Sweet Soul Music

Album: Sweet Soul Music (1967)
Charted: 7 2
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Songfacts®:

  • This was originally written by Sam Cooke as "Yeah Man" and released on Shake, his first posthumous album. Conley and Otis Redding updated it as a tribute to various Soul singers. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England
  • The songs mentioned in this song are "Going To A Go-Go," "Love's a Hurtin' Thing," "Hold On I'm Coming," "Mustang Sally" and "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)."
  • Arthur Conley died of cancer on November 17, 2003 in The Netherlands. He was 57. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France

Comments: 8

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOops, in an earlier post I goofed, please refer to this one...
    On this day in 1967 {April 29th} Arthur Conley was interviewed by Dick Clark during the 'Hot Line' segment on the ABC-TV Saturday-afternoon program, 'American Bandsatand'...
    At the time Arthur Connelly's "Sweet Soul Music" was at position #4 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, the following week it was at #3, then a week later it peaked at #2* {for 1 week} and it spent fifteen weeks on the Top 100...
    And also at the time the song was in it's first of five weeks at #2 on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart, during it's first two weeks at #2 the #1 record was "I Never Loved A Man (Like I Loved You)" by Aretha Franklin, then "Jimmy Mack" by Martha & The Vandellas kept it out of the top spot during it's third week, and for it's fourth and fifth week at #2 Aretha was back, it was her "Respect" that was at position #1 for those two weeks...
    Besides the above "Sweet Soul Music", the Georgia native had six other Top 100 records, his next biggest hit was "Funky Street", it reached #14 in 1968...
    As noted above, Arthur Conley passed away at the young age of 57 on November 17th, 2003 {intestinal cancer}...
    May he R.I.P.
    * The week "Sweet Soul Music" was at #2 on the Top 100 chart, the #1 record for that week was "The Happening" by the Supremes...
  • Anonymous from NyThis song was really written by Sam Cooke. Conley and Otis Redding plagiarized Cooke's "Yeah Man" and were subsequently sued. I smile every time I hear this song cause they mention a lot of great soul singers but they don't mention the greatest of all time. You know the one they ripped off. ;)

    From Wikipedia: "Sam Cooke's business partner, sued both Redding and Conley for plagiarizing the melody. A settlement was reached in which Cooke's name was added to the writer credits, and Otis Redding agreed to record some songs in the future from Kags Music, a Cooke – JW Alexander enterprise."

    If you listen to Cooke's "Yeah Man", it is practically the same song. The just changed the words.
  • Babbling Babette from Tulsa OkOh yes I still have the vinyl album after all these years, I gave the single to one of my cousins decades ago. It was such an upbeat song. I haven't listened to the song in years, but I still recall hearing voices in the background like it might've been the record producer or engineer or someone at the studio. Can't really tell what they're saying. Anyone know? I think Otis Redding was the producer so it might've been Otis' voice. The drums on this song are absolutely riveting!! Sacre bleu !!
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 5th 1967, "Sweet Soul Music" by Arthur Conley entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #81; and on May 7th it peaked at #2 (for 1 week) and spent 15 weeks on the Top 100 (and for 7 of those 15 weeks it was on the Top 10)...
    It also reached #2 (for 1 week) on Billboard's R&B Singles chart...
    The week that it was at #2 on the Top 100 and the R&B Singles chart, the #1 record was "The Happening" by the Supremes on both those charts...
    R.I.P. Mr. Conley (1946 - 2003).
  • Stella from Ham Lake, MnOtis Redding is the only one mentioned twice in the song.
  • Jay from Brooklyn, NyThis is not my own observation - I read it elsewhere - but it is interesting. In 2006, three people mentioned in this song died: Low Rawles, Wilson Pickett, and James Brown. Otis Redding died in 1967, and Dave Prater in 1988. This leaves Sam Moore the last living person sung about by Arthur Conley.
  • Don from Newmarket, CanadaAlso produced by Otis. A great track!
  • Lynne from Baltimore, MdThis song was written by Otis Redding. Arthur Conley grew up in Aberdeen, Maryland and was an entertainer at a friends "beer joint" on weekends. I was privileged to know this great singer.
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