Heart Full of Soul

For other uses, see Heart Full of Soul (disambiguation).

"Heart Full of Soul"
Single by the Yardbirds
B-side"Steeled Blues"
Released
  • 4 June 1965 (1965-06-04) (UK)
  • 2 July 1965 (US)
Recorded20 April 1965
StudioAdvision, London
GenreRaga rock
Length2:28
Label
Songwriter(s)Graham Gouldman
Producer(s)Giorgio Gomelsky
The Yardbirds UK singles chronology
"For Your Love"
(1965) 		"Heart Full of Soul"
(1965) 		"Evil Hearted You" / "Still I'm Sad"
(1965)
The Yardbirds US singles chronology
"For Your Love"
(1965) 		"Heart Full of Soul"
(1965) 		"I'm a Man"
(1965)

"Heart Full of Soul" is a song recorded by the English rock group the Yardbirds in 1965. Written by Graham Gouldman, it was the Yardbirds' first single after Jeff Beck replaced Eric Clapton as lead guitarist. Released only three months after "For Your Love", "Heart Full of Soul" reached the Top 10 on the singles charts in the UK, US, and several other countries.

The Yardbirds first recorded the song with an Indian sitar player performing the distinctive instrumental figures. However, the group were dissatisfied with the results, so Beck developed the part on electric guitar to emulate the sitar. A contemporary review described it as an "oriental touch", and music writers have identified Beck's contribution as introducing Indian-influenced guitar stylings to rock music, and as one of the earliest examples of what became known as raga rock.[1][2][3] Beck's use of a fuzz box has also been cited as perhaps the first significant use of the effect.[4][1]

As one of the Yardbirds' most popular songs, it was frequently performed in concert. There are a number of live recordings, the earliest of which feature Beck, while later ones feature guitarist Jimmy Page. "Heart Full of Soul" appears on several of the group's compilations and renditions have been recorded by other musicians.

  1. ^ a b Lavezzoli, Peter (2006). The Dawn of Indian Music in the West. New York City: Continuum. pp. 154–155. ISBN 978-0-8264-1815-9.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Masters was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Power was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference French was invoked but never defined (see the help page).