The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriter of record (Isaac Hayes), no dispute found — the first Best Original Song Oscar won by a Black composer; connects to Hayes’ Sam & Dave writing (“Soul Man,” “Hold On, I’m Comin’”) in this batch.
Quick Facts
Released1971
AlbumShaft
GenreFunk, Soul, Instrumental
LabelEnterprise / Stax Records
ProducerIsaac Hayes
Recorded atStax Studios, Memphis
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriter of record — Isaac Hayes
Britannica → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — Enterprise/Stax; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
A much-sampled foundational template for the whole blaxploitation-score genre; connects to Hayes’ Sam & Dave writing (this batch).
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriter of record and no dispute found.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Hayes co-wrote it (this batch)
Hayes co-wrote it (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Isaac Hayes
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A riff pulled off the shelf
Hayes recalled (Mojo, 1995) remembering an unused guitar line from an earlier, never-released tune — he pulled it “off the shelf,” had Charles “Skip” Pitts play it reworked with a wah-wah pedal, and had Willie Hall play rapid 16th-notes on the hi-hat. The core rhythm for the whole soundtrack was reportedly assembled in under two hours. Mostly instrumental, building to Hayes’ own spoken narration. No lyrics reproduced.
Parade / AV Club · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
A #1 Oscar-winning blaxploitation-score template
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
SH
Isaac Hayes (Enterprise/Stax)
The confirmed songwriter of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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References
Every source cited on this page — 4 in total
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 17/18)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass