Theme from Shaft

Isaac Hayes

About Theme from Shaft

"Theme from Shaft", written and recorded by Isaac Hayes in 1971, is the soul and funk-styled theme song to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film Shaft. The theme was released as a single (shortened and edited from the longer album version) two months after the movie's soundtrack by Stax Records' Enterprise label. "Theme from Shaft" went to number two on the Billboard Soul Singles chart (behind "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" by Marvin Gaye) and to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in November 1971. The song was also well received by adult audiences, reaching number six on Billboard's Easy Listening chart. The song is considered by some to be one of the first disco songs. The following year, "Theme from Shaft" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, with Hayes becoming the first African American to win that honor – or any Academy Award in a non-acting category – as well as the first recipient of the award to both write and perform the winning song. Since then, the song has appeared in numerous television shows, commercials, and other movies, including the 2000 sequel Shaft, for which Hayes re-recorded the song. In 2004 the original finished at #38 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top songs in American cinema. 


Year:
2003
4:37
50 

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Who's the black private dick
That's a sex machine to all the chicks? (Shaft)
You're damn right

Who is the man that would risk his neck for his brother, man? (Shaft)
Can ya dig it?

Who's the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about? (Shaft)
Right on
You see this cat Shaft is a bad mother (Shut your mouth)
But I'm talkin' about Shaft (Then we can dig it)
He's a complicated man but no one understands him but his woman (John Shaft)

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Isaac Hayes

Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American songwriter, musician, singer, actor, and voice actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the mid-1960s. Hayes, Porter, Bill Withers, the Sherman Brothers, Steve Cropper, and John Fogerty were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 in recognition of writing scores of notable songs for themselves, the duo Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, and others. more »

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Written by: Isaac Hayes

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


13 facts about this song

Release Year
The song "Theme from Shaft" was originally released in 1971.
Film Soundtrack
It was written and recorded by Isaac Hayes specifically for the soundtrack of the 1971 movie "Shaft", directed by Gordon Parks.
Genre Classification
The song is widely categorized under the genre of Funk.
Academy Award
In 1972, "Theme from Shaft" by Isaac Hayes won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was a milestone as Hayes was the first African American to win the Award.
Hit Song
"Theme from Shaft" was a big hit and reached the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.
Grammy Awards
The song also won two Grammy Awards in 1972: Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical, and Best Instrumental Arrangement.
Instrumentation
Composed with a unique blend of orchestral and funk elements, the song is characterized by a distinctive wah-wah guitar line and a high-hat cymbal rhythm.
Influence
It is cited as a significant influence in the development of disco music.
Song Duration
The full-length version of the song used for the film's opening runs on 4 minutes and 39 seconds, while a shorter single version was also released.
Legacy
"Theme From Shaft" is considered Isaac Hayes' best-known work and a seminal composition in the funk genre.
Lyrics
Although largely instrumental, the song has become famous for its distinctive, spoken-word vocals, which include: "Who's the black private dick that's a sex machine to all the chicks? (Shaft!)"
Induction to the Registry
In 2003, the song "Theme from Shaft" was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Covers
The song has been covered by a wide variety of artists and has appeared in numerous film and television soundtracks since its initial release.

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    Theme from Shaft

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1971

    Billboard #1


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