Ben E. King - Supernatural Thing

Year Released: 1975
Genre: Soul / Funk / R&B

Description:

“Supernatural Thing” by Ben E. King is a smooth, groove-driven soul-funk single released in 1975 on the Atlantic Records label. Issued as a 7″ vinyl, the track marked a major comeback for King—his first Top 10 pop and R&B hit since the early 1960s—introducing his sound to a new generation amid the flourishing mid-’70s funk scene.

Written and produced by Patrick Grant and Gwen Guthrie, “Supernatural Thing (Part 1)” fuses silky vocal phrasing with a tight rhythm section, syncopated bassline, and subtle string flourishes. The arrangement is built around a seductive groove—lightly psychedelic yet firmly rooted in R&B—and King’s confident delivery glides over a steady four-beat pulse accented by horns and wah-guitar textures.

The B-side, “Supernatural Thing (Part 2),” extends the instrumental jam, highlighting the band’s interplay and emphasizing the hypnotic bass and percussion layers that give the song its unmistakable funk edge.

Musically, the single bridges traditional soul with the evolving funk aesthetic of the 1970s, balancing sophistication and danceability. Lyrically, it plays on themes of irresistible attraction and mystique, matching its title with an otherworldly sonic shimmer.

A major hit for Ben E. King, “Supernatural Thing” reached #1 on the U.S. R&B chart and Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, reaffirming his stature as one of soul’s enduring voices. Decades later, the single remains a staple of classic-soul compilations and a touchstone for the fusion of funk, disco, and traditional R&B that defined the mid-1970s