Iconic 1970's Black Cinema Soundtracks

Musical Revolution: The Impact of Car Wash and Shaft
by Tamara D. Hill, PhD.
(December 2023)

It appears that we all have soundtracks to our lives, regardless of where we travel, work, live or start anew. These soundtracks help us recall specific moments, celebrations, and the highs and lows as we take on the leading role in our personal reality shows, which we refer to as "life." We also remember particular elements when we watch a fashion show, TV, or go to the movies, such as the characters, settings, music, and unforgettable lines like Regina King's portrayal of Marcee Tidwell telling Rod Tidwell in Jerry Maguire- "You are a fine, proud, surviving splendid Black man." However, while the above may hold true, it is often the iconic music or soundtrack that truly connects us to the scenes, storylines, or character development that we cherish somewhere within our memories. To illustrate, I have cherished memories of watching the original Car Wash movie with my father. The film was released in 1976 and featuring Richard Pryor, Franklin Ajaye, George Carlin and Bill Duke. Although I was quite young when the movie first came out, it was the music that left the strongest impression on me. As I grew older and gained a deeper understanding of how the music correlated with the scenes in Car Wash it all made perfect sense to me.

The entire soundtrack for the 1976 comedy was composed by Norman Whitfield, a former producer for Motown Records, and performed by the funk band Rose Royce. The title track of the movie became Rose Royce's first single and was highly recognizable during the disco era. Moreover, it was Whitfield's idea for the band to create new music for the film, which resulted in three Billboard R& B Top Ten singles. In fact, the complete Car Wash album ultimately won a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album, and I fully comprehend why. The movie opens with the song "Car Wash" and you hear the rhythmic drop of a guitar key and handclaps that are both infectious.

When you hear the song, you cannot help but clap along to maintain the beat. In an interview with Dave Simpson from The Guardian, Gwen Dickey, renamed Rose Norwalt, tells the story of how Norman Whitfield informed them that they were going to create the "Car Wash" song.

We were recording our first album when he said: "I've got a deal for a comedy film called Car Wash - about people working in a car wash - and you're going to do the music." One day after a band rehearsal, Norman ordered buckets of chicken and the others went off to play basketball. He started singing then got a pencil and wrote the lyrics to "Car Wash" right there on the greasy chicken box. He taught me the song while I sat next to him, giggling. "You won't be laughing when this is a big hit!" he said. Three days later, we were in the studio recording it. Not many songs start with handclaps but Norman didn't bother about conventions. He was meticulous about every pronunciation.

While "Car Wash" was an immensely successful hit for the group, many people might have overlooked the metaphorical meaning behind the lyrics. Rose Royce expresses the notion of people working tirelessly, almost "working their fingers to the bone," and the idea that this is not the place to be if you aspire to become a star. As the lyrics go, "Let me tell you it's always cool, and the boss don't mind sometimes if you act the fool" (1976). In essence, if you thought that working at a car wash would bring you fame or fortune, you have certainly chosen the wrong profession. However, you are allowed to be yourself and have fun while doing it. At the end of the day, despite the hard work and meager pay, everyone will go their separate ways, only to return to the "car wash" in the morning and repeat the day's work all over again.

When the R-rates scenes appeared in Car Wash, my father would instruct me to leave the room until the G-rated scenes returned to the screen. However, it was the music that kept me peeking around the corner, trying to catch a glimpse of what he wanted me to avoid. For instance, when the legendary comedian Richard Pryor (who goes by the name of "Daddy Rich" in the film) makes his entrance at the Los Angeles Dee-Luxe Car Wash. He is dressed in an all-white suite and is accompanied by an entourage known as the Wilson sisters, portrayed by the famous R&B group the Pointer Sisters who were from Oakland, California. In the movie, they preform a song titled "You Gotta Believe" and was released January 1, 1976 and is credited to both the Pointer Sisters and Rose Royce. They sing about prosperity and share messages of hope with everyone they encounter. In all his faux self-righteousness, Daddy Rich seeks financial donations from the "good and faithful" souls at the car wash and spreads his "prosperity theology." Meanwhile, the Wilson sisters depicted like Greek Sirens, harmonize:

[Intro]
Doodle wop a-rat-a-tat boom
I'll make the sound of a jet plane zoom
Doodle wop a-rat-a-tat boom
I'll make the sound of a fire
[Hook]
You got to believe in somethin'
Why not believe in me?
You got to believe in somethin'
Why not believe in me?
[Verse One]
Tell Me, Brotha:
What have I, I done to you
To make you mean
And treat me the way you do?
Go on and wave your flag, Brotha!
Start your revolution!
I'm willin' to let you do your thing
Tell me, why are you blind

(Norman Whitfield, 1976)

As you pay close attention to Daddy Rich, the white limo slowly departs from the Dee-Luxe Car Wash as the money from his faithful souls who generously gave it to him comes to an end. However, the Wilson sisters continue singing the "hook" about "believing in something" as they drive away with Daddy Rich's pockets heavier than when they arrived. Even now, I can vividly recall Richard Pryor as Daddy Rich, biting the quarters he received to ensure their authenticity as he waved from the limo.

Just as the movie Car Wash was primarily comedic in nature, with its iconic soundtrack, many films and television shows are etched in our memories due to the music that refuses to let us forget specific characters or lines that serve as references for particular moments in our lives. The actors who starred in the comedic Car Wash including Richard Pryor, may have transitioned, but their performances in the film, along with the soundtrack, remind us of a time when Black people exuded coolness as they went about their jobs in bellbottoms and afros, all while grooving to artists like Teddy Pendergrass or bands like George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic. Whether it's the scene from Car Wash where Marlene, the prostitute, calls her "john" named Joe on the payphone while "I'm Going Down" (1976) plays in the background, or when you watch comedian Franklyn Ajaye, aka T.C. the Fly, ask Mona out on a date, and the first chords of "I Wanna Get Next To You (1976)," both sung by Rose Royce, makes her smile, the music carries the movie as effortlessly as its characters. This is the role music soundtracks play in film- they add a layer of reality that allows you to relate to the characters that you see on the screen.

In Black cinema and for movie fans who have watched classics such as Above the Rim, School Daze, Belly, Lady Sings the Blues, Boomerang, Hustle and Flow, Brown Sugar or even The Bodyguard, the soundtracks from these films remain iconic. Whether it is their lyrics, rhythm, beats, the scenes they are written for, or the production, they have the power to make us "turn up" when they come on Spotify or while listening to Sirius XM. These are just a few examples from the extensive list of memorable soundtracks in Black cinema, and they have played a vital role in telling our stories in each decade. For generations to come, they will continue to have a significant impact on Black cultural creativity and their contribution to television and film through this collaborative effort. From these examples alone, we have instances like "I Will Always Love You" (1992), covered by popstar Whitney Houston, which originally belonged to the country diva Dolly Parton. From this list, we also have Taraji P. Henson as Shug, who sings the hook while Terrance Howard, aka DJay a hustler turned rapper, spits the lyrics for "It Hard Out Here For A Pimp" (2005). The rap hit was produced by Three 6 Mafia who performed the song at the 78th Academy Awards ceremony and won an Oscar in the same night for Best Original Song. For hardcore rap aficionados, the Above the Rim soundtrack was released by Death Row in 1994, producing tracks like "Big Pimpin" by Tha Dogg Pound and multiple singles by the late Tupac Shakur, such as "Loyal to Da Game" and "Pain."

These aforementioned soundtracks, by seamlessly blending music with cinema, have left an indelible mark on the film industry. Their enduring impact is unmatched, as they continue to resonate with audiences. Through their music, these soundtracks provide a unique lens through which we can comprehend and appreciate the cultural, social and artistic richness of the African American experience, making them truly iconic within the realm of film and music history. Thus, the iconic soundtrack for Shaft as a Blaxploitation film, serves as a powerful cultural artifact that conveys the validation of coolness within the Black community, authentically captures the essence of our urban experiences, and vividly illustrate our capacity to narrate our stories through the medium of music.

With the recent passing of Richard Roundtree, the iconic actor who portrayed Shaft in both film and television, those who came of age during the Blaxploitation era in Black cinema recognize him as a suave ladies' man' and an uncompressing African American investigator. The character of John Shaft was originally based on the novel created by author Ernest Tidyman and John D. F. Black. Tidyman's crime thriller book series, which began with the first installment titled John Shaft in 1970, paved the way for the film adaptation. The film version of Shaft was directed by the celebrated photographer Gordon Parks, known for his illustrious photography and his ability to authentically capture the African American experience on film. Scott Myers, the author of "Great Characters: John Shaft ("Shaft")", emphasizes that cool protagonists like John Shaft exude a unique kind of coolness that sets them apart when he asserted, "Cool Protagonists are... well... cool. There's James Bond cool. There's Harry Callahan cool. And then there's John Shaft cool."

John Shaft, portrayed by Richard Roundtree, embodied this distinctive coolness on screen. His fearless pursuit of drug lords and criminals, often clad in custom black leather trench coats and fitted turtlenecks contributed to the memorable nature of his character. The genius Isaac Hayes, who composed the soundtrack, played a pivotal role in exemplifying the essence of the character. Hayes's music is often invoked when we playfully say to someone, "You are one bad motherf*****r / shut your mouth." This combination of elements, from Roundtree's portrayal to Hayes's musical contribution solidifies Shaft's place as an iconic character and the embodiment of the era in which he thrived.

Isaac Hayes' early life was one filled with poverty, working in a hog factory and picking cotton. "As a child Hayes learned to live with an empty stomach and loneliness. I remember dreaming about having decent clothes to wear, a warm place to sleep, and a nice square meal," he once recalled," according to Hayes on the Stax website. However, it was music through church and his school band that gave him purpose, and his influence is now evident in the genres of disco, rap and urban contemporary. Doug Levine from Voanews writes about Hayes' early life and how music influenced it:

Born in Covington, Tennessee, Isaac Hayes began singing in church at age five. He soon taught himself to play piano, organ, flute and saxophone. Hayes didn't have to venture far from home to find his first big break in the music industry. He launched his recording career as a session musician and songwriter with the Memphis-based Stax Records, one of the leading R&B labels of that era. Hayes was noted for co-writing a string of hit singles while at Stax, including the Sam and Dave classic, "Soul Man."

His persona encompassed a shaved head, a deep and smooth baritone voice, and a pair of dark sunglasses that added mystique to his image. In 1971, the opportunity to expand Isaac Hayes' musicianship and notoriety came with the request to develop the soundtrack for Shaft. In his own words, the late Isaac Hayes details the creation of the soundtrack for the Blaxploitation film, "My only responsibility was to make sure [director Gordon Parks] didn't hand me my head on a platter," he recalled about creating "Theme from Shaft," the number one pop and soul hit culled from his Shaft soundtrack album. "It was my first movie gig, and I wanted to make sure I did it right," he told Josiah Howard from the Library of Congress.

From this point, Hayes catapulted to instant stardom, and his composition for the "Black private dick" known as Shaft made him immensely popular. Initially, the song was just an instrumental without any lyrics, but the record executives desired something that teenagers would purchase, since they were the primary consumers of R&B albums at the time. Hayes proclaimed, "When I gave [MGM] 'Theme from Shaft,' there were not lyrics. I thought that was what a 'theme' song in a movie was supposed to be: an instrumental. They told me it was cool but it needed lyrics or the kids wouldn't buy it. So, I wrote the lyrics in twenty minutes. The lyrics in the song are the exact same lyrics that I wrote on the fly." This insight comes Isaac Hayes himself and is sourced from Josiah Howard's essay, "Themes from Shaft." The infamous lyrics that Hayes composed in 20 minutes are as legendary as Blaxploitation films. He smoothly sings over the funky soul melody "with a guitar with a wah-wah and a drummer that played a 16-note sequence on the hi-hat," noted in an interview with Mojo magazine for NPR in 1995:

Who's the black private dick that's a sex machine to all the chicks?
(Shaft!)
You're damn right

Who is the man that would risk his neck for his brother man?
(Shaft!)
Can you dig it?

Who's the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about?
(Shaft!)
Right on

They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother
(Shut your mouth!)
But I'm talkin' 'bout Shaft
(Then we can dig it)

He's a complicated man
But no one understands him but his woman
(John Shaft)

(Taken from LyricFind)

Can you imagine being able to write lyrics in twenty minutes and have them transform your song into one of the cornerstones of Black cinema and the genres of R&B and soul music? In that Mojo interview, it was noted that the song was "cut in two hours." Again, this is what elevates Isaac Hayes to genius status. Few artists could compose a song with his level of skill and impact that remains iconic both then and now. Isaac Hayes III details the accolades that his father received for his renowned composition, "Released in 1971, the original Shaft soundtrack changed the landscape of motion picture soundtracks forever. Not only did it win an Academy Award- the first by an African American composer- and two Grammys, it ushered in a wave of Black motion picture soundtracks like Super Fly, The Mack and Trouble Man, which elevated the films to another level of notoriety by using great original music to market and promote them." Thus, his compositions opened the doors for other African Americans to follow in writing musical scores not just for Blaxploitation films but Black movies and television shows in general. It is important to note, that Hayes won an Oscar as a non-actor. Even in the history of the Academy Awards, Isaac Hayes is the first African American man "to win the Oscar for Best Original Song for 'Theme from Shaft.'" "His score also earned him a Golden Globe Award and two Grammy Awards," as Doug Levine notes.

With that being said, there are several reasons why Shaft is both iconic from a musical and cultural perspective. The music perspective of its significance goes as follows:

Extended Jam Sessions
Hayes and his team of musicians engaged in extensive jam sessions to develop the iconic theme song for Shaft. From these "jam" sessions, they were able to explore various musical elements and experiment with diverse sounds.

Improvisation
Much of the Shaft composition was born out of improvisation. Hayes was well known for his proficiency as a songwriter and musician, encouraged his fellow musicians to improvise and contribute to the creation of the soundtrack. Taken from the Stax website and in Hayes own words, "I was knocked by some critics at that time saying, 'Who does he think he is, taking horns and strings and putting them on top of funky rhythm tracks?' But that was the way I felt and now it's the going thing," Hayes told Black Music and Jazz Review's Adam Finn.

Layered Arrangements
As a musician, he combined as he previously stated the elements of funk, soul and orchestration to create a unique and complex sound that perfectly complemented the film's mood and Richard Roundtree's character.

Genius Implementation of Dialogue
Hayes incorporated dialogue from the film into the music soundtrack. The integration of dialogue added a cinematic quality to the soundtrack and enhanced its correlation to the visuals being depicted by the actors. Josiah Howard describes this dialogue by highlighting, "And the song captured the public's imagination. Front and center was its unapologetic flaunting of contemporary African American idioms, catchphrases and slang. 'Cop out,' 'cat,' 'we can dig it,' and 'brother-man' were jive expressions of the day, while the exclamation 'you damned right!' proved to be the very first time a number one pop song featured the word 'damn' in it."

Narrative Synergy
The score by Isaac Hayes was not just in the background but an integral component of the film's narrative. The soundtrack realistically mirrored Richard Roundtree as the John Shaft character and the inner city or urban setting in which the storyline evolved.

Whereas the cultural viewpoint of the impact and influence of the Shaft musical score cemented its iconic status:

The Innovation Fusion of Genres
The Shaft musical score was a cutting-edge fusion of soul, funk, and orchestral elements. The music blended genres in an exclusive way that had not been implemented or realized before in cinematic music. "Catchy, topical, political, innovative and distinctly aware of its audience and the time in which it was created, "Theme from 'Shaft'" presents a perfect musical picture of the crossover from the 1960s to the 1970s: the changes in both music and audience expectations. With its superb continuum, layered choruses and beautifully realized articulation, the song was more than a fleeting pop concoction: it presented a guidebook for those who might follow- most notably Barry White and his Love Unlimited Orchestra," affirms Josiah Howard.

Stamped On Your Memory
The theme song from Shaft is one of the most recognizable and enduring pieces of film music in Black cinema and the history of Blaxploitation film. While it is not say that Super Fly or Trouble Man do not hold a prestigious place in the canon, when you think of the movie, Shaft, there is Richard Roundtree aka John taking out all the criminals in Harlem with persona of kicking ass on sight, while Isaac Hayes plays the note of wah wah on his guitar in the background with an essence of cool and funk that is irreplaceable. We know that John Shaft is our hero and he will fight for the common good of his people because Hayes tell us so.

The Significance on Blaxploitation Films
It is believed that the musical score for Shaft played a significant role in propagating the Blaxploitation film genre. Hayes's score added a depth of legitimacy to the film's depiction of a "Black private dick," a ladies' man and most of all, an acute outlook of African American culture.

Isaac Hayes' approach to composing the theme for "Shaft" was innovative and transformative. His work and infusion of various music genres added a layer of cultural significance and radicalism to the film, making it not just a soundtrack but integral part of the Black cinematic experience. As a result, Isaac Hayes's' Shaft is an enduring piece of music that continues to be celebrated, recognized and is iconic in Blaxploitation and film music history.

While we can appreciate the fact that a book series was adapted into a Blaxploitation film starring Richard Roundtree as John Shaft, it is the music created by Isaac Hayes that truly brings to life this "Black private dick" as he emerges from the subway in New York City or wields his Smith and Wesson and the Beretta 92FS while confronting the criminals he has been hired to investigate. Hayes' soundtrack encapsulates the charisma and respect that John Shaft commands as a Black man with a conservative haircut and sideburns, and whose leather coats move with precision as he navigates through Harlem. The success of Hayes' soundtrack also mirrors the cultural mood and social changes in civil rights and equality during that era. Currently, the track continues to resonate and has been sampled by artists like Jay-Z for 'Reservoir Dogs" (1998), Young MC's "Know How (1989), and Big Daddy Kane's "Show & Prove" (1994). While the Shaft movie was revamped with actor Samuel Jackson in 2000 and 2019, with Richard Roundtree starring in both as his uncle, it is still Isaac Hayes' music that renders the films as a timeless, memorable and iconic piece of music history in Black cinema and Blaxploitation. In the words of Isaac Hayes III, about his father auditioning for the role of John Shaft when being interviewed by John Burlingame for Variety, "He also confirms the story that his dad tried out for the part of John Shaft by bringing to mind, That was one of the conditions of him doing the score. He was like, 'You've got to let me audition too.' He didn't get the part, but that's OK. I think he'll take the Oscar."

Works Cited

Burlingame, Jon "How Isaac Hayes 'Shaft' Reinvented the Game for Film Music" Variety, June 25, 2021. https://variety.com/2021/film/news/isaac-hayes-shaft-reinvented-film-music-1235005071/ Accessed 6 November 2023.

Genius, The Pointer Sisters "You Gotta Believe" https://genius.com/The-pointer-sisters-you-gotta-believe-lyrics. Accessed 2 November 2023.

Hayes, Isaac. Stax Website. https://staxrecords.com/artist/isaac-hayes/ Accessed 4 November 2023.

Hayes, Isaac III. How Does a 'Shaft' Soundtrack Get Made Without Isaac Hayes? Billboard (Guest Op-Ed) 06/7/2019. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/how-does-shaft-soundtrack-get-made-without-isaac-hayes-op-ed-8514996/ Accessed 2 November 2023.

Howard, Josiah. "Theme from Shaft"-Isaac Hayes (1971) Added to the National Registry; 2013 Essay-Guest Post. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/ThemeFromShaft.pdf. Accessed 29 Oct. 2023.

Levine, Doug. "Singer, Songwriter Isaac Hayes Dies." Voanews 11 August 2008 https://www.voanews.com/a/a-13-2008-08-11-voa47/402113.html. Accessed 28 October 2023.

LyricFind. "Theme from Shaft @ Universal Music Publishing Group." Warner Chappell, Music Songwriters: Isaac Hayes. https://www.google.com/search?q=lyrics+from+shaft&oq=lyrics+from+shaft&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQABgWGB4yDQg. Accessed 2 November 2023.

Move Quote https://www.moviequotedb.com/movies/jerry-maguire/character_1193.html#google_vignette. Accessed 3 November 2023.

Myers, Scott. "Great Characters: John Shaft ("Shaft")" Medium, 10 February 2012. https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/great-characters-john-shaft-shaft-eded6e7a16ad. Accessed 2 November 2023.

National Public Radio, "The NPR 100," December 21, 2000. Radio Program. Archived. Retrieved Sept. 9, 2006. Mojo (1995) Precise issue unknown. Accessed 23 October 2023.

Simpson, Dave. "Interview. How we Made: Car Wash by Rose Royce." 12 July 2021, The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/jul/12/how-we-made-car-wash-by-rose-royce Accessed 31 October 2023.

Writeups.org "John Shaft P.I." https://www.writeups.org/shaft-richard-roundtree-blaxploitation/. Accessed 6 November 2023.