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Finding the perfect soul song can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Aretha Franklin’s hit “You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman” sets the gold standard of soul music excellence. Our list is your ultimate guide to the most iconic and heart-stirring songs that define this powerful genre.
- Respect — Aretha Franklin
- Let’s Stay Together — Al Green
- Living For The City — Stevie Wonder
- A Change Is Gonna Come — Sam Cooke
- This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You) — The Isley Brothers
- Clean Up Woman — Betty Wright
- People Get Ready — The Impressions
- Who’s Making Love — Johnnie Taylor
- Midnight Train to Georgia — Gladys Knight & The Pips
- Lean on Me — Bill Withers
Considered one of Aretha Franklin’s most famous songs, “Respect” wasn’t originally written for her. Otis Redding composed it in 1965, with lyrics written from the point of view of a man speaking to a woman. Franklin’s cover, recorded two years later, made some essential changes. The result was an early feminist anthem where the singer demanded resp...
Al Green’s 1972 hit made waves for its sheer sensuality. His vocals are the very definition of soulful. It was one of his first major hits, propelling him into the spotlight for the rest of his career. It should come as no surprise that the tune became a classic dance song for couples thanks to its intimacy and power. Next: Greatest soul singers of...
Stevie Wonder is no stranger to fame, having made major inroads in the soul genre. “Living For The City” is in a league of its own. Released in 1973, this powerful song is all about systemic poverty and racial injustice. Wonder tells the story of a black boy growing up in Mississippi before moving to New York. Instead of making it big there, he is ...
“A Change Is Gonna Come” is a quintessential soulful yearning, mournful, and raw. Sam Cooke’s powerful vocals are mesmerizing in this 1964 hit, describing the need for change in society. He describes how racism has kept him down, making his life full of suffering, but he holds onto the hope that change is on its way. Tragically, Cooke was killed th...
“This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You)” is a song that is all about having your heart broken and pining for the person you lost. Yet, despite its tragic lyrics, it is utterly catchy. It just goes to show how talented the Isley Brothers were—almost disguising the song’s topic in its sheer danceability. This tune, which was originally meant for Th...
There are countless soul songs written from the point of view of a man speaking to a woman or vice versa. But Betty Wright’s 1972 hit is a bit different; it speaks from one woman to another. Both women have been involved with the same man, and the singer knows that he is trouble. The song is a warning to clean up her act before she gets her heart b...
The Impressions’ 1965 hit is a perfect example of the link between soul and gospel music. These genres came together in a pointed Civil Rights song, urging people to be ready to fight for their rights. It became a famous Civil Rights anthem and was coveredby Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, and The Chambers Brothers.
Soul music is all about the deepest experiences of humankind. But, like the gospel music that inspired it, it also often carries warnings to people who don’t consider the course of their actions. In 1968’s “Who’s Making Love,” Johnnie Taylor reminds men not to expect their women to stay faithful to them while they themselves are out cheating. He si...
“Midnight Train To Georgia” went through several rewrites before becoming the soul song that we know and love. It was originally a country tune entitled “Midnight Plane To Houston.” But the real transformation happened when Gladys Knight & The Pips recorded it in 1973. Their soulful rendition became widely known as their most famous song and earned...
Bill Withers took soul in a new direction with his 1972 hit “Lean On Me.” He presented a simple, acoustic track that contrasted with the complex instrumentals that were popular in soul and R&B music at the time. Listeners found it compelling, and the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 and Soul charts. There is something hypnotic about the song and W...
From the most soulful vocals to the deepest lyrical messages, these artists continue to define what makes soul music so compelling and eternal. Dive into this handpicked selection that...
- "I Got You (I Feel Good)" - James Brown. "I Got You (I Feel Good)" is a song by American singer James Brown, released in 1965. It became one of Brown's signature songs and a defining record of the funk genre.
- "Respect" - Aretha Franklin. "Respect" is a song originally written and recorded by Otis Redding in 1965, but it was Aretha Franklin's 1967 cover that became a classic.
- "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is a song written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson and originally recorded in 1967 by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.
- "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye. "What's Going On" is a song by Marvin Gaye, released in 1971. The song, which addresses the social and political issues of the time, was a departure from Gaye's previous Motown sound and marked a shift toward socially conscious music in popular culture.
Playlist · The Best Soul Songs | The Greatest Soul Music Hits Of The 60s & 70s | Soul Classics · 66 items · 3.5K likes
We rank the top soul music songs of all time, including tracks from Otis Redding, Al Green and Aretha Franklin.
The Very Best Of Soul - Greatest Soul Songs Of All Time - Soul Music Playlist. Take care of my love cell! The best Soul R&B ever SOUL DEEP. A new music service with official albums,...
