"Clean Up Woman" | ||||
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![]() Side A of the US single | ||||
Single by Betty Wright | ||||
from the album I Love the Way You Love | ||||
B-side | "I'll Love You Forever" | |||
Released | November 1971 | |||
Studio | Criteria (Miami) [1] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:40 | |||
Label | Alston | |||
Songwriter(s) | Clarence Reid, Willie Clarke | |||
Producer(s) | Clarence Reid, Willie Clarke | |||
Betty Wright singles chronology | ||||
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Official audio | ||||
"Clean up Woman" on YouTube |
"Clean Up Woman" is a song by Betty Wright from her second studio album, I Love the Way You Love (1972). Written and produced by Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke, it was released in November 1971 in the U.S. as a 7" single with "I'll Love You Forever" on the B-side. The song's distinctive guitar lick was played by Willie "Little Beaver" Hale.
It has sold over two million copies with the RIAA gold disc awarded on December 30, 1972. [5] Billboard ranked it as the No. 49 song for 1972. The song also appears as the beginning and end songs in a medley on the 1978 album Betty Wright Live.
The single reached No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, spending fourteen weeks on the chart. [5] It also reached No. 2 on the U.S. Black Singles chart and remained in that spot for eight weeks, all behind "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green. [6] It peaked at No. 4 on the Cash Box Top 100 singles chart during the weeks ending January 29, 1972 and February 5, 1972. [7] In Canada, the song reached No. 39. [8]
The song has been sampled in at least 32 other songs, including the 2013 "Favorite Song" by Chance the Rapper and the 1993 remix of "Real Love" by Mary J. Blige.[ citation needed ]
"Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" is a 1967 song recorded by the Supremes for the Motown label.
"If You Don't Know Me by Now" is a song written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and recorded by the Philadelphia soul musical group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. It became their first hit after being released as a single in September 1972, topping the US R&B chart and peaking at number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Chain Gang" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, released as a single on July 26, 1960.
"Reelin' In the Years" is a song by American rock band Steely Dan, released as the second single from their 1972 debut album, Can't Buy a Thrill. It peaked at No. 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and at No. 15 in Canada.
"Love Train" is a hit single by the O'Jays, written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Released in 1972, it reached No. 1 on both the R&B Singles and the Billboard Hot 100 in February and March 1973 respectively, and No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart and was certified gold by the RIAA. It was the O'Jays' first and only number one record on the US pop chart. The song has been considered one of the first songs of disco music.
"Don't Pull Your Love" is the debut single by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds which became a top ten hit single in 1971. The song was written by Brian Potter and Dennis Lambert.
"Hair" is the title song to the 1967 musical Hair and the 1979 film adaptation of the musical.
"I Love Music" is a song by American R&B group The O'Jays. It was written by production team Gamble and Huff. The song appeared on The O'Jays 1975 album, Family Reunion. The single reached number five on the US US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the soul singles chart. In the UK, the song peaked at number 13 in the Top 40 singles charts in March 1976. The single spent eight weeks at number one on the US Disco File Top 20 chart.
"You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" — also known simply as "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" — is a song written by Jim Weatherly, and produced by Don Law. It was first recorded in 1973 by Danny Thomas. Soon after it was done by Ray Price from his album You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me. The song enjoyed two runs of popularity, each by an artist in a different genre.
"Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)" is a song written by the premier Motown songwriting/production team of the 1960s Holland–Dozier–Holland. The first hit recording was sung by Kim Weston in 1965. It was most popular in 1975 when it was recorded by the Doobie Brothers.
"Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)" is a popular song by funk group B. T. Express, written by songwriter Billy Nichols.
"Love or Let Me Be Lonely" is a pop song recorded by the soul group The Friends of Distinction and released as a single in early 1970. The song was a multi-format success, peaking in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 at #6 on May 1, 1970 and at #13 on the R&B chart. On the Adult Contemporary singles charts, "Love or Let Me Be Lonely" went to #9. The song is ranked as the 63rd biggest hit of 1970.
"You Don't Mess Around with Jim" is a 1972 strophic story song by Jim Croce from his album of the same name. It was Croce's debut single, released on ABC Records as ABC-11328. ABC Records promotion man Marty Kupps took it to KHJ 930 AM in Los Angeles, CA where it first aired. It made the KHJ "30" chart that week of June 6, 1972. After spending 11 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the song peaked at No. 8 the week ending September 9. Croce performed the song on American Bandstand on August 12, 1972. Billboard ranked it as the No. 68 song for 1972.
"Love Won't Let Me Wait" is a hit 1975 single by Major Harris, a former member of R&B/soul group The Delfonics. Written by Vinnie Barrett and Bobby Eli, the single is considered to be a staple of classic soul playlists, and was Harris' only entry into the top five on both the soul and pop charts. The single hit number five on the pop chart, and also hit number one on the soul chart for one week. Billboard ranked it as the No. 24 song for 1975. It was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. on 25 June 1975.
"Until It's Time for You to Go" is a song from the 1965 album Many a Mile by American singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie. Sainte-Marie included a French-language reworking of the song, "T'es pas un autre", on her 1967 album Fire & Fleet & Candlelight. French translation was made by Quebecer songwriter Claude Gauthier.
"Too Late to Turn Back Now" is the 1972 follow-up single of Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose to their debut hit "Treat Her Like a Lady". The single had previously been released in 1970 on the Platinum label.
"You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio" is a song written and originally recorded by Canadian singer songwriter Joni Mitchell. It was released on her fifth studio album entitled For the Roses and was issued as a single as well.
"Drowning in the Sea of Love" is a 1971 song recorded by Joe Simon for Spring Records. It was the title track of his seventh LP, and was the first release from the album. The song was written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.
"Chick-A-Boom " is a song written by Janice Lee Gwin and Linda Martin and performed by Daddy Dewdrop. It was featured on his 1971 album, Daddy Dewdrop. The lyrics in the verses are spoken, rather than sung.
"(I'd) Wait a Million Years" is a 1969 hit single by The Grass Roots.
Betty Wright hit the top 10 a year later with "Clean Up Woman," another impressively slinky funk gem...