Isaac Hayes - Theme from Shaft live (1971)

Performing his Award winning "Theme from Shaft" at the ceremony

[@7927jackpark]

Almost 50 years later, this is still one of the greatest performances ever seen on the Academy Awards.

[@MrLoaded2012]

Damn right.

[@Juliaflo]

@@MrLoaded2012 A bad mother...............

[@daves753]

DAMN straight. I saw this in small town New Zealand on the night after Oscars night and it blew my little 10-yr-old mind!!!! And now, of course, the ''glory holes'' visual gag as he makes his way to the main area of the stage makes it even more cutting edge LOL. Still an incredible tune, and the handclaps and discomix style version here make this a unique wonder. RIGHT ON, Chef!

[@miraclebigevent142]

Like so many here I saw it live on the Oscars as a 17 year old white kid from Brooklyn, and as 7927jackpark said, "this is still one of the greatest performances ever seen on the Academy Awards," especially for that era. The Oscars were definitely controlled by conservatives in Hollywood back then, people who made their names in the '30s, '40s and '50s and the show was a couple of years removed from the '60s civil rights and war protests. The dancers in provocative costumes must have jolted the live audience with the beat of "Shaft" but to see Isaac Hayes come out with a gold chain "shirt" and sunglasses... I can only imagine the looks on some of the old-timers' faces. It wasn't "The Sound of Music." I always remember the smoke at the end, and he's gone. I agree with Sammy Davis Jr.'s reaction. My only 2020 quibble is that there were too many white, blondish dancers. Should have been more black and brown dancers with a few token whites along for the ride. And yes, who was the choreographer?

[@Juliaflo]

Frozen in time, right?

[@SS-ii6nz]

R.I.P Issac Hayes and Richard Roundtree to two legends who made the movie score and the movie Shaft a master piece that will never be forgotten.❤❤❤

[@DonJHughes]

For this being in 1971, this masterpiece was arguably one of (if not) the BEST Academy Award performances in history. Isaac Hayes was absolutely ahead of his time; blending soul, funk, and pre-disco. Everything about this truly exemplifies how amazing this really was.

[@11dsw]

Great comment...I was just thinking... this is arguably Discos fantastical grand entrance ...😀🪩💕

[@tiwantiwaabibiman2603]

@11dsw Absolutely, still too many urugu dancers tho.

[@tiwantiwaabibiman2603]

​@11dsw Issac Hayes music, especially this song, was NOT ever considered to be disco! Nor was disco in his mind when he wrote he composed every section. This was and is funk (with classical instruments).

[@11dsw]

@@tiwantiwaabibiman2603 of course, it wasn't in his mind… It didn't even have a proper name yet. It is existed though. Because here it is… Massive influence on the disco era. Massive. No denial. Sorry man… This is not Funk. Funk elements?...okay. Way too structured. The production alone, not funk... 16th note, hi hat cymbal … No Funk song would ever be this clean and smooth. String section and all of that in Funk?...NO WAY...Funk is raggedy and dirty. Come on dude. In the DJ world this music is a genre called (Old)Dirty Disco. Disco that didn't know it was disco. Don't be offended. Disco was awesome the first five years. It's a good thing. Yes, it's R&B. yes, it Soul. ..and yes, it's disco 😀💕 George Clinton of parliament/funkadelic (that's Funk, btw) said Disco was Funk with a bowtie. That is this song. Psychedelic Soul > Cinematic Soul > Disco...... Pursuit of the Pimpmobile even more disco-ey.

[@PhilMoskowitz]

You know you're implying that modern music is much better.

[@mikemprov1303]

Isaac Hayes had performed this on another award show that Johnny Carson was hosting. After Isaac's performance Johnny quipped, "Isaac's wardrobe is courtesy of Ace Hardware."

[@Femsa2012]

I will never forget as a kid watching Isaac Hayes perform this at the Oscars in 1971. He won the Oscar for Best Song, accepting it wearing a superfly tuxedo (the first black artist to win that category). I’d never seen anyone like him and for a nine year old white kid in little Potosi, Wisconsin it was like seeing someone from another planet. I’m sure my parents were shocked by him. And the song is one of the coolest tracks in music history. What a genius he was.

[@coldstoli1]

Same.

[@helendurham7156]

In deed....

[@cd3694]

Same here. Those gold chains and the dancers sticking their arms, heads, and legs out while he came through that corridor. So cutting edge .

[@tsitracommunications2884]

same with me

[@akuahetheru542]

I still remember seeing this on TV back in 1971. I damn near 70 year old. I can't believe it.

[@billyedsatiristry7952]

I remember seeing this live on the Oscars and thinking "this is the most amazing song I've ever heard". And i was a scrawny white kid.

[@stemplar43]

same kind of feeling

[@quentinlargcoie]

Yup me too

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

This song has the longest intro of any #1 song in the history of Billboard (two minutes, thirty seconds).

[@susankennedy5739]

Hayes was the king of long intro's. Check out "You've Lost That Loving Feeling," among others.

[@cyndianderson7056]

And it's a badass intro.

[@susankennedy5739]

@@cyndianderson7056 Yes it is. We used to use it in modern dance class in 1972, I think. It made doing plies and moving across the floor so exciting!

[@oldeenglishd45]

Long enough for me to get my biness in before he speaks. 😉

[@Sharoney]

If you watch the first few minutes of the film, this is played over the opening credits, so you're plunged right into the story. It's so good.

[@stevesybesma]

4 minutes and 22 seconds of Ultra Cool, ROARING from the '70s!!!

[@chrisdrummond8893]

A moment of silence observec for the late Richard Roundtree( John Shaft). R.I.P. with Isaac.

[@marksaunders6135]

One of all time best movie theme’s. ⭐️ “Rest In Peace” Isaac. 🙏🏻

[@gogoyubari366]

Superfly

[@lptomtom]

Themes, not "theme's"

[@ralf-richardhartmann3718]

"Right on!" for the one&only 'BLACK MOSES'☻😎

[@Lucky_9705]

One of the greatest performances in Academy history

[@oobrocks]

Best Oscar song in history!

[@ruadhrio2037]

We're gonna miss you Chef

[@katherinesneve2033]

One of the most memorable and innovative performances ever seen on the Oscars! 51 years ago! Thanks for posting this!

[@jfchonors8873]

I was a freshman in college watching this on the 1 black and white TV in the dorm and was blown away by the performance. It’s still a classic. Can you dig it ?

[@timothyball7502]

7-6-2022 JFC you must add gray to the other two colors. Any show from that era has gray as the dominant color.

[@robertharper8409]

@@timothyball7502 Nobody ever called TV's Black, White and Gray. They were simply B&W (Black and White). Timothy, you must be a millennial with all the answers. 😄

[@maccabbee2014]

John Shaft on keyboard as Isaac Hayes. One of his best ever performances. 🎉 He was there to party and everybody knew it.

[@worseto1]

Every kid in america that could get hold of a guitar wanted to hit that lick ,the ultimate success in life at that LOVE SHAFT RESPECT.

[@Dejawhom]

So sad that Richard Roundtree has passed away…. May his memory be eternal

[@f.rodriguez8852]

Out of all the Oscars music performances I’ve seen on tv this performance I still remember even today this was a performance.

[@alalexander1500]

IMHO this has to be included in the list of all-time greatest Academy Awards Show performances. The soundtrack is in a league all to itself, the choreography was as innovative as it could get for early 70's, Isaac Hayes in gold chains and Sammy Davis Jr jumping up and down like a kid coming down the stairs at Christmas... all during a live performance... an absolute classic never to be equaled.

[@andreandrade9842]

R.I.P Sammy Davis Jr. 1925-1990

[@marcomola1906]

It was 1972, the song was released on 1971 but this live performance was on '72.

[@sharonmahoney9333]

This video is a treasure. I saw this live when it was first performed and even I realized it was something really special. IIRC this was THE first time that a "Best Song" performance was a fully-staged production number rather than a "singer with microphone." I still love the amusing/amazing 70s color scheme and vibe, Sammy Davis Jr.'s ecstatic reaction, and the undeniable fact that this song is and will always be a sleek, sexy, funky classic that will stand the test of time.

[@sharonmahoney9333]

@@Pupsweet Wow. That's wonderful that you have that memory in your family!

[@macbethpkyiv]

"Talk about heavy!" love it

[@user-mi1go5mk5d]

These are some of the best musical performances ever amen.I would like to give my thanks to all of the dancers that made this possible.

[@SallyLulu885]

Brilliant!! Amazed!!! There will never be a performance like this again in our lifetime!!!

[@Wired4Life2]

“Naatu Naatu” _(RRR),_ maybe?

[@KatesFree]

I think I'm just as blown away by how cool this is (& I also was around when this was first out) as Sammy Davis Jr. is. It has never stopped being the coolest thing.

[@Sharoney]

@@Pupsweet How in the world did he (or his boss) convince the notoriously conservative Oscar producers to go with this?

[@johnhebert6242]

a few years ago they bitched they didn't have 'black moments' at Oscars, and I pictured Issac sitting somewhere in his living room saying 'bitch please'

[@ernestodelaserna9494]

More like they pointed out that, although the movie-going public had a large non-white segment, the Oscars were skewed waaaaaay over to the white end of the spectrum. I pictured Isaac Hayes agreeing with that assessment.

[@SuperHedidit]

This certainly wasn't a black moment! A bunch of white folks dancing around the Black Moses??? Gtfoh.

[@mitchdrew9005]

@@SuperHedidit cry little sheep.

[@SuperHedidit]

@@mitchdrew9005 tough guy I'm shivering

[@jackspry9736]

RIP Isaac Hayes (August 20, 1942 - August 10, 2008), aged 65 You will be remembered as a legend.

[@mrjones29]

Legendary sound, timeless sound. Funk never sounded better.

[@ConorMansbridge]

Theme from Video España

[@Ardannyl]

This was so cold!

[@gtlfb]

My 15 year old self was firmly convinced there was nothing cooler on this planet than to be one of those dancers.

[@sterlingrock7769]

His greatest performance of this song was not at the academy awards but the historic Los Angeles Coliseum in front of tens of thousands of Black folks in 1972.

[@onlyone23km]

Thank you, Richard Roundtree. We’ll see you around!

[@joker3092]

Seriously,when's the last time you saw anything like that ? 👏👏👏👏

[@johnnymoth]

Whoever disliked this performance is not a sex machine to all the chicks.

[@kendrad4157]

i remember my dad telling me a story of when his twin brother was in band during high school. they worked for MONTHS on their performance, but one school played the theme from shaft and blew the judges away. imagine that feeling, knowing you already lost before the judges have even made a decision.

[@MJ.71]

At least they lost to a class tune

[@Zulu-jz7jt]

Probably the GREATEST movie.score Ever.May you both RIP.

[@patrealynn9749]

my days, the 70s when the music was REAL. grad 1973, just makes me cry

[@melodysanger103]

REMEMBERING ISAAC HAYES (August 20, 1942 - August 10, 2008) [08/20/2022]

[@petesmith9608]

Wow!, very futuristic for its time. Great choreography.

[@user-ie9dw6ef6v]

❤️✝️ Rest in Peace Richard Roundtree. ❤✝️

[@mattja312]

I was barely 12 yo when I watched this performance on television, I was awestrucked by the music and the dancing and the theatrics of it all. I didn't realize at the time that I was witnessing the birth of Disco.

[@johnnolan5579]

I wonder who choreographed this number? It was extremely innovative. I remember it vividly.

[@claudezach]

@@Pupsweet Your dad did a great job with this.

[@pronemanoldbutyoung5548]

@@Pupsweet Your dad was a genius. When Isaac performed bare chested with thick gold chains on the Jack Benny First Farewell show in 1973 I was blown away

[@slugluv1313]

@@Pupsweet omg i LOVE your Dad!! i remember seeing this as a kid, TOTALLY knocked me out!

[@Sharoney]

@@Pupsweet You mentioned he was Art Director for this number. Do you happen to know who choreographed it?

[@masontarwater]

​@@Pupsweet then your dad was brilliant, that is the most amazing design in the history of TV musical performance, made even more amazing by how it was the first time the Oscars staged numbers. i wonder how he worked with the choreographer, where the ideas came from . . . from all directions, probably. The silver tube with body parts greeting Hayes is right out of Jean Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast.

[@swainlach4587]

Whoever gave this performance a thumbs down should break their neck Wasnt Sammy the coolest? Wish they had the entire show.

[@clivenewman4810]

Greatest theme tune of all time.

[@raphaelarnaud8366]

MONUMENTAL hit from Isaac Hayes.

[@foreverdooney]

He’s a complicated man but no one understands him but his woman......

[@thecausalgamer7916]

Joh Shaft

[@ukkfayooyay]

Not sure how complicated he is when he always seems to have the same mood: pissed off.

[@mongrelgtv]

The 70' s were so funky man.... outta sight!!!!

[@zeuschowie7473]

Reminds me so much of my childhood.. Growing up in Flushing Queens New York.. Oh so long ago...

[@lexgutierrez57]

Un músico histórico, un gran compositor, una historia, un hombre memorable, un hombre un personaje Isaac Hayes, Shaft un personaje admirable, que siempre se escuchará

[@ericmaldonado9352]

El padre del Funk 👌👏👌

[@sharkbjs]

The very first disco song which incidentally won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

[@maryhunteraustin2914]

Changing of the guard, grandparents had no clue but grandkids were all over that from the ghettos to the citadels. "Legit" sound now ... but always was

[@irisburelli5028]

I remember. Watching this at the time and thinking how incredible!

[@mikerodrik3716]

this melody leads you through fabulous musical atmospheres ,no doubt a music master piece.

[@ginfluckyk9347]

Oh. God..i was so young..😭TIME PASSES so quick..⌛️ My life was easy free Nice..i was happy.. Merci 👏 for this vidéo 📹..Lots of good souvenirs. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@barbaracockrell618]

Truely a masterpiece

[@oscarryan9212]

I’m 12 in 2020 and this music is unreal🤯

[@tennisdoc1]

I cannot believe this was 48 yrs ago--the originality! I watched the movie last night and played the opening twice with a huge smile on my face! Surprised to see the Bar Kays part of his "rhythm" for the music too! This song is timeless!

[@MrToppDeck]

Yeah. This song is incredible

[@wendellbatts2477]

Just play the whole album. Never been a better original soundtrack.

[@evonza4858]

Thank you Issac for the song🥰👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾❤️🖤💚✊🏾❤️🖤💚you made it for the original Shaft Mr Richard Roundtree aka my homeboy from NNNEEEWWW YYYOOORRRKKK specifically New Rochelle, New York 😘🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 bless both of y'all's souls🙏🏽😘

[@JonnyAugz]

Right on.

[@chrisdrummond8893]

I've earned the right to enjoy this song to its fullest today; I helped a friend today, and I didn't " cop out" .

[@lindasimons691]

Where has this gem been all my life. I loved the gritty "blaxplotation" art from the early 70's.

[@jhmotown]

Still love this . Never get tired of this.

[@nijawalker2923]

Watching “Is That Black Enough For You”. I love Isaac Hayes. I was born in 1983, so this is my first time seeing this. Amazing

[@Twizzledoc187]

I played this song in my car and now it has curb feelers and a chandelier inside with velvet seats.

[@manusmcgrogan3495]

I love Isaac Hayes and even met him once in LAX. However this is not a live performance but clearly a mime. Amazing theatrics though. Esp for the time

[@tsitracommunications2884]

Figured that

[@GrasshopperRDG]

💌... THE FIRST BLACK SONGWRITER TO WIN AN OSCAR... (1972) 🎬SHAFT🎞 "🎶BEST ORIGINAL🖤SONG" What a MASTERPIECE and... One of the most RIVETING* Instrumentals I've ever LISTENED and ADMIRED in my Lifetime... ⭐ISAAC HAYES⭐ Singer/Songwriter/Composer and Actor REST IN POWER💫 "Damn🎧Right"❣ 😊💚*🙏🏼

[@fergaoneill5323]

Issac Hayes world class singer rest in peace legend

[@AJ-id2qf]

The movie was groundbreaking, the soundtrack was amazing. I was sorry to hear that Richard Roundtree passed sed away recently.

[@susancorbridge2829]

I remember watching this performance live and how exciting it was!!

[@lolaridner2908]

My heart and soul... 70’s baby girl 🔥

[@chrislong3938]

The performance at the Oscars was so EPIC for me as a twelve-year-old and I'm always bummed that that performance cant be found online anywhere! The intro with the drummer was so awe-inspiring to me as a kid... This isn't bad though, but I really just want to relive seeing it like it was the first time I saw it.

[@timothyjones168]

Most amazing musical presentation on tv ever!

[@albertowen1025]

I was entranced by Issac Hayes with this theme - I was 4 in 1971 - but so many years later, even with Hayes passing, he's still the essence of bad-ass here and the essence of smoothness to me always.

[@williamsandell3260]

Saw this great performance that night on the Academy Awards and we were all jumping around the house it was so amazing

[@Scocov]

This is my favorite production number ever! So exciting every time I watch it! Followed by Toni Braxton "Unbreak My Heart" on Billboard Music Awards (1997) and Ricky Martin "Cup of Life" on Grammy Awards (1999).

[@ericandy88]

I can bet the audience's reaction to this was just like the Ricky Martin Grammies performance: "What the hell did I just see...and could I please see it again?!"

[@kcindc5539]

My (much older) sister had forgotten to take her copy of the Shaft soundtrack album back to college with her. At the same time my 6 year-old self was itching to play something other than my limited array of 45s. The cover shot with the pistol cloud caught my eye, but that was nuthin’ compared to the 4-and-a-half minutes of mind-blowing beyond-imagination sonic freebase that was as mesmerizing as it was addicting. That theme played in my head constantly - right up to the moment when (true story folks), i was sitting between my parents, staring at the explosion of orange and yellow on the seat back in front of me on an Air Jamaica DC-8 at JFK in February 1973 when, you guessed it, the Theme from Shaft started playing over the Muzak during the boarding process. Such an odd choice of background music, but it sure livened the pre-departure routine a bit. By that point I had gotten into the habit of letting out a well-practiced and in-tune “Shaft!” chirp - my contribution to the backing vocal. Until now I was usually in the privacy of my own room for these little musical outbursts, but that day I somehow lacked situational awareness and at the appropriate moment let loose a full-throated and completely out of the blue “SHAFT!” , which I realize must have sounded like some form of musical Tourette’s syndrome. Startled the hell out of my parents: Dad - “JESUS CHRI…” Mom - “Charles!” Dad - “What the hell was that”? Me - (shrugs and tries not to make eye contact) Mom - “Well, whatever that was, at least he didn’t say (in an exaggerated whisper) ‘the mother f-word’”. Always a lady, that Geraldine.

[@Sharoney]

This is absolutely hilarious. And very well written! *tips hat*

[@abtoz]

Thanks brother for this treasure, thanks Isaac Hayes for this performance.

[@sandyprimus9831]

yep, Isaac,s chain vest did it for me, he had a nice strong body to wear it .

[@michelebisbano8988]

cool thing is, growing up in the 70's, you inherently knew it was the coolest of times. and it was. great everything! cars/music/sports!

[@Arn-hu8zc]

I think, the cool thing is, whether you grew up in the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's or the 00's, this is the coolest song/performance ever 😁

[@Arn-hu8zc]

From a 90's kid 😁

[@cyndianderson7056]

I dig the chain shirt.

[@fanorama1]

Old school Hollywood died during this performance.

[@lisadarcelwicks]

I was 9 years old and I still remember being mesmerized watching this performance saying wow seeing him come out in those gold chains

[@Mr17051963]

Mr. Hayes and Sammy Davis Jr. at the end!!!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@omnibus4157]

Sammy's such a goofball! Love it!

[@timothyball7502]

Ball? 5-3-2022

[@ernestdavis3237]

James is the Godfather,,Isaac the cool uncle u wanna hangout with 💕

[@hermanmunster714]

Awesome performance and song..

[@pronemanoldbutyoung5548]

A pretty unknown fact. In Sweden one of our public tv channels, for the sports news, named "Sportnytt" used the very last bit of Isaac's song Shaft, for it's opening theme song. Da da da da da, da da da da da (x2) baooaaaaowww........... Every frickin night during the 70s and the 80s 😅

[@MarkeyMo]

As many have stated, I watched this on the Oscar telecast that year & was blown away. I was overjoyed that Isaac Hayes actually won the Oscar for this song that year. It's probably one of the few "Best Song" performances that I remember after more than 5 decades of watching that particular awards show. Bless you Isaac!

[@jasonlee8497]

This is how it’s done.....sexy, but still something left for the imagination.....ain’t nobody funkier than Isaac Hayes!

[@francinamcdaniel4355]

I played this album everyday

[@jameslatta6813]

52 years ago at the Academy Awards. I don't know...looks pretty "progressive" and very cool to me. We loved Issac Hayes back then. Shaft was a huge hit film.

[@osagiee.guobadia-secondytc4624]

The best performance to see on KZbin. 😀

[@lovelovelovemusic1177]

Loving Isaac Hayes Forever, ROCK ON ,LOVE

[@sharrigarvin3348]

This theme still kicks ass I wish they would identify the musicians the drummer etc..God Bless Isaac Hayes Richard Roundtree and Sammy Davis who let's out a little yell he was sooo proud

[@bradleypaulus2926]

We all watched this when the Academy Awards were on that night and were glued to the TV set. He looked like a god when he came out and performed. One of the greatest things I have ever seen.

[@rolphwartieda2707]

I just started working and chose whatever music I'd like, this was one that fullfill my thirst

[@MrDgo4life]

Great choice

[@steven3son678]

I remember watching this live. I was blown away then, and it still resonates in my [much older] mind. Revolutionary at the time.

[@LambertBowden56]

As of 2021, we are reliving the counter culture era of the late 60s, early 70s.

[@emmagoode7621]

Best song intro ever they could not recreate this now without f....ing up

[@sassyfras4085]

RIP SIR 🙏