Sweet Soul Music

This article is about the 1967 song by Arthur Conley. For other uses, see Sweet Soul Music (disambiguation).

"Sweet Soul Music"
Single by Arthur Conley
from the album Sweet Soul Music
B-side"Let's Go Steady"
ReleasedMarch 1967
RecordedJanuary 1967[1]
StudioFAME, Muscle Shoals, Alabama[1]
GenreSoul, rhythm and blues
Length2:20
LabelAtco
Songwriter(s)Sam Cooke, Arthur Conley and Otis Redding

"Sweet Soul Music" is a soul song first released by the American singer Arthur Conley in March 1967. Written by Conley and Otis Redding,[2] it is based on the Sam Cooke song "Yeah Man" from his posthumous album Shake;[citation needed] the opening riff is a quote from Elmer Bernstein's score for the 1960 movie The Magnificent Seven.[citation needed]

In the US, "Sweet Soul Music" reached the No. 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 (behind "The Happening" by The Supremes),[3] and No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart. Overseas, it peaked at No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart.[4] "Sweet Soul Music" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[2]

J.W. Alexander, Cooke's business partner, sued both Redding and Conley for appropriating the melody. A settlement was reached in which Cooke's name was added to the writer credits, and Redding agreed to record some songs in the future from Kags Music, a Cooke–Alexander enterprise. [citation needed]

  1. ^ a b The Muscle Shoals Sound CD Liner Notes, Rhino Records, 1993
  2. ^ a b Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 218. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  3. ^ "The Hot 100: the week of May 13, 1967". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  4. ^ "Sweet Soul Music - Arthur Conley | Official Charts". UK Singles Chart. Retrieved September 19, 2023.