The Bar-Kays are an American soul, R&B, and funk group formed in 1966. The group had dozens of charting singles from the 1960s to the 1980s, including "Soul Finger" (US Billboard Hot 100 number 17, R&B number 3) in 1967, "Son of Shaft" (R&B number 10) in 1972, and "Boogie Body Land" (R&B number 7) in 1980.
The Bar-Kays began in Memphis, Tennessee, as a studio session group, backing major artists at Stax Records. In 1967 they were chosen by Otis Redding to play as his backing band and were tutored for that role by Al Jackson, Jr., Booker T. Jones, and the other members of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Their first single, "Soul Finger", was issued on April 14, 1967, reaching number 3 on the US Billboard R&B Singles chart and number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. On December 10, 1967, Redding and four members of the band—Jimmie King (born June 8, 1949; guitar), Ronnie Caldwell (born 1948; electric organ), Phalon Jones (born 1949; saxophone), and Carl Cunningham (born 1949; drums)—and their valet, Matthew Kelly, died when their airplane plunged into Lake Monona, near Madison, Wisconsin, while attempting to land at Truax Field. Redding and the band were scheduled to play their next concerts in Madison. Trumpeter Ben Cauley was the only survivor of the crash. Bassist James Alexander was on another plane, as the plane carrying Redding held only seven passengers. Cauley and Alexander rebuilt the group.
From the Album:
* Golden Earring
He was the only key
She was the only door
What more could they please
Her eyes are ponds of blue
His wishes all came true
What was there to loose in the midnight
See, see, see, he said
Seagulls screamin' down in the morning sky
Gee, gee, gee, he said
Come on girl, let's leave this world behind
But then, after weeks
The weeks they got weak
Little did they speak about the future
Her eyes still were blue
But thoughts soon got black
Time that he went back to where he came from
See, see, see, she said
Broken dreames fill the starless night
Gee, gee, gee, she said
and her tears were sparklin' bright in the mornin' light