{{Short description|1969 studio album by Isaac Hayes}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Hot Buttered Soul | type = studio | artist = Isaac Hayes | cover = Isaac_Hayes,_Hot_Buttered_Soul_Album_Cover.jpg | alt = | released = June 1969<ref name="Billboard">{{cite magazine |title=Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul Chart History |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/isaac-hayes/chart-history/blp/|magazine=Billboard |access-date=June 18, 2019}}</ref><ref name="LinerNotes">According to the liner notes in the 2009 remastered CD booklet, the album debuted on the ''Billboard'' chart in July 1969, eventually peaking at number 1 on the R&B chart in August 1969, and number 8 on the ''Billboard 200'' in October 1969. The liner notes also mention the release of a single for "Walk On By"/"By the Time I Get to Phoenix" after the album's successful release; the single issued in July 1969 as well.</ref> | recorded = March – May 1969 | studio = {{hlist|Ardent (Memphis, Tennessee)|Tera Shirma (Detroit, Michigan)}} | genre = * Progressive soul<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://blurtonline.com/review/isaac-hayes-black-moses/|access-date=January 28, 2021|title=Isaac Hayes – Black Moses|magazine=Blurt|last=Judge|first=Stephen|date=March 31, 2009}}</ref> * psychedelic soul<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/feb/20/i-didnt-give-a-damn-if-it-didnt-sell-how-isaac-hayes-helped-create-psychedelic-soul |title='I didn't give a damn if it didn't sell': how Isaac Hayes helped create psychedelic soul |last=Farber |first=Jim |date=February 20, 2018 |work=The Guardian|access-date=2023-02-05}}</ref> | length = 45:24 | label = Enterprise | producer = {{hlist|Al Bell|Marvell Thomas|Allen Jones}} | prev_title = Presenting Isaac Hayes | prev_year = 1968 | next_title = The Isaac Hayes Movement | next_year = 1970 | misc = {{Singles | name = Hot Buttered Soul | type = studio | single1 = Walk On By" / "By the Time I Get to Phoenix | single1date = July 1969 }} }}
'''''Hot Buttered Soul''''' is the second studio album by American soul musician Isaac Hayes. Released in June 1969, it is recognized as a landmark recording in soul music.<ref name="allmusic review" /><ref name="BBC review">{{cite web|last=Easlea|first=Daryl|title=Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul Review|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/rhj9/|work=BBC|access-date=4 February 2014|year=2009}}</ref> Recorded with the Bar-Kays, the album features four lengthy tracks, including a 12-minute version of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song "Walk On By" and an almost 19-minute long version of Jimmy Webb's "By the Time I Get to Phoenix;" both songs were edited significantly and released as a double A-side single in July 1969.<ref name="LinerNotes"/>
==Background== Hayes' 1968 solo debut, ''Presenting Isaac Hayes'', had been a poor seller for the record label Stax Records, and Hayes was about to return to his behind-the-scenes role as a producer and songwriter, when the label suddenly lost its entire back catalog after splitting with Atlantic Records in May 1968.<ref name="google1">{{cite book|first=Rob|last=Bowman|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XLdsRwpZ9oYC&q=don+davis+hot+buttered+soul&pg=PA279 |title=Soulsville, U.S.A.: The Story of Stax Records|publisher=Schirmer Books|location=New York City|isbn=9780825672842 |year=1997 }}</ref>
Stax executive Al Bell decided to release an almost-instant back catalog of 27 albums and 30 singles at once, and ordered all of Stax's artists to record new material, encouraging some of Stax's prominent creative staff, including Hayes and guitarist Steve Cropper, to record solo albums.<ref name="google1"/>
After feeling burned by the retail and creative flop of his first album, Hayes told Bell that he would not record a follow-up or any other album unless he was granted complete creative control. Since Bell had encouraged Hayes to record ''Presenting...'' in the first place, he readily agreed.<ref name="google1"/>
==Production== Produced by Al Bell with Allen Jones and Marvell Thomas, the record was tracked by engineer Terry Manning at the Ardent Studios location on National Street in Memphis. The Bar-Kays were the tracking band, supplemented by pianist and co-producer Marvell Thomas (son of Rufus Thomas). Isaac Hayes played Hammond organ and sang the vocals live while conducting the tracking band at the same time. Much of the later production was done as part of the package of products brought to Detroit by producer Don Davis to expedite the production process. The strings and horns were arranged by Detroit arranger Johnny Allen and were recorded at United Sound Studios by engineer Ed Wolfrum with vocals and final mix at Tera Shirma by engineer Russ Terrana.<ref name="google1"/> The producers were looking for a sweeping orchestral sound that would enhance the rhythm tracks. The pre-delay reverberation technique, recorded in part by Terry Manning on the tracking session, had been used at Artie Fields productions in Detroit in late 1950s, and at Columbia Records; it was also used by Wolfrum and others for numerous productions and commercials previous and after the release of this project including Marvin Gaye's ''What's Going On'' project, with orchestration also recorded at United. Russ Terrana went on to the engineering staff of Motown Records and was responsible for the recording and mixing of many hits on that label.<ref name="google1"/>
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="allmusic review">{{cite web|author=Jason Birchmeier |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/hot-buttered-soul-mw0000651407 |title=Hot Buttered Soul - Isaac Hayes | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2015-08-30}}</ref> | rev3 = Robert Christgau | rev3Score = C<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=isaac+hayes |title=CG: isaac hayes |publisher=Robert Christgau |access-date=2015-08-30}}</ref> | rev2 = BBC | rev2Score = (favourable)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/rhj9/|title=Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul Review|author=Easlea, Daryl |date=2009|publisher= BBC|website=bbc.co.uk}}</ref> | rev4 = ''MusicHound Lounge'' | rev4Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=du Lac |first1=Josh Freedom |editor1-last=Knopper |editor1-first=Steve |title=MusicHound Lounge: The Essential Album Guide to Martini Music and Easy Listening |date=1998 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |location=Detroit and London |isbn=1578590485 |page=219 |chapter=Isaac Hayes}}</ref> | rev5 = ''Paste'' | rev5Score = 9.7/10<ref>{{cite web|last=Deusner |first=Stephen M. |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/07/isaac-hayes-hot-buttered-soul-1.html |title=Isaac Hayes: Hot Buttered Soul |publisher=Pastemagazine.com |date=July 7, 2009|access-date=2015-08-30}}</ref> | rev6 = ''Pitchfork Media'' | rev6Score = 9.2/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13233-hot-buttered-soul/ |title=Isaac Hayes: Hot Buttered Soul | Album Reviews |publisher=Pitchfork|first=Nate|last=Patrin |date=2009-06-29 |access-date=2015-08-30}}</ref> | rev7 = Rhapsody | rev7Score = favorable<ref>{{cite web|author=Jon Pruett |url=http://www.rhapsody.com/isaac-hayes/hot-buttered-soul |title=Hot Buttered Soul by Isaac Hayes |publisher=Rhapsody |date=1969-01-01 |access-date=2015-08-30}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Rolling Stone'' | rev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lRgtYCC6OUwC&q=Less+inviting+than+ever+Hot+Buttered+Soul&pg=PA371 |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide - Nathan Brackett, Christian David Hoard - Google Books |isbn=9780743201698 |access-date=2015-08-30|last1=Brackett |first1=Nathan |last2=Hoard |first2=Christian David |year=2004 |publisher=Simon and Schuster }}</ref> | rev9 = ''Stereo Review'' | rev9Score = (favourable)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Audio/Archive-Stereo-Review-IDX/IDX/60s/HiFi-Stereo-Review-1969-10-OCR-Page-0136.pdf|title=Isaac Hayes: Hot Buttered Soul|author=Reed, Rex|page=142|issue=4|volume=23|date=October 1969|publisher=Stereo Review|website=americanradiohistory.com}}</ref> }}
The album was released in June 1969 and peaked at number 1 on the top R&B chart, and at number 8 on the ''Billboard 200''.<ref name="Billboard"/><ref name="BB200">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/isaac-hayes/chart-history/tlp/|title=Isaac Hayes: Hot Buttered Soul (Billboard 200)|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The edited single version of "Walk On By" reached No. 30 on the ''Billboard Hot 100'', and the edited single version of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" reached No. 37 on the same chart.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/isaac-hayes/chart-history/hsi/ | title=Isaac Hayes | Biography, Music & News | magazine=Billboard }}</ref>
Contemporary and retrospective reviews of the album were highly positive. AllMusic ranks ''Hot Buttered Soul'' as one of the best records of Hayes's career, perhaps second only to 1971's ''Black Moses'', and said the album pioneered new developments in R&B music for the 1970s.<ref name="allmusic review"/> In 2020, ''Rolling Stone'' ranked the album at number 373 in itslist of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=2020-09-22|title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/|access-date=2020-12-07|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}</ref>
American punk rock musician Henry Rollins has frequently referred to ''Hot Buttered Soul'' as one of his favorite albums.<ref>Rollins was quoted in 2011: "My mother had this record. She let me have it so I could destroy it on my bad record player with my awful vinyl etiquette. I don’t know why it hit me so hard, so immediately, but it did. I was in 5th grade and listened to it all the time. I was kind of surprised by that myself."[https://www.goldminemag.com/articles/10-albums-changed-henry-rollins-life]</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/henry-rollins-favourite-albums-the-doors-jimi-hendrix-black-sabbath/ | title=Henry Rollins picks his 10 favourite albums ever |website=Far Out|first=Joe |last=Taysom|date=August 4, 2024}}</ref> Rollins interviewed Hayes in 1995, and the interview was reprinted in the 1998 book ''Do I Come Here Often? Black Coffee Blues, Part 2''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wonderingsound.com/interview/isaac-hayes/ |title=Isaac Hayes |publisher=Wondering Sound |access-date=2015-08-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930234654/http://www.wonderingsound.com/interview/isaac-hayes/ |archive-date=2015-09-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Evan Minsker of ''Pitchfork'' wrote in 2017: "Hayes didn’t have any grand sales ambitions for ''Hot Buttered Soul'', but his long cuts and high drama made him a star, one who pried the creative doors open for the artists who followed."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pitchfork |date=2017-08-22 |title=The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-200-best-albums-of-the-1960s/ |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | headline = Side one
| title1 = Walk On By | writer1 = Burt Bacharach, Hal David | length1 = 12:03
| title2 = Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic | writer2 = Isaac Hayes, Alvertis Isbell | length2 = 9:38 }} {{Track listing | headline = Side two
| title1 = One Woman | writer1 = Charles Chalmers, Sandra Rhodes | length1 = 5:10
| title2= By the Time I Get to Phoenix | writer2 = Jimmy Webb | length2 = 18:42 }}
==Personnel== * Isaac Hayes – vocals, keyboards * Marvell Thomas – producer, keyboards * Harold Beane – guitar solo on "Walk On By"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/15/arts/music/isaac-hayes-band-bar-kays.html|title=Meet the Musicians Who Gave Isaac Hayes His Groove (Published 2017)|first=Sean|last=Howe|work=The New York Times |date=November 15, 2017|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> The Bar-Kays: *Willie Hall – drums *James Alexander – bass *Michael Toles – guitar
'''Technical''' * Al Bell – Producer, supervising producer * Bill Dahl – Liner notes * Kate Hoddinott – Package redesign * Allen Jones – Producer * Johnny Allen – Arranger * Terry Manning – Engineer * Bob Smith – Photography * Joe Tarantino – Mastering * Russ Terrana – Remixing * Honeya Thompson – Art direction * Christopher Whorf – Cover design * Ed Wolfrum – Engineer, mixing
==Charts== ===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+Weekly chart performance for ''Hot Buttered Soul'' ! Chart (1969) ! Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| US ''Billboard'' Top LPs | 8 |- ! scope="row"| US Hot R&B LPs (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/isaac-hayes/|title=Isaac Hayes Chart History|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=August 2, 2025}}</ref> | 1 |}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Gold|type=album|artist=Isaac Hayes|title=Hot Buttered Soul|accessdate=19 February 2024|relyear=1969|certyear=1969}} {{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
==See also== *Album era *List of number-one R&B albums of 1969 (U.S.)
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==Further reading== *{{cite book|title=A Brief History of Album Covers|first=Jason|last=Draper|publisher=Flame Tree Publishing|location=London|year=2008|pages=74–75|isbn=9781847862112|oclc=227198538}}
{{Isaac Hayes}} {{The Bar-Kays}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1969 albums Category:Isaac Hayes albums Category:Stax Records albums Category:Albums produced by Al Bell Category:Albums produced by Allen Jones (record producer) Category:Albums produced by Marvell Thomas Category:Progressive soul albums Category:Psychedelic soul albums