Soul Finger

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This article is about the song by the Bar-Kays. For the album, see Soul Finger (Bar-Kays album). For the album by Art Blakey and The Messengers, see Soul Finger (Art Blakey album).
"Soul Finger"
Single by the Bar-Kays
from the album Soul Finger
B-side"Knucklehead"
ReleasedApril 14, 1967
RecordedMarch 31, 1967
Length2:18
LabelVolt Records
Songwriter(s)
Phalon Jones

Ben Cauley
Ronnie Caldwell
James Alexander

"Soul Finger" is the first single released by R&B group the Bar-Kays. It was issued by Stax Records on the Volt Records label on April 14, 1967.

Background[]

The song was written by the Bar-Kays while they were rehearsing with Norman West to perform a cover of J.J. Jackson's "But It's Alright".[1] It begins with the melody of the popular children's song "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and then cuts into the main riff, punctuated with a high trumpet trill. It features a chorus of neighborhood children who had been loitering outside the recording studio; they were instructed to shout "Soul Finger!" and were paid with Coca-Cola.[1] The idea for the title and the shouts came from the Stax songwriters Isaac Hayes and David Porter.[1]

Chart performance[]

"Soul Finger" was a hit in the United States, peaking at number 3 on the U.S. Billboard R&B singles chart and number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2] The B-side of the single was "Knucklehead", written by Booker T. Jones and Steve Cropper, which reached number 28 on the R&B singles chart and number 76 on the Hot 100.[2] "Soul Finger" and "Knucklehead" were the first two tracks of the Bar-Kays' first LP, Soul Finger, issued on July 10, after nine more tracks had been recorded on June 23.[3]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Liner notes, The Complete Stax/Volt Singles, 1959–1968. Atlantic, 1991. p. 31.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Billboard Singles, Allmusic.
  3. ^ Review of Soul Finger, Allmusic
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