I hope everyone had a great safe New Year holiday. Now the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year holidays are over…we are back to normal…well as normal as it gets. I’ve been listening to a lot of Stax lately so here ya go with Sam and Dave.
This song was featured in the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers. It plays from a cassette in Jake and Elwood’s car during the first police car chase. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd modeled their act on Sam & Dave.
On the album and on subsequent compilations, this song is listed as “Hold On, I’m Comin’.” On the single release, it was titled “Hold On! I’m A Comin'” in an effort to make it sound less lascivious.
The song peaked at #21 in the Billboard 100 and #1 in the R&B charts.
From Songfacts
While songwriter/producer David Porter was in the toilet, his songwriting partner Isaac Hayes (later a solo star with “Theme From Shaft”) yelled at him to hurry up so they could get back to work, as he was frustrated by the lack of progress they had made that day. Porter responded, “Hold on man, I’m coming.” The immediately inspired Porter quickly finished his business and excitedly told Hayes that “Hold On, I’m Coming” would be a great title for a song. Hayes has repeated this story in various interviews, including one with Reuters in 2005.
With a frothy delivery by Sam & Dave and a title that is something often heard in the bedroom, this song was deemed too prurient to air by many radio stations, and it stalled at #21 in the US. The lyrics are actually quite innocent, with the duo offering emotional support to help the lady through some tough times – what could be wrong with that?
Sam & Dave recorded for Stax Records, which was a popular soul music label in the ’60s and early ’70s. Isaac Hayes was also on the label, which created a very loose and comfortable atmosphere for their artists – at least until they had a financial meltdown in the mid-’70s. While Motown worked hard on the visual styles and choreography of their artists, Stax left most of that up to the singers, which meant that most of them just came out and sang. Sam & Dave were the exception, doing lots of crazy dancing and improvisation in their stage shows, which was always on display when they performed this song.
Aretha Franklin covered this for her 1981 album, Love All The Hurt Away and earned a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance – her first Grammy win since her 1974 rendition of “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing” won in the same category.
Hold On I’m Coming
Don’t you ever feel sad,
Lean on me when times are bad.
When the day comes and you’re down,
In a river of trouble and about to drown
Just hold on, I’m comin’,
Hold on, I’m comin’.
I’m goin’ my way, your lover.
If you get cold I’ll be your cover.
Don’t have to worry `cause I’m here,
No need to suffer baby, I’m here.
‘Cause hold on, I’m comin’
Hold on, I’m comin’
Hold on, I’m comin’
Hold on, I’m comin’
Reach out to me for satisfaction,
Call my name now for quick reaction.
Don’t you ever feel sad,
Lean on me when times are bad.
When the day comes and you’re down,
In a river of trouble and about to drown,
Just hold on, I’m comin’
Hold on, I’m comin’
Just hold on, I’m comin’
Hold on, I’m comin’
Just hold on, I’m comin’
Hold on, I’m comin’
Another song / act that Jake and Elwood Blues turned me on to. After hearing them played in that scene in The Blues Brothers Movie- I had to get their greatest hits. …. I am sure I am in the minority but I would take Stax over Motown every day of the week.
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Yes I would take Stax any day. I liked the edge they had. As you see I’ve been listening to them a lot.
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Stax was gritty- Motown too much formula. You heard one Surpemes song you’ve pretty much heard them all. I think the best of Motown is in the 70’s when they let Stevie and Marvin do their own thing.
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Gritty is the word I was looking for…
The ironic thing is they didn’t want them to do their own thing until… it was big.
Too bad Stax wasn’t managed better.
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There are a couple good books out there about Stax have you read them ?
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No I haven’t… I’ve just seen a documentary. Any you would recommend?
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Respect Yourself- Robert Gordon and Soulville USA Robert Bowman … Booker T Jones has a new one out but I haven’t read it yet…
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Thanks Hans I just put it in line
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I always think of Soul Man when I hear the name Sam & Dave, but this was a real good one.
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Sam and Dave had a good sound, something to get up moving to. I never thought of this song in a “bedroom” way — until now!
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I know…I never thought of it that way but…now I will lol. sorry!
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I enjoyed reading the lyrics as if they were addressed to a toilet.
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Oh thanks lol… I never thought about the sexual innuendo until I wrote this…now it will be this!
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I always loved the “story behind the song” on this one!! Great soulful jam!!
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