Back Stabbers (song)
| "Back Stabbers" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The O'Jays | ||||
| from the album Back Stabbers | ||||
| B-side | "Sunshine" | |||
| Released | 1972 | |||
| Genre | R&B, Philly Soul | |||
| Length | 3:06 | |||
| Label | Philadelphia International | |||
| Writer(s) | Leon Huff, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead | |||
| Producer | Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff | |||
| The O'Jays singles chronology | ||||
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"Back Stabbers" is the title of a classic song by The O'Jays. Released from the hit album of the same name, the song spent one week at #1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. It was also successful on the pop charts, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[1] The narrator in "Back Stabbers" warns men about their male "friends" who smile to their faces, but are secretly planning to steal their wives or girlfriends.[2] It was also inspired by an earlier hit in the same theme vein, The Undisputed Truth's "Smiling Faces Sometimes."
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[edit] Cultural references
- The song is played in the premiere of part two of Nip/Tuck Season 5, in which Colleen Rose enters and proceeds to stab Sean McNamara in the back with a knife.
- Cold Case featured a fictional storyline in Season 7's fourth episode Soul (October 18, 2009) about a Philadelphia soul musician who was murdered in 1970, soon after creating Back Stabbers with a female performing lead vocals.
- Detective Bunk Moreland in The Wire is shown dancing to this song in Season Four, episode 5 Alliances; while Detective Lester Freamon is talking with someone about searching the sewers.
[edit] Cover versions
| "Back Stabbers" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Tina Turner | ||||
| from the album Love Explosion | ||||
| Released | 1979 | |||
| Genre | R&B, Pop | |||
| Length | 3:34 | |||
| Label | United Artists Records, EMI | |||
| Writer(s) | Leon Huff, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead | |||
| Producer | Alec R. Costandinos | |||
| Tina Turner singles chronology | ||||
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"Back Stabbers" is the second single from the 1979 album Love Explosion by Tina Turner.
The song, along with the other two singles released from Love Explosion, was largely disco-oriented and was overlooked by audiences both in Europe and the United States due to the so called "anti-disco backlash" at the time.
"Back Stabbers" was also covered by Stephen Cummings in 1983.
MFSB's 1973 debut album featured a extended instrumental cover of "Back Stabbers".
"Wish I Didn't Miss You" by Angie Stone features an interpolated composition of the song as well as samples.
R&B group TLC sampled the song on the track, "Case of the Fake People" from their 1994 album CrazySexyCool.
"Backstabbers" by Project Pat featuring Crucial Conflict sampled the song heavily; released on the album Ghetty Green in 1999, produced by DJ Paul & Juicy J of Three 6 Mafia.
B.o.B aka Bobby Ray sampled "Back Stabbers" with his own song of the same name for his mixtape "Who the F#*k is B.o.B".
In 1987, jazz fusion/contemporary jazz group The Rippingtons covered the song on their 1987 album "Kilimanjaro."[3]
Rock group Barkmarket covered "Back Stabbers" on their 1991 album Vegas Throat, employing spoken-word vocals and samples from the original O'Jays cut.
In 2008, Russell Watson covered the song on his album 'People Get Ready'.
[edit] Chart positions
| Charts | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 1 |
| U.K 'Official UK Charts Company' | UK #14 |
| Preceded by "Power of Love" by Joe Simon |
Billboard's Best Selling Soul Singles number one single September 9, 1972 |
Succeeded by "Get on the Good Foot" by James Brown |
[edit] References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Joel Whitburn presents top R & B/hip-hop singles, 1942-2004. Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research. p. 438. ISBN 9780898201604.
- ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Back Stabbers" at Allmusic. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
- ^ Kohler, Paul. "Kilimanjaro - The Rippingtons" at Allmusic. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
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