Song Clearance Sheet
3 sources citedSoul Man
Soul1960s112BPM
G majKey
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The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (Isaac Hayes & David Porter), no dispute found — extends the Stax/Cropper thread in this catalogue; its origin in the 1967 Detroit riots is documented factually in the Receipts.
Quick Facts
Released1967
AlbumSoul Men
GenreSoul, R&B, Funk
LabelStax / Atlantic Records
ProducerIsaac Hayes & David Porter
Recorded atStax Studios, Memphis
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Isaac Hayes & David Porter
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — Stax/Atlantic; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
A much-covered, much-sampled soul standard (Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest); part of this catalogue’s Stax/Cropper thread.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record and no dispute found.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Same duo and songwriters; the earlier hit that paved the way (this batch)
Isaac Hayes’ own later work as a performer (this batch)
Shared Stax house band / Steve Cropper (already in this catalogue)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Isaac Hayes & David Porter
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
An origin in the 1967 Detroit riots
Isaac Hayes has described watching a newscast of the aftermath of the July 1967 Detroit riots and noticing that Black residents had marked surviving buildings with the word “soul” as a plea to be spared. Hayes and Porter turned that into a song about pride and rising above one’s conditions, deliberately countering negative media images. No lyrics reproduced.
Songfacts · read it →
A shout-out to Steve Cropper — and why Hayes was there
The record features a spoken exclamation aimed at Steve Cropper, referencing his guitar playing. Hayes was on the session at all only because Booker T. Jones, the M.G.’s regular keyboardist, was away at college — so Hayes was brought in to play piano.
Songfacts · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
A Grammy-winning soul standard
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
SO
Isaac Hayes & David Porter (Stax)
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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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