Stax Records first act when they broke away from Atlantic was to release 29 albums that had been sitting on the shelf at Atlantic. The albums covered a broad roster of talent and styles but none were as ground-breaking as Isaac Hayes' 'Hot Buttered Soul' album. Hayes and the new Bar-Kays (most of the old Bar-Kays had perished in the same plane crash that killed Otis Redding) had recorded an album which contained just 4 lengthy tracks, almost unprecedented for a soul act. Hayes wasn't the first soul act to release a lengthy album track, The Chambers Brothers 'Time Has Come Today' spanned one whole side of their album.
The tracks on 'Hot Buttered Soul' were notable for the arrangements that Hayes provided for each song. The 18 minute version of Jimmy Webb's 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix' had a full 8 minute spoken intro. delivered over a one note organ riff and a single cymbal stroke, where 'Mr Lurve Man' Hayes proclaims "I'm talkin' 'bout the power of lurve now/I'm gonna tell you what lurve can do." The album also boasted a 12 minute symphonic version of 'Walk On By' and a 10 minute jazz funk track called 'Hyperbolicsyllablicesquedalymistic' (try requesting that to your friendly local DJ).
The album was an influence on everyone from The Dells to Barry White, who would use the spoken intro on many of their own recordings.
The album was an influence on everyone from The Dells to Barry White, who would use the spoken intro on many of their own recordings.
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