Theme from Shaft Lyrics

[Intro]

[Verse 1]
Who's the black private dick that's a sex machine to all the chicks?
(Shaft)
Ya damn right

[Verse 2]
Who is the man that would risk his neck for his brother man?
(Shaft)
Can you dig it?

[Verse 3]
Who's the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about?
(Shaft)
Right on

[Bridge]
They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother...
(Shut your mouth)
I'm talkin' 'bout Shaft
(Then we can dig it)

[Outro]
He's a complicated man
But no one understands him but his woman
(John Shaft)

How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

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About

Genius Annotation

“Theme from Shaft” with its immediately recognizable melody and percussive female background vocals became not just a career defining song for Isaac Hayes, but representative of blaxploitation films like Shaft. The song is often referenced or interpolated whenever 1970’s Black films are parodied as on movies like I’m Gonna Git You Sucka and UHF as well as TV series like The Simpsons, The X-Files, and even Sesame Street.

The female chorus' hushed “shut your mouth” as stylized censorship has become a trope that has been recreated time and time again based on the enduring popularity of Shaft’s theme song.

Isaac Hayes became the first African American to receive a non-acting Oscar when he won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. He was also the first to win that award for a song he both wrote and performed.

“Theme from Shaft” was released September 30, 1971 and reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as #2 on the Billboard Soul Singles chart.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Isaac Hayes say about "Theme from Shaft"?
Genius Answer

Isaac Hayes said in 1972:

I was searching for something with a driving rhythm. I wanted a musical score that would really tie into the character, John Shaft. You see, Shaft is a driving and relentless person, and I wanted a rhythm that was the same – driving and relentless. So we went to a combination of the guitar and drums.

Credits
Produced By
Written By
Tambourine
Strings Arranged By
Electric Piano
Recorded At
Stax Recording Studios, Memphis, Tennessee
Release Date
September 30, 1971
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