Brick House (song)

"Brick House"
Single by Commodores
from the album Commodores
Released	1977
Format	7", 12", vinyl, 45 rpm
Recorded	1977
Genre	Funk, disco
Length	3:37
Label	Motown
Writer(s)	The Commodores

"Brick House" is a hit song from the Commodores' 1977 album Commodores and is one of their most popular songs. The single peaked at #5 in the U.S. and #32 in the UK pop charts.

Creation and recording

In 1977, the Commodores were in the studio recording when there was a problem with the equipment. While the tapes were being repaired and replaced, the group took a break. Ronald LaPread, the Commodores' bass player, began jamming. Bit by bit the group joined in until they and came up with the now famous track and bass line. Upon returning, James Carmichael, the Commodores producer heard and recognized that this could be a song worth recording. He asked everyone to see if they could use the riff to come up with a song. That night while he slept, William King's wife, Shirley Hanna-King, wrote. The following day, William played "Brickhouse" for the Commodores, allowing them to think he had written it. They loved it and decided that drummer, Walter "Clyde" Orange had the funky voice to sing lead vocals. "Brick House" went on the new album and sold millions of copies around the world. It was a few years before the Commodores discovered that it was actually Shirley Hanna-King who had written and coined the term "Brick House". Although not originally credited, the Commodores have publicly acknowledged Shirley Hanna-King as writer.

Lyrics

Shirley Hanna-King modified the expression "built like a brick shithouse" for the song. The term "Brick House" has since become part of mainstream American slang. The song is noted for its catchy rhythm, and thirty years after its recording it is still popular in night clubs and on radio stations all over the world.

House of Brick

In 1995, Mayte released "House of Brick", a rap version of "Brick House", on Paisley Park Records. The track appears on her debut album Child of the Sun. The song features The New Power Generation, and Mayte's then-husband, Prince.

Other versions

In 1995, Dread Zeppelin covered this song as "Brick house (of the holy!)" on their album No Quarter Pounder.^{[citation needed]}

"Brick House" was also covered in 2003 by Rob Zombie on the House of 1000 Corpses Soundtrack and released as a promo single in 2003. The song can also be found on Zombie's Past, Present & Future album. In the song, Zombie collaborates with Lionel Richie (who did not sing on the original version) and Trina on vocals.^{[citation needed]}

Roy Hess sings Brick House in the episode "Georgie Must Die" in the sitcom Dinosaurs.

Brick House was covered in 2010 by M.o.D. (Juan Sunshine) And Staffan Thorsell with UK singer Simon Green on vocals, released on Purple Music Switzerland.^{[citation needed]}

The Wickes Furniture store has used a modified version for their commercials, changing the lyric "She's a brick...House" to "Go to Wickes...Ow(or now)".^{[citation needed]}