15 Soul Train Clips Guaranteed to Boost Your Mood

All abooooaaarrrdddddd the SOOUUUULLLL TRRAAAAAIIINNNNNNNNNN 🚂

When I need a mood booster (like I do this week), I often turn to retro TV clips.

Not sitcoms or procedurals, either, though I have been known to stay up late rewatching Miami Vice on hotel room cable long after my wife has gone to sleep. I’m talking more about moments when TV became a delivery system for some of the best music (and vibes) on the planet.

A classic show I return to again and again in moments of sadness or uncertainty is Soul Train. Initially a touring “record hop” that brought host Don Cornelius and impressive rosters of performers to local Chicago high schools, the show moved to syndication in 1971 and enjoyed an illustrious run until it was cancelled in 2006, after 35 seasons.

Everything about the show’s 1970s and 1980s heyday is incredible to see in retrospect. The fashion, the coordinated dance moves, the sense of a genuinely supportive community being built with each dance line. In this post, I share some of my favorite clips from the show’s history, many of which rank among its best-known cultural moments.

I’ve divided this collection into two parts. First, I’ll look at some of the finest performances ever recorded on Soul Train. Then, we get in line.

Before this train leaves the station (hehe), a note about clip quality: YouTube, in its infinite wisdom, has let corporations run roughshod over its vast cultural archive and taken down a lot of the higher-resolution versions of some of these clips due to copyright claims. As a result, some of the audio and video may be below par.

In some cases, they’re also VHS rips. Remember those?

Anyway, let’s begin:

8 Soul Train Performances That Blow Me Away Every Time

1. “The Love I Lost” by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes (1973)

So smooth, so effortless, so soulful. If any group in this write-up deserves more attention than they get in 70s Gold-type discussions, it’s Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. Come for the slick, wistful groove, stay for a young Teddy Pendergrass acing the lip-syncing assignment.

2. “Philadelphia Freedom” by Elton John (1975)

Elton John isn’t the first artist you mentally associate with Soul Train, but when he did make an appearance, it was usually memorable. It helps when you have a groove as infectious as “Philadelphia Freedom” in your back pocket, too. Also, there’s something to be said for an artist who’s that confident and fun-loving that he doesn’t miss a beat when someone’s dancing literally right next to him.

3. “I Gotcha” by Joe Tex (1972)

The Soul Train dancers were the pinnacle of cool back in the day, at least in part because they could consistently make themselves the focal point of the show. Case in point for this clip, where Damita Jo Freeman was among the first to get up on the show’s main stage with a performer and hijack the spotlight. Based on what Joe Tex is wearing, maybe that’s for the best.

4. “Rock the Bells” by LL Cool J (1986)

Though now best known for his 14-season run on NCIS: Los Angeles, LL Cool J was once a rapper who dominated the charts. His breakthrough came in 1985, when he released his debut LP, Radio, on Def Jam. “Rock the Bells,” the fourth and final single from that album cycle, is one of several hits he scorched the Soul Train crowd with in 1986.

5. “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye (1973)

There are so many great Marvin Gaye performances to choose from amid the Soul Train archives, including the white-pink-red color combo he sports while shimmying through “Got to Give It Up.” But, if I have to pick one, it’s his rendition of the title track of his bedroom blockbuster, Let’s Get It On, where he literally got down on the same level as his fans.

6. “What Have You Done For Me Lately” by Janet Jackson (1986)

Anyone who doubts that Janet Jackson is a pop music icon needs only to hit “Play” and see how gaga this Soul Train crowd is going for her. The attitude, the dancing, the winking smiles to all the men vying for her attention in the front row (and shout out to the dude who gets his 15 seconds of fame)—it’s all sublime. I miss the New Jack Swing era so bad.

7. “Take Me to the River” by Al Green (1974)

Perhaps due to its massive theatrical and reissue rollout via A24, a lot of younger music fans may only know of the Talking Heads’ live rendition of “Take Me to the River.” But, if you love vintage soul, it’s essential viewing to track back another decade and watch Al Green rip up the Soul Train stage with his distinctive voice and charisma. They don’t make stars like him anymore.

8. “Ooh Baby Baby” by Aretha Franklin (ft. Smokey Robinson)

To close out this section, let’s shout out to two of the best ever to do it: Aretha Franklin and Smokey Robinson. An unscripted moment towards the end of one of their tapings, they just sat at a piano and harmonized this Miracles classic. It’s wonderful to see how much of a kick Smokey gets out of Aretha’s vocal treatment here. They definitely should’ve been a duo.

7 Soul Train Lines That Would Out-Dance TikTok

The “Soul Train Line” may have started as a gimmick to fill TV time, but it quickly evolved into a legit star-making machine.

Consider how many well-known names got their start on Soul Train: Rosie Perez, All My Children’s Darnell Williams, Pat “Madame Butterfly” Davis, Nick Cannon, Vivica A. Fox, MC Hammer, Jermaine Stewart, and NFL legend Walter Payton of all people.

Success was even more immediate for Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel, former dancers on the show who were hand-picked by Cornelius and record promoter Dick Griffey to join Shalamar during their peak years. Watley also found success as a solo artist.

All those household names, coming from the same starting blocks. I honestly don’t have too much more to say about these clips. They speak for themselves. Just make sure you move whatever furniture you need to follow along with the dance moves.

1. “I Love Music” by the O’Jays

2. “I Wish” by Stevie Wonder

3. “Ballero” by War

4. “You Should Be Dancing” by the Bee Gees

5. “I Feel Love” by Donna Summer

6. “Mighty Mighty” by Earth, Wind & Fire

7. “Live It Up” by the Isley Brothers

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What’s your favorite of these clips? What other retro variety show should I do a clip montage of next? Shout it out in the comments.