Isaac Hayes – Hot Buttered Singles 1968-1972 – Ace UK 2LP

Sixteen years may have gone by since Isaac Hayes’ untimely passing at the age of just 65, but he remains one of the most popular and Iconic singer-songwriter-arrangers in the history of Soul music.

The albums Hayes’ made for Stax’ Enterprise label remain the benchmark in ‘symphonic soul’, and sound as breathtakingly brilliant as they did when they were new releases.

As well as being one of a small group of artists who expanded the growth of the soul albums market, Isaac was a consistently successful singles artist, who placed 16 consecutive 45s on the R&B chart between 1969 and 1976 – most of which also crossed over to pop.

The biggest hits have been anthologised on previous occasions – but “Hot Buttered Singles” is the first series to present the A and B sides of all of Hayes’ ‘Yellow Stax’-era 45s in chronological order, and in their original singles versions – several of which have not appeared on CD before. Many of these tracks are among his best loved recordings. Here you will hear them as you would have heard them on soul and pop radio over half a century ago.

Extensively annotated, handsomely illustrated and coming to you – on CD AND double vinyl – in a package that an artist of Ike’s stature thoroughly deserves…

Watch out for volume 2 – which carries Hayes’ singles story through to 1977, and which includes all the early singles on Isaac’s own HBS label – in 2025!

tracklist:
A01 Walk On By
A02 By The Time I Get To Phoenix
A03 The Mistletoe And Me
A04 Winter Snow
B01 I Stand Accused
B02 I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself
B03 The Look Of Love
B04 Ike’s Mood Pt 1
C01 Never Can Say Goodbye
C02 I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You)
C03 Theme From Shaft
C04 Café Regio’s
C05 Do Your Thing
C06 Ellie’s Love Theme
D01 Let’s Stay Together
D02 Soulsville
D03 Ain’t That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One)
D04 Baby I’m-A Want You
D05 Soul-A-Lujah (Instrumental)