Curtis Mayfield’s soundtrack album for the 1972 blaxploitation film was “Super Fly.”
Released on July 11, 1972, “Super Fly” was Mayfield’s third studio album and the soundtrack to Gordon Parks Jr.’s film about Youngblood Priest, a cocaine dealer trying to leave the underworld. Mayfield wrote and produced the music, creating a soundtrack that commented on the film’s violence, poverty, addiction, and ambition rather than simply accompanying its scenes.
The album became one of the most influential soul and funk soundtracks ever made. Its two major singles, “Freddie’s Dead” and “Superfly,” both became million-selling hits. “Freddie’s Dead” reached No. 2 on the R&B chart and No. 4 on the pop chart, while the title song also became a major crossover success.
A common mix-up is with “Shaft,” another landmark blaxploitation soundtrack, but that album was composed and recorded by Isaac Hayes for the 1971 film. “Coffy” and “Black Caesar” are also associated with notable funk and soul film scores, yet neither is Curtis Mayfield’s 1972 “Super Fly.” The album was released by Curtom Records.