Sunday, August 10, 2008

NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE: With a heavy heart, I report that Isaac Hayes died today at the age of 65.

Hayes was a key creative force behind the famous soul music label Stax Records. Together with his songwriting partner David Porter, he wrote many hits songs for Sam and Dave including "Soul Man", "When Something Is Wrong with My Baby", and "Hold On! I'm Comin".

Hot Buttered Soul
, released in 1969, was the album that really launched his career as a solo artist. The album cover depicts Hayes' distinctive image (shaved head, gold jewelry, and sun glasses). On that album Hayes re-interpreted the Burt Bacharach composition "Walk On By" (which Dionne Warwick had had a #6 hit with in 1964) as a twelve-minute long soulful meditation. Hayes' version hit #30 on the pop charts.

From the same album, "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", which hit #37 on the Billboard charts, began with a long monologue about the power of love before Hayes started to sing. These lengthy songs differed sharply from the standard three minute soul/pop songs of the time.

Hayes composed the soundtrack for the blaxploitation film Shaft in 1971 (he also appeared in the 2000 remake of the film in a cameo role as the bartender of No Name Bar). The title theme, with its wah-wah guitar and multi-layered arrangement, hit #1 for two weeks on the Billboard charts in November. The song garnered Hayes two Academy awards and two Grammy awards. Hayes worked on 65 soundtracks (counting television shows).

Also in 1971, he hit #22 on the pop charts with a sultry cover version of The Jackson 5's song "Never Can Say Goodbye" (do give this a listen!).

Do check out the album cover of his 1976 album Juicy Fruit, which featured Hayes in a pool with naked women (SFW). Hayes' last big hit was a funky disco tune released in 1979 called "Don't Let Go", which hit #18 in December.

Hayes appeared as an actor in 66 movies and television shows. Hayes became especially popular in the late-1990s, as the voice of Chef on the Comedy Central series South Park. Chef was a soul-singing cafeteria worker at the South Park kids' school. A song from the series performed by Chef, "Chocolate Salty Balls (P.S. I Love You)", received attention in 1999.

Two more facts about Hayes. He was a prominent follower of Scientology and he co-owned for a time the ABA basketball team the Memphis Tams (later renamed the Memphis Sounds).

Hayes lived a full life. I will miss him.

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