Hold On, I'm Comin' (song)

"Hold On, I'm Comin'"
Single by Sam & Dave
from the album Hold On, I'm Comin'
B-side	"I Got Everything I Need"
Released	March 1966
Format	7" single
Recorded	1966
Genre	Soul, rhythm and blues
Length	2:35
Label	Stax/Atlantic S-189
Writer(s)	Isaac Hayes David Porter
Producer(s)	Jim Stewart
Sam & Dave singles chronology
"You Don't Know Like I Know" (1965) "Hold On, I'm Comin'" (1966) "Said I Wasn't Gonna Tell Nobody" (1966)

"Hold On, I'm Comin'" (officially registered as "Hold On, I'm Coming", and shown on the original single release as "Hold On! I'm a Comin'") is a 1966 single recorded by soul duo Sam & Dave, issued on the Atlantic-distributed Stax label in 1966.

The song was written by the songwriting team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter, who came up with the title of the song spontaneously when Hayes was trying to get Porter to hurry out of the Stax Studios restroom and get back to songwriting. Although the original title was "Hold On, I'm Comin'", some radio stations objected to its "suggestive nature", and labels on most copies of the single gave the title as "Hold On! I'm A Comin'". Released as Stax 189 in the spring of 1966, the single peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, and at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

Following the instrumental introduction, Sam sings the First Verse, with Dave, joining in the Chorus. This is followed by Dave, singing the Second Verse, with Sam joining in the Chorus. In the Bridge Section, Dave sings the first part, while Sam sings the second part, followed by a brief instrumental, Sam sings the Third Verse, with Dave joining in the Chorus. While the Introduction is repeated in the Chorus, both Sam and Dave share the singing until the songs' fade.

A revamped version of the song, "Hold On, Edwin's Coming", was recorded by Sam & Dave as a promotional single for Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards' third election campaign in 1982. Three years later, Dave Prater teamed with new singing partner Sam Daniels as "The New Sam and Dave Review", and recorded "Medley/Hold On, I'm Comin'" for Atlantic Records.

Personnel

• Vocals by Sam Moore and Dave Prater
• Instrumentation by Booker T. & the MG's and the Mar-Keys Horns

Cover versions and samples

• In 1966 jazz drummer Art Blakey recorded a version on the album Hold On, I'm Coming
• In 1967 Brian May recorded this song with the band 1984 at Thames Television in Broom Lane Studios, Teddington, England
• In 1967 Tom Jones recorded this song on his album, 13 Smash Hits
• In 1967 Maxine Brown and Chuck Jackson recorded a cover which reached 20 on the Billboard R&B chart and 91 on the Billboard pop charts.
• Bill Cosby did a humorous interpretation of the song on his 1968 album, Bill Cosby Sings Hooray for the Salvation Army Band!.
• Jazz flautist Herbie Mann recorded the song on his 1969 album, Memphis Underground and his 1973 live album Hold On, I'm Comin'
• George Benson covers the song on his Good King Bad (1976) album.
• Bryan Ferry (formerly of Roxy Music) recorded a cover of the song on his album The Bride Stripped Bare in 1978.
• In August 1979 Precious Wilson of the group Eruption recorded the song which was published by Hansa Records, it also was added to the album Oceans of Fantasy by Boney M.
• In 1979, Canadian singer Karen Silver released a disco version, which reached #15 on the Billboard (magazine) Disco Chart.
• The song was covered in 1979 by British disco duo Blonde On Blonde on their album And How!
• The song is played by Jake and Ellwood on their 8-track deck in the Bluesmobile in the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers
• 1981 cover by Aretha Franklin for her album Love All the Hurt Away earned her ninth Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
• In 1983, Sharon Benson released her version as a single.
• Michael Bolton covered the song on his 1992 album Timeless: The Classics.
• A cover version by The Neville Brothers is featured in the 1995 film Money Train, and also appears in trailers for the 1996 film First Kid and the 1999 Pixar film Toy Story 2.
• Tina Turner sang the song on her 60th birthday special live show in 1999, and it was later included on the limited edition bonus disc of her album, Twenty Four Seven. It was also included on the setlist of the first leg of her Twenty Four Seven Tour in 2000.
• B.B. King and Eric Clapton cover the song on their joint album, Riding with the King, released in 2000
• Amerie sampled the song on her hit "Gotta Work" (2007).
• The song is featured on the soundtrack to the 2007 film American Gangster.
• The Temptations covered the song for their 2007 album, Back To Front.
• Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac perform the song in the 2008 film Soul Men.
• The song is featured in the 2009 video game Skate 2 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
• The song is featured in the pilot episode of the 2009 series White Collar.
• Casey James performed the song in the ninth season of American Idol.
• Hanson performed the song regularly through their Summer 2010 tour for their album Shout It Out.
• The song is featured on the soundtrack to the 2010 film Due Date.
• Garth Brooks for the 2013 Blue-Eyed Soul album in the Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences compilation.
• South African singer Arno Carstens recorded a version for his 2014 album, Lightening Prevails.
• Italian singer Luca Ronka recorded a version for his 2015 album, Soul Man.

In popular culture

"Hold On, I'm Comin'" was featured during a scene in the film The Blues Brothers, along with "Soothe Me", also performed by Sam & Dave. It was also heard in a 2013 Super Bowl commercial featuring Dwayne Johnson. It was also featured during a scene in the film American Gangster. The song also featured in videogame Skate 2. UFC Welterweight champion Robbie Lawler used this song as his entrance song in his first title defense in UFC 189.

See also

• List of number-one R&B singles of 1966 (U.S.)

External links

• "Hold On, I'm Comin' (song)" at Discogs (list of releases)