“Soul Man” by Sam & Dave
Written by Stax Records’ prolific songwriting tandem of Isaac Hayes and David Porter, Hayes was inspired by watching footage of the 12th Street Riots in Detroit in 1967; during which black-owned businesses would write “soul” on their windows to dissuade vandals. Sung with fervor by the “Dynamic Duo” of Sam Moore & Dave Prater, and with Hayes asserting that its “about one’s struggle to rise above his present conditions,” the song became a tribute to pride and cultural identity.
