NEW * Heart Full Of Soul - The Yardbirds {Stereo} 1965
1965.....#9 U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #12 U.S. Cash Box Top 100, #2 UK Singles, #2 Canada
Original video edited and AI remastered with HQ stereo sound / To find out more about spectral editing and sound source separation, go to
“Heart Full of Soul“ is a song recorded by English rock group the Yardbirds in 1965. Written by Graham Gouldman, it was the Yardbirds’ first single after Jeff Beck replaced Eric Clapton as lead guitarist. Released only three months after “For Your Love“, “Heart Full of Soul“ reached the Top 10 on the singles charts in the UK, US, and several other countries.
The Yardbirds first recorded the song with an Indian sitar player performing the distinctive instrumental figures. However, the group were dissatisfied with the results, so Beck developed the part on electric guitar to emulate the sitar. A contemporary review described it as an “oriental touch“ and music writers have identified Beck’s contribution as introducing Indian-influenced guitar stylings to rock music and one of the earliest examples of what became known as raga rock. Beck’s use of a fuzz box has also been cited as perhaps the first significant use of the effect.
As one of the Yardbirds’ most popular songs, it was frequently performed in concert. There are a number of live recordings, the earliest of which feature Beck, while later ones feature guitarist Jimmy Page. “Heart Full of Soul“ appears on several of the group’s compilations and renditions have been recorded by other musicians.
Less than three months after “For Your Love“, “Heart Full of Soul“ was released as the Yardbirds’ first single since Clapton’s departure. In the UK, Columbia issued it on 4 June 1965, with Epic Records following on 2 July 1965 in the US. In an ironic twist, the picture sleeve used by Epic featured a photo of the Clapton lineup instead of the Beck lineup; Epic’s For Your Love album, released the month before, included a photo of Beck, but no image nor mention of Clapton. Epic released the group’s next single, “I’m a Man“, without a picture sleeve; Columbia did not use images for their 45s. In the UK, “Evil Hearted You“, another Gouldman song, was the follow-up single. “Steeled Blues“, a blues instrumental featuring Beck on slide guitar and Relf on harmonica, is included as the single’s B-side.