There is just one option to describe the opening bars of The Isaac Hayes Motion: low key. After the symphonic bombast of “Walk On By,” the primary observe on his earlier album, Scorching Buttered Soul, Isaac’s cowl of Jerry Butler’s “I Stand Accused” couldn’t be extra completely different. However, then once more, Hayes’ capacity so as to add a lot selection to his albums, each in general track selection and in addition inside a track, is a lot of what made him such an awesome artist.
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“I Stand Accused” is considered one of many nice examples of Hayes’ capacity to select nice songs to cowl – and, certainly, all 4 of the tracks on The Isaac Hayes Motion (which was launched in April 1970) are covers. “I Stand Accused” had already been successful six years earlier for Butler, who had been the lead singer with The Impressions, however what Hayes brings to it’s one thing completely contemporary and provoking.
“One Big Unhappy Family” is a canopy of a Sonny Til (previously lead singer with The Orioles) track, written by husband-and-wife duo Charles Chalmers and Sandra Rhodes, whose “One Woman” Hayes had coated on Scorching Buttered Soul. It’s the weakest minimize on the report, however nonetheless presents glimpses into Isaac’s genius for deconstructing after which reconstructing a track.
Aspect Two of The Isaac Hayes Motion album opens with one other go to to the Burt Bacharach and Hal David catalogue. Having turned “Walk On By” right into a 12-minute tour de drive on Scorching Buttered Soul, “I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself” fails to succeed in fairly the identical dizzying heights, however it’s one other gorgeous instance of Hayes’ capacity to deliver his distinctive arranging skills to a track. It’s possible that Hayes was referencing Dionne Warwick’s model, which had been a reasonable hit on the Scorching 100 two years earlier; two years earlier than that, Dusty Springfield had made No.3 on the UK singles chart with the identical track.
Finally, all roads are resulting in the album’s nearer, a 12-minute whole reimagining of George Harrison’s masterpiece, “Something.” It’s the closest to a recent cowl that Isaac will get, as the unique was launched because the B-side of The Beatles’ “Come Together” in late 1969, and in addition graced their Abbey Street album.
No different model of Harrison’s lovely track has come near providing the originality of Isaac’s association: the excellent orchestration makes use of each the brilliance of Harrison’s melody together with some fantastic new prospers solely of Isaac’s personal imagining. There’s additionally an exquisite set of violin solos from 27-year-old John Blair, giving the track an edge, whereas at no level shedding its unique intent.
All through The Isaac Hayes Motion, Isaac is accompanied by The Bar-Kays, whose understanding of his musical imaginative and prescient provides immeasurably to the completed product. Success for the report got here fast, because it topped each the B&B and the Jazz charts, whereas happening to spend 75 weeks on the Billboard album chart.
The Isaac Hayes Motion might be purchased right here.
