kays' first [[long play|LP]], ''Soul Finger'', issued on July 10, after nine more tracks had been recorded on June 23.<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1294|pure_url=yes}} Review of ''Soul Finger''], [[Allmusic]]</ref> |
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==In other media== |
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The song was featured in the 1985 film ''[[Spies Like Us]]'' during a scene in which [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] missile control personnel hold a party. [[Dan Aykroyd]], a star of the film, had previously [[cover version|covered]] "Soul Finger" with [[John Belushi]] and their band, the [[The Blues Brothers|Blues Brothers]], on their album, ''[[Made in America (Blues Brothers album)|Made in America]]''. The song was also used in the 2007 film ''[[Superbad (film)|Superbad]]'' and the 2009 film ''[[Soul Men (film)|Soul Men]]''. |
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The song was covered by [[Dexys Midnight Runners]] as the B-side to their 1981 single "Plan B" and is on the compilation ''[[The Projected Passion Revue]]''. |
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{{Portal|1960s}} |
{{Portal|1960s}} |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{ |
{{Reflist}} |
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{{The Bar-Kays}} |
{{The Bar-Kays}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
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[[Category:1967 songs]] |
[[Category:1967 songs]] |
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[[Category:1967 debut singles]] |
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[[Category:1960s instrumentals]] |
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[[Category:Stax Records singles]] |
[[Category:Stax Records singles]] |
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[[Category:The Blues Brothers songs]] |
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Latest revision as of 21:39, 13 June 2024
| "Soul Finger" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by the Bar-Kays | ||||
| from the album Soul Finger | ||||
| B-side | "Knucklehead" | |||
| Released | April 14, 1967 | |||
| Recorded | March 31, 1967 | |||
| Length | 2:18 | |||
| Label | Volt Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jimmy King Phalon Jones Carl Cunningham Ben Cauley Ronnie Caldwell James Alexander | |||
| The Bar-Kays singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Official audio | ||||
| "Soul Finger" (2006 Remaster) on YouTube | ||||
"Soul Finger" is the first single released by R&B group the Bar-Kays. It was issued by Stax Records on the Volt Records label on April 14, 1967.
Background
[edit]The song was written by the Bar-Kays while they were rehearsing with Norman West to perform a cover of J. J. Jackson's "But It's Alright".[1] It begins with the melody of the popular children's song "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and then cuts into the main riff, punctuated with a high trumpet trill. It features a chorus of neighborhood children who had been loitering outside the recording studio; they were instructed to shout "Soul Finger!" and were paid with Coca-Cola.[1] The idea for the title and the shouts came from the Stax songwriters Isaac Hayes and David Porter.[1] The track was used as the opening theme tune to BBC Radio 1 DJ Stuart Henry's shows from 1969 to 1974.
Chart performance
[edit]"Soul Finger" was a hit in the United States, peaking at number 3 on the U.S. Billboard R&B singles chart and number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2] The B-side of the single was "Knucklehead", written by Booker T. Jones and Steve Cropper, which reached number 28 on the R&B singles chart and number 76 on the Hot 100.[2] "Soul Finger" and "Knucklehead" were the first two tracks of the Bar-Kays' first LP, Soul Finger, issued on July 10, after nine more tracks had been recorded on June 23.[3]
