Written by Conley and Otis Redding,[3] it is based on the Sam Cooke song "Yeah Man" from his posthumous album Shake;[citation needed] the opening riff is a quote from Elmer Bernstein's score for the 1960 movie The Magnificent Seven.
[5] "Sweet Soul Music" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.
Alexander, Cooke's business partner, sued both Redding and Conley for appropriating the melody.
A settlement was reached in which Cooke's name was added to the writer credits, and Redding agreed to record some songs in the future from Kags Music, a Cooke–Alexander enterprise.
[6] At the end of the song, Arthur Conley sings, "Otis Redding got the feeling."