Hold On, I'm Comin' (song)
Encyclopedia
"Hold On, I'm Comin'" (on a Stax release titled "Hold On! I'm a Comin") is a 1966 single recorded by soul
duo Sam & Dave
, issued on the Atlantic-distributed Stax
label in 1966.
The song was written by the songwriting team of Isaac Hayes
and David Porter
, who came up with the title of the song spontaneously when Hayes was trying to get Porter to hurry out of the Stax Studios restroom and get back to songwriting. Released as Stax 189 in the spring of 1966, the single peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, and at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100
in the United States
.
A revamped version of the song, "Hold On, Edwin's Coming", was recorded by Sam & Dave as a promotional single for Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards
' third election campaign in 1982. Three years later, Dave Prater
teamed with new singing partner Sam Daniels as "The New Sam and Dave Review", and recorded "Medley/Hold On, I'm Comin" for Atlantic Records.
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
duo Sam & Dave
Sam & Dave
Sam & Dave were an American soul and rhythm and blues duo who performed together from 1961 through 1981. The tenor voice was Samuel David Moore , and the baritone/tenor voice was Dave Prater .Sam & Dave are members of...
, issued on the Atlantic-distributed Stax
Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
label in 1966.
The song was written by the songwriting team of Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes
Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an American songwriter, musician, singer and actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the...
and David Porter
David Porter (musician)
David Porter is an American soul musician. Porter is best known as the songwriting and production partner of Isaac Hayes at Stax Records during the 1960s...
, who came up with the title of the song spontaneously when Hayes was trying to get Porter to hurry out of the Stax Studios restroom and get back to songwriting. Released as Stax 189 in the spring of 1966, the single peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, and at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
A revamped version of the song, "Hold On, Edwin's Coming", was recorded by Sam & Dave as a promotional single for Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards
Edwin Edwards
Edwin Washington Edwards served as the Governor of Louisiana for four terms , twice as many terms as any other Louisiana chief executive has served. Edwards was also Louisiana's first Roman Catholic governor in the 20th century...
' third election campaign in 1982. Three years later, Dave Prater
Dave Prater
Dave Prater was an American Southern Soul and Rhythm & Blues singer who was the deeper, baritone and second tenor vocalist of the soul vocal duo Sam & Dave from 1961 until his death in 1988...
teamed with new singing partner Sam Daniels as "The New Sam and Dave Review", and recorded "Medley/Hold On, I'm Comin" for Atlantic Records.
Personnel
- Vocals by Sam MooreSam MooreSamuel David Moore is an American Southern Soul and Rhythm & Blues singer who was the tenor vocalist for the soul vocal duo Sam & Dave from 1961 through 1981...
and Dave PraterDave PraterDave Prater was an American Southern Soul and Rhythm & Blues singer who was the deeper, baritone and second tenor vocalist of the soul vocal duo Sam & Dave from 1961 until his death in 1988... - Instrumentation by Booker T. & the MG's and the Mar-Keys HornsMar-KeysThe Mar-Keys, formed in 1958, were an American studio session band for the Stax label from Memphis, Tennessee, in the 1960s. As the first house band for the label, their backing music formed the foundation for the early 1960s Stax sound.-Career:...
Cover versions and samples
- In 1967 Tom JonesTom Jones (singer)Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
recorded this song on the album 13 Smash Hits - In 1967 Maxine BrownMaxine Brown (soul singer)Maxine Ella Brown is an American soul and R&B singer.-Background and career:Maxine Brown began singing as a child, performing with two New York based gospel groups called the Angelairs and the Royaltones when she was a teenager...
and Chuck JacksonChuck JacksonChuck Jackson is an R&B singer who was one of the first artists to record material by Burt Bacharach and Hal David successfully. He has performed with moderate success since 1961...
recorded a cover which reached 20 on the Billboard R&B chart and 91 on the Billboard pop charts. - Bill CosbyBill CosbyWilliam Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
did a humorous interpretation of the song on his 1968 album, Bill Cosby Sings Hooray for the Salvation Army Band!Bill Cosby Sings Hooray for the Salvation Army Band!Bill Cosby Sings Hooray for the Salvation Army Band! is the ninth album by Bill Cosby. This was his second studio album to feature his singing, and features less serious renditions of then-current rock and soul hits...
. - Jazz flautist Herbie MannHerbie MannHerbert Jay Solomon , better known as Herbie Mann, was a Jewish American jazz flutist and important early practitioner of world music...
recorded the song on his 1969 album, Memphis UndergroundMemphis UndergroundMemphis Underground is a 1969 album by jazz flautist Herbie Mann, that attempts to fuse the genres of Jazz and Rhythm & Blues . While Mann and the other principal soloists were leading jazz musicians, the album was recorded in Chips Moman's American Studios in Memphis, a studio used by many...
. - In August 1979 Precious WilsonPrecious WilsonPrecious Wilson is a soul singer.-Background:Wilson started out as a backing singer for the all-male group Eruption. The group enjoyed a minor hit when they won a talent competition in 1975 with the song "Let Me Take You Back in Time"...
of the group EruptionEruption (band)Eruption was a popular disco / R&B / Soul band in the 1970s and 1980s.-History:Silent Eruption was formed in 1974 in Britain. In 1975 they won the RCA Soul Search Contest, whilst their first single "Let Me Take You Back in Time" was released in 1976...
recorded the song which was published by Hansa RecordsHansa RecordsHansa Records was a record label founded in the 1960s based in Berlin, Germany....
, it also was added to the album Oceans of FantasyOceans of FantasyOceans of Fantasy is the fourth studio album by Boney M. Released in September 1979, Oceans Of Fantasy became the second Boney M. album to top the UK charts and features hits "El Lute" based on Eleuterio Sánchez life, "I'm Born Again", "Bahama Mama" and "Gotta Go Home"...
by Boney M. - The song is played by Jake and Ellwood on their 8-track deck in the BluesmobileBluesmobileThe Bluesmobile is a 1974 Dodge Monaco sedan that was prominently featured in the 1980 film, The Blues Brothers. In the film, it is described as a used Mount Prospect police car that replaced a Cadillac, which Elwood Blues traded for a microphone. The Bluesmobile was equipped with the "440 Magnum"...
in the 1980 movie The Blues BrothersThe Blues Brothers (film)The Blues Brothers is a 1980 musical comedy film directed by John Landis and starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from a musical sketch on the NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. It features musical numbers by R&B and soul singers James... - 1981 cover by Aretha FranklinAretha FranklinAretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
for her album Love All the Hurt AwayLove All the Hurt AwayLove All The Hurt Away is an Aretha Franklin album, the singer's sophomore release for Arista Records. Despite strong reviews, it was a sales disappointment, topping off at approximately 250,000 copies. Aretha's cover version of Sam & Dave's classic hit "Hold On! I'm Coming" won Franklin her...
earned her ninth Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal PerformanceGrammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for quality R&B songs...
. - Michael BoltonMichael BoltonMichael Bolton is an American singer and songwriter. Bolton originally performed in the hard rock and heavy metal genres from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s, both on his early solo albums and those recorded as the frontman of the band Blackjack...
covered the song on his 1992 album Timeless: The Classics. - Tina TurnerTina TurnerTina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
sang the song on her 60th birthday special live show in 1999 and it was later included on the limited edition bonus disc of her album Twenty Four Seven. It was also included on the setlist of the first leg of her Twenty Four Seven TourTwenty Four Seven TourThe Twenty Four Seven Tour is the eighth concert tour by American singer, Tina Turner. The tour initially promoted her final studio album, Twenty Four Seven, but later transformed into a greatest hits tour...
in 2000. - B.B. King and Eric ClaptonEric ClaptonEric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
cover the song on their joint album, Riding with the King, released in 2000 - AmerieAmerieAmerie Mi Marie Rogers , known professionally as Amerie or Ameriie, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She debuted in 2002 with the album All I Have, primarily co-written and produced by Rich Harrison, and was well-received in the urban market...
sampled the song on her hit "Gotta WorkGotta Work"Gotta Work" is a song by American R&B singer–songwriter Amerie, and is the second international single from her third studio album, Because I Love It . It samples Sam & Dave's 1966 song "Hold On, I'm Comin'", written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter and originally recorded by Reuben Wilson...
" (2007). - The song is featured on the soundtrack to the 2007 film American Gangster.
- The TemptationsThe TemptationsThe Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
covered the song for their 2007 album, Back To FrontBack to Front (The Temptations album)Back to Front is the sixty-first Temptations album and was released on October 23, 2007. It contains mostly covers of songs that were hits for Stax Records artists, as well as other non-Motown artists...
. - Samuel L. JacksonSamuel L. JacksonSamuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...
and Bernie MacBernie MacBernard Jeffrey McCullough , better known by his stage name, Bernie Mac, was an American actor and comedian. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined comedians Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L...
perform the song in the 2008 film Soul Men. - The song is featured in the 2009 video game Skate 2Skate 2Skate 2 is a sandbox skateboarding video game developed by EA Black Box and distributed by Electronic Arts as a sequel to the 2007 game, Skate. Skate 2 was released in January 2009 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.-Plot:...
for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 - The song is featured in the pilot episode of the 2009 series White CollarWhite Collar (TV series)White Collar is a USA Network television series created by Jeff Eastin, starring Matt Bomer as con-man Neal Caffrey and Tim DeKay as Special Agent Peter Burke. It premiered on October 23, 2009. In December 2009, White Collar was renewed for a second season that began on July 13, 2010...
. - Casey JamesCasey JamesCasey Everett James is an American singer and guitarist from Fort Worth, Texas, who was the third-place finalist on the ninth season of American Idol.-Early life:...
performed the song in the ninth seasonAmerican Idol (season 9)The ninth season of American Idol premiered on January 12, 2010 and concluded on May 26, 2010 on Fox. Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi all returned as judges, and Ellen DeGeneres permanently replaced Paula Abdul as the fourth judge. Idol Gives Back also returned for the season and was...
of American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
. - HansonHanson (band)Hanson are an American pop rock band formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by brothers Isaac , Taylor , and Zac Hanson . They are best known for the 1997 hit song "MMMBop" from their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere, which earned three Grammy nominations...
performed the song regularly through their Summer 2010 tour for their newly released album Shout It OutShout It Out (Hanson album)Shout It Out is the eighth studio album released by American pop group Hanson. The album is the third release through their own label 3CG Records.Shout It Out was released on June 8, 2010 in the US, and July 14, 2010 in Japan....
. - The song is featured on the soundtrack to the 2010 film Due DateDue DateDue Date is a 2010 American comedy road film directed by Todd Phillips, co-written by Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland, and Adam Sztykiel, and starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. The film was released on November 5, 2010...
.