The Meaning of Soul

Starred review from June 8, 2020
Lordi (Black Resonance), an English professor at Vanderbilt University, examines the sound and artists of soul music in this brilliant history. Drawing on close listening to artists including Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin, and Gladys Knight, among many others, Lordi argues that to have soul one had to possess “virtuosic black resilience,” exemplified through recordings and live performances that promoted the black community. Lordi looks at various elements and techniques that define soul, such as singing cover versions of popular songs, vocal ad-libs and falsettos, and false endings that trick listeners into thinking a performance has ended. As examples, she cites Nina Simone’s ad-libbing in “Be My Husband”; Aretha Franklin’s riffing in her live performance of “Dr. Feelgood” and “Amazing Grace”; and Donny Hathaway’s free-form lyrics in his version of “You’ve Got a Friend” (“Would y’all sing ‘you’ve got a friend’ for me?” Hathaway calls out during a live recording from the Troubadour in L.A.). Lordi vividly illustrates that soul artists offer models of black resistance, joy, and community through their songs. This is a must-read for musicologists, critics, and fans of soul.