Album: Soul Man (1967)

Charted: 24 2

License This Song 

• Coming to you on a dusty road
  Good loving, I got a truck load
  And when you get it, you got something
  Don't worry, 'cause I'm coming
  
  I'm a soul man
  I'm a soul man
  I'm a soul man (come on!)
  I'm a soul man
  
  And that ain't all
  
  Got what I got the hard way
  And I make it better, each and every day
  So honey, said don't you fret
  'Cause you ain't seen nothing yet
  
  I'm a soul man
  I'm a soul man
  I'm a soul man
  I'm a soul man, oh
  
  I was brought up on a side street, yes mam
  I learned how to love before I could eat
  I was educated at woodstock
  When I start loving, oh I can't stop
  
  I'm a soul man
  I'm a soul man
  I'm a soul man (yeah!)
  I'm a soul man
  
  Just grab the rope and I'll pull you in
  Give you hope and be your only boyfriend
  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (yeah!)
  
  I'm talking about a soul man
  I'm a soul man
  (And you're a) soul man
  Soul man (oh lord)
  Soul man
  (I'm a) soul man
  (And you're a) soul man
  (And you're a) soul man Writer/s: David Porter, Isaac Hayes
  Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Peermusic Publishing, Roba Music Verlag GMBH, Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 12

• Beth from MichiganRich R is correct. “I was educated from good stock” are the lyrics. “From Woodstock” makes no sense because this song was released 2 years before the concert Woodstock took place or was dreamt of.
• Gary House from WisconsinGood Memories
• Rich R. from DetroitThe part of the lyrics that states “educated at Woodstock” should be “educated from good stock.” If you doubt me, go listen again, you’ll hear it.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn May 25th 1969, Sam and Dave performed "Soul Man" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'...
  Two years earlier on October 3rd, 1967 "Soul Man" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #79; eight weeks later on October 29th, 1967 it peaked at #2* {for 3 weeks} and stayed on the chart for 15 weeks...
  And on October 8th, 1967 it reached #1 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart...
  Between 1965 and 1974 the duo had fourteen record make Billboard's R&B Singles chart; seven made the Top 10 with two reaching #1, their other #1 record was "Hold On!, I'm Coming" for one week in 1966...
  They just missed having a third #1 record when "When Something is Wrong with My Baby" peaked at #2 in 1967...
  * The three weeks that "Soul Man" was at #2 on the Top 100 chart, the #1 record for those three weeks was "To Sir With Love" by Lulu.
  
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn November 5th 1967, "Soul Man" by Ramsey Lewis entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #81; and 3 weeks later on November 26th, 1967 it peaked at #49 {for 2 weeks} and spent 6 weeks on the Top 100...
  The week that Mr. Ramsey's covered version entered the Top 100, the original version by Sam and Dave was in its second of three weeks at #2, that was also its peak position of the chart {and on the R&B Singles chart it was in its 3rd of 6 weeks at #1}...
  Mr. Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr. will celebrate his 80th birthday come next May 27th {2015}.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 22nd 1978, the Blues Brothers (John Belushi & Dan Aykroyd) performed "Soul Man" on the NBC-TV program 'Saturday Night Live'...
  It was the debut of the Blue Brothers characters on the show...
  Eight months later on December 3rd, 1978 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #86; and on February 11th, 1979 it peaked at #14 (for 2 weeks) and spent 15 weeks on the Top 100...
  As the Blue Brothers the duo had three other records make the Top 100; "Rubber Biscuit" (#37 in 1979) "Gimme Some Lovin'" (#18 in 1980), and "Who's Making Love" (#39 in 1981)...
  In 1967 Ramsey Lewis released an instrumental covered version of the song; it reached #49 on the Top 100...
  R.I.P. Mr. Belushi (1949 - 1982), Mr. Aykroyd will celebrate his 62nd birthday in three months on July 1st, 2014, and Mr. Lewis will turn 79 years old next month on May 27th, 2014.
• David from Youngstown, OhYes, thanks Edward. One of life's great mysteries has been solved.
• Tj from Champaign, IlThank you, David and Edward! I have wondered that half my life.
• Edward Pearce from Ashford, Kent, EnglandDavid, to answer your question the 'Woodstock' Hayes & Porter refer to is not the soon to be famous upstate New York town but Woodstock School just outside of Memphis. Their record label Stax was of course based in Memphis.
• David from Youngstown, OhThis is probably a moot question because this song has only two comments as of this writing besides mine. However, I wonder what Chef and David Porter were thinking when they wrote "I was educated at Woodstock." This song was released and charted in 1967, two years before the legendary concert. Before 1969, Woodstock was known - by very, very few - as an upstate New York artist town, something it remains to this day. The Band's Music From Big Pink, recorded in Saugerties, where the Woodstock concert was actually held, was released in 1968, a year after this song so throw that theory out the window. I can find no logical explanation for the reference and was hoping someone could give me one.
• Ydur from Knoxville, TnPaul Schaeffer was originally supposed to play keyboards in the Blues Brothers band and in the film, but he had a spat with Belushi and got kicked out.
  
  The Blues Brothers had to play this in a different key than the original recording to fit John Belushi's voice.
• Ken from Louisville, KySteve Cropper played lead guitar on this version, and on the "Blues Brothers" 1979 cover. He was even "shouted-out" by the same line on both - "Play it, Steve!"

More Songfacts:

Start Me UpThe Rolling Stones

One of the first hit songs used in a major marketing campaign was "Start Me Up" by The Rolling Stones. Microsoft paid $3 million to use it in commercials for Windows '95.

Somebody That I Used To KnowGotye

45% of the royalties for "Somebody That I Used To Know" go to the estate of the Brazilian classical guitarist Luiz Bonfá, whose song "Seville" Gotye sampled.

Paul RevereBeastie Boys

In Beastie Boys' "Paul Revere," the title refers to the name of a horse. They took it from a song in the musical Guys And Dolls where a character sings, "I got the horse right here, the name is Paul Revere."

Evening StarJudas Priest

Judas Priest's "Evening Star" is a Christmas carol that describes the journey of the Magi from a first person perspective.

I Love ItIcona Pop

Icona Pop considers "I Love It" a kiss-off to their boyfriends: "we just wanted to get the song out and get the pigs to hear it," Jawo said.

Time In A BottleJim Croce

Jim Croce was killed in a plane crash on September 30, 1973. A few weeks later, his song "Time In A Bottle" hit #1.

Editor's Picks

Real or Spinal TapMusic Quiz

They sang about pink torpedoes and rocking you tonight tonight, but some real lyrics are just as ridiculous. See if you can tell which lyrics are real and which are Spinal Tap in this lyrics quiz.

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the SongSong Writing

How a goofy detective movie, a disenchanted director and an unlikely songwriter led to one of the biggest hits in pop history.

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.

Keith Reid of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

As Procol Harum's lyricist, Keith wrote the words to "A Whiter Shade Of Pale." We delve into that song and find out how you can form a band when you don't sing or play an instrument.

Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"They're Playing My Song

"How much does it cost? I'll buy it?" Another songwriter told Jonathan to change these lyrics. Good thing he ignored this advice.

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he InspiredSong Writing

Before he was the champ, Ali released an album called I Am The Greatest!, but his musical influence is best heard in the songs he inspired.