The 10 Best Soul Train Performances
From The Sugarhill Gang to David Bowie, we run down Soul Train's greatest tracks.
Image via Complex Original
Even as we mourn the tragic death of Don Cornelius, a new generation is discovering his remarkable musical legacy. Known as the “hippest trip in America,” Soul Train was a Saturday morning TV institution that quite literally changed American culture. As former Keith Sweat manager Vincent Davis puts it, “Soul Train showed us how to dance, how to dress and how to be cool."
For folks coming of age before BET, MTV or the Internet, Soul Train was one of the only ways to watch our favorite artists do their thing. Be it the balladry of Marvin Gaye, the Sugarhill Gang's early hip-hop, or the uncut funk of James Brown, the show gave its loyal audience access to a galaxy of stars they never would have seen otherwise.
The dancers were amazing, Don's deep-voiced interviews were like nothing else on TV, but at the end of the day, Soul Train was all about the music. With that in mind, we decided to count down Soul Train's ten most classic performances.
Written by Michael A. Gonzales (@gonzomike)
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10. The Sugarhill Gang "Rappers Delight" (1981)
"Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn..." Wonder Mike, Big Bank Hank, and Master Gee gave America its first taste of hip-hop.
9. Sylvia "Pillow Talk" (1974)
Before launching Sugarhill Records, the label that introduced The Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5, Sylvia Robinson was just another singer doing her thing on Soul Train. Her glamorous outfit more than makes up for the lip-synching.
8. Guy “I Like” (1989)
As the king of New Jack Swing, Teddy Riley changed the sound of R&B and had the late-Eighties on lock. Here he, Aaron Hall, and Timmy Gatling form like Voltron to become the supergroup Guy.
7. Quincy Jones featuring Barry White, El DeBarge, Al B. Sure! and James Ingram "The Secret Garden" (1991)
In 1987, Don Cornelius created the annual Soul Train Music Awards, featuring amazing tributes and once-in-a-lifetime performances like this one. If you look closely, you can see Barry White's booming voice make El DeBarge jump.
6. David Bowie "Golden Years" (1975)
David Bowie's love of black music is well known, and with D'Angelo covering a Bowie track during a recent tour of Europe, it's obvious that the cultural exchange worked both ways. Bowie's appearance on Soul Train was yet another reason why he was one of the coolest rock stars of the Seventies.
5. The Jackson 5 "Dancing Machine" (1976)
This track wasn't only a groovalistic daydream, but it also ushered in a new dance craze known as the Robot, which was introduced nationwide on—where else but Soul Train?
4. Curtis Mayfield "Freddy's Dead" (1973)
Like Cornelius, brother Mayfield was a windy city native who could be simultaneously laid-back and tough. Freddy might've been dead, but Curtis was all the way live on this classic track from the Super Fly soundtrack.
3. Sly Stone "Thank You" (1974)
Although Soul Train was known as the show where guests lip-synched, in the early years, certain special people were allowed to do their own thing. In 1974, Sly Stone was very special—and this seven-minute-plus performance proves it.
2. Marvin Gaye “Let's Get It On” (1974)
As one of the most brilliant soul men of his generation, Marvin Gaye was no stranger to heating up the room with his voice. Years before Snoop even picked up a microphone, Gaye was dropping it like it was hot on Soul Train.
1. James Brown "Sex Machine" (1974)
Although lip-synching became the standard on Soul Train, in the show's earliest years it was all live—no jive. Witness the godfather dripping his cold sweat and pulling no rhythmic punches in this incredible 1974 performance. James Brown's band was so tight, they sounded even better than the record.