"Color Him Father" | ||||
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Single by The Winstons | ||||
from the album Color Him Father | ||||
B-side | "Amen, Brother" | |||
Released | May 1969 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:06 | |||
Label | Metromedia | |||
Songwriter(s) | Richard Lewis Spencer | |||
Producer(s) | Don Carroll | |||
The Winstons singles chronology | ||||
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"Color Him Father" is a song written by Richard Lewis Spencer and recorded by American rhythm and blues group the Winstons. It was released in 1969 as their debut single for Metromedia and was a No. 7 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 that year, representing the Winstons' highest entry there. A cover by American singer Linda Martell on Plantation Records also charted in the same year, reaching No. 22 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
"Color Him Father" is a song about a boy expressing his love for his stepfather. The stepdad is portrayed as a hardworking and loving gentleman who married the narrator's widowed mom, who had seven children, and embraced them as his own after her first husband was "killed in the war". ("She said she thought that she could never love again/And then there he stood with that big, wide grin.") The song's lyrics resonated strongly with the public in 1969, the height of the Vietnam War. The word "color", in the song, means "designate" and follows the 'color' motif set in Barbra Streisand's 1963 release of "My Coloring Book." The song served as a major musical inspiration for the 2016 track "Celebrate" by Anderson .Paak.
The B-side to "Color Him Father" is "Amen, Brother", an instrumental interpretation of the gospel standard "Amen". [1] The Winstons recorded it in early 1969 in Atlanta, Georgia. [2] With the rise of hip hop in the 1980s, the break was widely sampled and became a staple of drum and bass and jungle music. It has been used on thousands of tracks of many genres, making it one of the most sampled recordings of all time. [3]
It was released in May 1969, [4] and reached No. 2 on the R&B charts and No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 that same year. Its composer, Richard Lewis Spencer, won a Grammy Award for Best R&B song in 1970. [5]
The Winstons' original version was released as a single, and the B-side contained an instrumental track titled "Amen, Brother". "Amen, Brother" contains what has now become one of the most heavily sampled drum breaks in the history of electronic music, especially jungle and breakbeat hardcore. This break has become known as the Amen Break.
7" vinyl single [4]
Chart (1969) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Top Singles ( Kent Music Report ) [6] | 80 |
US Hot 100 ( Billboard ) [7] | 7 |
US Best Selling Rhythm & Blues Singles (Billboard) [8] | 2 |
"Color Him Father" has been notably covered multiple times by performers of various musical styles. Lorene Mann released "Color Him Father" on her 1969 RCA album A Mann Called Lorene. O C Smith released it on his 1969 Columbia album O.C. Smith at Home . Bobby Womack recorded the song for his 1994 album Resurrection. Keb' Mo' included it on his 2001 album Big Wide Grin
"Color Him Father" | ||||
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Single by Linda Martell | ||||
from the album Color Me Country | ||||
B-side | "I Almost Called Your Name" | |||
Released | July 1969 | |||
Studio | Singleton Sound Studios | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:20 | |||
Label | Plantation | |||
Songwriter(s) | Richard Lewis Spencer | |||
Producer(s) | Shelby Singleton | |||
Linda Martell singles chronology | ||||
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In late 1969, "Color Him Father" was notably covered for the country market by Linda Martell. Martell was among country music's first black artists and the first black woman to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. [10] [11] In May 1969 she signed with Shelby Singleton's Plantation label in Nashville, Tennessee. It was soon after her signing that Martell made her first recording sessions in summer 1969. The Winstons' version of "Color Him Father" was brought to Martell's attention through Singleton. [10]
The session was produced entirely by Singleton at "Singleton Sound Studios," located in Nashville. Additional tracks were cut at the same session that would later appear on her 1970 album. [12] The song was cut twice in the studio. In the first take, Singleton found that Martell did not put enough of her own individuality on the record. "I don’t want to hear the Winstons. I want to hear you," he told her. [10]
"Color Him Father" was released several days after its recording. [10] The single of the track was released via the Plantation label in July 1969. It was the debut single of Martell's country music career. [13] The song spent a total of ten weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, peaking at number 22 in September 1969. [14] The single became Martell's highest-peaking track on the Country Songs chart. Her next single release would be her last to reach the country top 40. [13] "Color Him Father" was later released on Martell's 1970 studio album, Color Me Country. [9]
Martell's version of "Color Him Father" has since received positive reviews since its original release. In his review of Color Me Country, Mark Deming of Allmusic praised her "rich, smooth voice" on the track, also commenting that it " fares well in a subtle C&W arrangement fortified with pedal steel." [9] Oxford American also praised the song. Reviewer Alice Randall explained how the word "color" in the lyric held a special meaning in Martell's interpretation of the song: "Linda Martell effectively directs, not pleads, not suggests, directs us to understand that stepfather's fundamental identity is as father, not his skin color." [15]
In 2024, Rolling Stone ranked Martell's rendition at #86 on its 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time ranking. [16]
7" vinyl single [17]
Chart (1969) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [18] | 22 |
Plantation Records was a country music record label of the 1960s and 1970s helmed by Shelby Singleton. The label is best known for Jeannie C. Riley's 1968 hit "Harper Valley PTA", which topped both the country and Billboard Hot 100 charts.
"To Know Him Is to Love Him" is a song written by Phil Spector, inspired by words on his father's tombstone, "To Know Him Was to Love Him." It was first recorded by the only vocal group of which he was a member, the Teddy Bears. Their recording spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1958, while reaching No. 2 on the UK's New Musical Express chart. Peter & Gordon and Bobby Vinton later had hits with the song, with its title and lyrics changed to "To Know You Is to Love You". In 1987, the song was resurrected by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris, whose Trio recording topped the U.S. country singles chart.
The singles discography of American singer Linda Ronstadt contains 80 lead and collaborative singles, four as a featured artist, eight promotional singles and eight other charted songs. Her first credited release was 1967's "Different Drum", which also included the Stone Poneys along with Ronstadt as a featured artist. Ronstadt's first pair of solo singles were released by Capitol Records in 1969. The 1970 release "Long, Long Time" was her first solo charting single. Her 1974 single "You're No Good" topped the US Hot 100, reached number seven in Canada and number 15 in Australia. Its B-side song "I Can't Help It " reached number two on the US Hot Country Songs list. It was followed by 1975's "When Will I Be Loved", which made the top ten on multiple charts in the United States and Canada, including topping their country surveys. It was followed by the US top five song "Heat Wave" and the US country top five song "Love Is a Rose".
"Before the Next Teardrop Falls" is an American country and pop song written by Vivian Keith and Ben Peters, and most famously recorded by Freddy Fender. His version was a major crossover success in 1975, reaching number 1 on the Billboard pop and country charts.
"Silver Threads and Golden Needles" is a country song written by Dick Reynolds and Jack Rhodes. It was first recorded by Wanda Jackson in 1956. The original lyrics, as performed by Jackson, contain a verse not usually included in later versions, which also often differed in other minor details.
"Love Without End, Amen" is a song written by Aaron Barker, and recorded by American country music singer George Strait. It was released in April 1990 as the lead-off single from the album Livin' It Up and became Strait's biggest hit ever.
Linda Martell is an American singer. She became the first commercially successful black female artist in the country music field and the first to play the Grand Ole Opry. As one of the first African-American country performers, Martell helped influence the careers of future Nashville artists of color.
"Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line" is a song written by Jimmy Bryant. Originally recorded by American country music singer Jim Alley, it was made famous by American country music singer and musician Waylon Jennings.
"San Francisco Is a Lonely Town" is a song written in 1969 by the Nashville songwriter Ben Peters. Two versions of the song charted in 1969 – one by Ben Peters himself, and the single by Joe Simon, which reached #79 on the US pop charts, #29 on the R&B charts.
The singles discography of American country artist Dottie West contains 59 singles released as a solo artist, 12 singles released as a collaborative artist, 3 promotional singles and 1 other charting song. West signed with RCA Victor Records in 1963, having her first Top 40 hit the same year. It was followed in 1964 by "Love Is No Excuse", a duet with Jim Reeves that became West's first top 10 hit. In 1964, she also released "Here Comes My Baby". The song reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and became the first song by a female country artist to win a Grammy award. From her 1966 album, West issued four singles, including the top 10 hits "Would You Hold It Against Me" and "What's Come Over My Baby". Over the next two years she had major hits with "Paper Mansions", "Like a Fool", "Country Girl", and "Reno". In 1969, West collaborated with Don Gibson on "Rings of Gold", which reached number 2 on the Billboard country chart. In 1973, she released a single version of a commercial jingle originally used by The Coca-Cola Company. Entitled "Country Sunshine", the song became West's biggest hit, reaching number 2 on the country songs chart and number 49 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also nominated her for her eleventh Grammy. After releasing the top 10 hit "Last Time I Saw Him" (1974), West's chart hits declined and she was dropped from RCA in 1976.
"Show Me" is a title track of the 1967 album by Joe Tex, who also wrote the song. The single was Joe Tex's fourteenth release to make the US R&B chart. "Show Me" went to #24 on the R&B chart and #35 on the Hot 100.
The discography of American singer Jody Miller contains 21 studio albums, five compilation albums, one video album, one album appearance, one extended play (EP) and 57 singles. Of her 57 singles, 47 were issued with Miller as the lead artist, two were released as a collaboration, two were promotional singles and five were internationally-released singles.
The singles discography of American country artist, George Jones, contains 182 singles. Of the total, 136 were released with Jones as the solo artist. In addition, 31 were issued with Jones being part of a collaboration. Thirdly, eight singles were issued with Jones being part of a featured act. Fourthly, seven released were promotional singles. Additionally, 14 songs that are not released as singles are included that made any major chart. Finally, 21 music videos which were first issued as singles are also listed. Jones had his first chart success in 1955 with several top ten Billboard Hot Country Songs singles: "Why Baby Why", "What Am I Worth" and "You Gotta Be My Baby". After several more top ten releases, "White Lightning" became his first to top the Billboard country chart. Along with "Who Shot Sam", both singles were also his first to make the Hot 100 charts.
The Ways to Love a Man is a studio album by American country artist, Tammy Wynette. It was released on January 26, 1970, via Epic Records and was the seventh studio album in Wynette's career. The disc consisted of 11 tracks which included both original material and cover recordings. Its title track was the album's only single included. It became a number one song on the North American country charts while also reaching chart positions in other musical genres as well. The album itself also reached chart positions on the country albums chart following its release. Critics and journalists gave the album a positive reception in the years that followed.
Tammy's Touch is a studio album by American country artist, Tammy Wynette. It was released on April 27, 1970 via Epic Records and contained 11 tracks. The album's material centered around themes of heartbreak and romance. Many of the album's songs were new recordings while others were covers. Among its new recordings was the singles "I'll See Him Through" and "He Loves Me All the Way". Both songs became chart-topping tracks on the country music charts in 1970. The album itself also reached top positions on multiple charts in the United States.
"I'll See Him Through" is a song written by Billy Sherrill and Norro Wilson, and recorded by American country music artist Tammy Wynette. It released in December 1969 as the first single from the album Tammy's Touch.
Big Girls Don't Cry is a studio album by American country music artist Lynn Anderson. It was released in July 1968 via Chart Records and was produced by Slim Williamson. The record was Anderson's third studio recording issued during her career and contained a total of 12 tracks. The title track was spawned as a single from the project and became a major hit on the country charts. The album itself would also reach peak positions on music publication charts.
Color Me Country is the only album by American country artist Linda Martell. It was released in August 1970 via Plantation Records and was produced by Shelby Singleton. The album contained three charting singles by Martell, including her cover of "Color Him Father". The album also reached a charting position following its original release. It has since been reissued in several formats and has received positive reviews since its original release date.
"Bad Case of the Blues" is a song by American country music artist Linda Martell. It was first composed by Margaret Lewis and Myra Smith. The song was released as the third single from Martell's 1970 studio album, Color Me Country. It reached a charting position on the Billboard country chart soon after.
No Charge is a studio album by American country artist, Melba Montgomery. It was released in April 1974 via Elektra Records and was the nineteenth studio collection of Montgomery's career. The disc contained a total of 12 tracks which mixed in different styles of country music. Its title track topped the country charts in the United States and Canada in 1974. The album itself reached the top 20 of the American country LP's chart in 1974 and received positive reviews following its release.
'It's not the worst thing that can happen to you. I'm a black man in America and the fact that someone wants to use something I created — that's flattering,' he says.