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| Down to Earth | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1974 | |||
| Recorded | 1974 | |||
| Studio | Motown Recording Studios, Hollywood, California | |||
| Genre | Soul, psychedelic soul, funk, disco | |||
| Label | Gordy (Motown) G6 968 | |||
| Producer | Norman Whitfield | |||
| The Undisputed Truth chronology | ||||
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Down to Earth is the fourth album by psychedelic soul group The Undisputed Truth. [1]
Original Undisputed Truth members Billie Rae Calvin and Brenda Joyce Evans left shortly before the recording of this album, and the group's producer, Norman Whitfield, took the opportunity to expand the group. Founding member and male lead singer Joe Harris was joined by Virginia "V" McDonald, Tyrone "Big Ty" Douglas, Tyrone "Lil Ty" Barkeley and Calvin "Dhaak" Stephenson, all of whom had been part of The Magictones, a local Detroit soul group.
The first six tracks on the album were recorded by this new line-up. The leads (except for "Just You 'N' Me", which is sung by Tyrone Barkley) are handled by Joe Harris and Virginia "V" McDonald (or "Vee") while the other members provide backing vocals. The last four tracks were recorded by the original line-up, and had already found release as album tracks on previous Undisputed Truth LPs and/or as singles.
Although Down To Earth made a good showing on the R&B Album Charts (#35), it failed to crossover to the Billboard Pop Charts like The Truth's previous LPs had done. The album's lead single, "Help Yourself", was released in early 1974, and the group then appeared on Soul Train to promote it. The song became The Undisputed Truth's biggest hit since 1971's "Smiling Faces Sometimes" (US #3, US R&B #2), making #63 on the Pop Charts and #19 on the R&B Charts (their second and last Top 20 R&B hit). A second single, "I'm A Fool For You", also made #39 on the Soul Charts.
Subsequent Undisputed Truth albums would consist only of material recorded by the group's new line-up, and new member Tyrone Barkley would also be given more leads alongside Joe Harris.
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Pop Albums | — |
| Billboard Top Soul Albums | 35 |
| Year | Single | Chart positions [2] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | ||
| 1974 | "Help Yourself" | 63 | 19 |
| "I'm A Fool For You" | — | 35 | |
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