‘Soul Train’ Clip From The ‘70s Goes Viral

Soul Train was one of television’s most beloved music variety shows, running from the ‘70s to the early 2000s. The long-reigning show shined the spotlight on the cultural perspectives of African-American music, dance, and fashion on TV. Soul Train primarily showed performances from artists within genres like R&B, soul, funk, and hip-hop.

Recently, things went nostalgic when a show clip resurfaced on social media. The footage showed people dancing in a hall while Curtis Mayfield sang, and shortly thereafter a guy in an orange shirt digging it on the floor took the spotlight.

Reactions to the ‘Soul Train’ clip

@sixfivehigh84 #soultrain #36mafia #halfonasack #timetravel #viral #dance #funny #throwback ♬ Half On a Sack – Three 6 Mafia

The video on X — formerly Twitter — has amassed over 13 million views and hundreds of comments, mainly from the younger generation. “The guy in the orange… definitely in his zone, but I can’t complain,” someone wrote with a laughing emoji.

RELATED: ‘Soul Train’ Creator Don Cornelius Accused Of Assaulting Playboy Bunnies

“I wish I was in these times. My god,” a Twitter user enthused. Others agreed with him, claiming that such music, shows, and style should be returned. “Bro in the orange is having a blast. My dad used to blast this Curtis Mayfield album, and I hated it as a kid. This album is a classic,” another comment read.

What happened to ‘Soul Train’

Soul Train ended in 2006 after 35 years of pure African-American fun. In 2006, production was suspended, and archived episodes from 1973 and 1988 were aired instead for the next two seasons. By then, the stations that aired the show had become Fox TV affiliates or independent stations that would later join The WB or UPN.

These changes led to the rescheduling of Soul Train from afternoon to midnight. Worse still, the show’s distributor, Tribune Entertainment, announced their shutdown in December 2007, pushing its creator, Don Cornelius, to find new partners in the form of Trifecta Entertainment and Media.

More changes occurred as chances for the show to stay in existence grew slimmer, especially with the rise of YouTube and the internet. However, Soul Train’s legacy continues through syndications, spin-offs, re-runs, and references.