Hold On, I'm Comin'

Background on "Hold On, I'm Comin'"

According to Steve Cropper, lead guitarist for Booker T and the MG's, the Stax Recording Studio played a key role in the creation of the title track, Hold on, I'm Comin'. Stax Records was an old Movie Theater located at 926 East McLemore Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. The men's restroom in the theater-turned studio had tile walls and tile floors. To produce reverb and echo a speaker from the studio was placed in the men's room to pipe the sound into the men's room; and a microphone was placed in the men's room to return the sound back to the recording studio. This arrangement produced both the reverb and echo heard on Stax Records. The Song was written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. They had been working for a while when Porter went to the restroom. Hayes grew impatient yelled for Porter to get back to the writing session. Porter replied: “Hold on, I’m comin’.” They both recognized the sexual overtone and completed the song within an hour. (Source: Sweet Soul Music by Peter Guralnick)

Track listing

Except where otherwise noted, all tracks written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter.

Side one

1. "Hold On, I'm Comin'" – 2:36
2. "If You Got the Loving" (Steve Cropper, Hayes, Porter) – 2:33
3. "I Take What I Want" (Hayes, Mabon "Teenie" Hodges, Porter) – 2:33
4. "Ease Me" – 2:25
5. "I Got Everything I Need" (Cropper, Eddie Floyd, Alvertis Isbell) – 2:56
6. "Don't Make It So Hard on Me" (Floyd, Willa Dean "Deanie" Parker) – 2:45

Side two

1. "It's a Wonder" – 2:53
2. "Don't Help Me Out" – 3:09
3. "Just Me" (Randall Catron, Mary Frierson, Parker) – 2:40
4. "You Got It Made" – 2:33
5. "You Don't Know Like I Know" – 2:40
6. "Blame Me (Don't Blame My Heart)" (Cropper, Isbell) – 2:22

Personnel

Cover versions

Aretha Franklin recorded the song for her 1981 album Love All the Hurt Away.

In August, 2007 soul singer Guy Sebastian recorded a tribute version of "Hold On, I'm Comin" at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee for his album of soul classics The Memphis Album with many of the original Stax music band members including Steve Cropper, Donald Duck Dunn, Lester Snell, and Steve Potts.

Another cover version was recorded by Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers in 1966. Tom Jones covered it on the 1967 album 13 Smash Hits.

Many other artists have covered this song, including: Eric Burdon (The Animals), Bryan Ferry, Solomon Burke, The Chords, Eric Clapton/BB King, Marvin Banks, Michael Bolton, the Weather Girls, King Curtis, George Benson, Tina Turner, Jerry Lee Lewis, Iron Butterfly, Martha & the Vandellas, Dexy's Midnight Runners, the Boogie Kings, Bruce Springsteen, Precious Wilson (Eruption) and Melissa Etheridge.

Pop Culture

"Hold On, I'm Comin'" was featured during a scene in the film The Blues Brothers, along with the song "Soothe Me", also performed by Sam and Dave. It was also featured in the 2007 film American Gangster, 2009 videogame Skate 2, and 2016 video game Mafia III. The cover by The Neville Brothers was featured in commercials for the film Toy Story 2.

A goof/errata was created in the film We Were Soldiers where one of the characters sang it during a going away party for their unit. The time period of the scene was at least five months prior to the song actually being released.

UFC Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler used the song as his entrance song.