Groovy Situation

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"Groovy Situation"
Groovy Situation - Gene Chandler.jpg
Single by Gene Chandler
from the album The Gene Chandler Situation
B-side "Not the Marrying Kind"
ReleasedJuly 1970 (1970)
Genre Rhythm and blues
Length3:12
Label Mercury
Songwriter(s)
  • Russell Lewis
  • Herman Davis
Producer(s) Gene Chandler
Gene Chandler singles chronology
"From the Teacher to the Preacher"
(1968)
"Groovy Situation"
(1970)
"Simply Call It Love"
(1970)

"Groovy Situation" is a 1969 song written by Russell Lewis and Herman Davis [1] and first recorded by Mel and Tim. The song was included on the duo's 1969 LP, Good Guys Only Win In The Movies, produced by Gene Chandler. [2] Chandler then recorded the song himself and his single went to #12 on the Billboard pop chart and #8 on the R&B chart in 1970.

Contents

Gene Chandler recording

"Groovy Situation" was a hit single when recorded by Gene Chandler on Mercury Records in 1970, in a version produced by Chandler and arranged by Tom Washington. It was Chandler's second-biggest chart hit single, his biggest being the million-selling #1, "Duke of Earl", in 1962. It was taken from his album, The Gene Chandler Situation. This version is noted for the instrumental quoting, by muted trumpets, of the first eight notes of the song "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" heard during the introduction as well as in the coda section, before the repeated chorus takes place before the song's fade. Chandler's version is also noted for the repeated phrase: "Can You Dig It", heard in the introductions of the two verses. The song also features a bass line played by jazz musician Richard Evans.

The success of this, and other records Chandler wrote, recorded and produced that year earned him The National Association of Television and Radio Announcers Producer of the Year Award in 1970, against other nominees that included Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Norman Whitfield.

Chart performance

Chandler's single reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was a Top 10 hit, Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles chart, peaking at #8. [3] It was also an RIAA Certified Million-Seller, the Gold Record being awarded in November 1970.

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References

  1. "secondhandsongs.com". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  2. "discogs.com". discogs.com. 1969. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 110.