Bodies and Souls was released in September 1983 by The Manhattan Transfer on the Atlantic Records label. This album took the Manhattan Transfer in a different direction from their previous releases, offering a new, revised style of their music. There were several collaborations on this album, including Stevie Wonder, Rod Temperton, and Jeremy Lubbock. Also appearing as a guest artist on the album was Frankie Valli, who appears on the song "American Pop". The final track on the album, "The Night That Monk Returned to Heaven", is a tribute to American jazz pianist Thelonious Monk.