On The Soul Side Of Town

Album: Soul Side Of Town (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Tower Of Power was extant for 50 years when they released their 25th album, Soul Side Of Town, in 2018. Their early years were spent honing their skills in the gritty clubs around Oakland in areas like they describe on this song, the album's title track.

    "It's about that area of town," founding member Emilio Castillo said in a Songfacts interview. "The dark-side-of-the-moon area of the town where all the barbecue joints are and where the drug dealers are and where the down-to-earth, blue collar people are. That was the vibe we were going for."
  • Castillo wrote this song with a journalist named Leo Sacks, who also does reissues for Sony. It was written about 10 years before it was recorded, as getting everyone in the band together to make an album is always a challenge.
  • Ray Greene sang lead on this track, but by the time the album was released, he had joined Santana. Marcus Scott replaced him in Tower Of Power and sang on some of the other tracks on Soul Side Of Town. Tower Of Power wasn't pleased when Santana stole away their frontman, but the bands have lots of history and goodwill: Both are from the Bay area in California, and Santana championed ToP early on, bringing them on tour in the early '70s.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Vince Clarke

Vince ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

An original member of Depeche Mode, Vince went on to form Erasure and Yaz.

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

Colin Hay

Colin HaySongwriter Interviews

Established as a redoubtable singer-songwriter, the Men At Work frontman explains how religion, sobriety and Jack Nicholson play into his songwriting.

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillian

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillianSong Writing

A Soul Train dancer takes us through a day on the show, and explains what you had to do to get camera time.

George Clinton

George ClintonSongwriter Interviews

When you free your mind, your ass may follow, but you have to make sure someone else doesn't program it while it's wide open.