I've Got to Use My Imagination

Last updated
"I've Got to Use My Imagination"
Single by Gladys Knight & the Pips
from the album Imagination
B-side "I Can See Clearly Now"
Released November 1973
Genre
Length3:29
Label Buddah
Songwriter(s) Gerry Goffin, Barry Goldberg
Producer(s) Kenny Kerner
Gladys Knight & the Pips singles chronology
"Midnight Train to Georgia"
(1973)
"I've Got to Use My Imagination"
(1973)
"Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me"
(1974)

"I've Got to Use My Imagination" is a song recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips. Released from the hit album, Imagination , which was their debut album with Buddah Records, the song was a success on the soul and pop charts. It spent a week at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in early 1974 and peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, [1] becoming one of their highest charting songs. It eventually sold over one million copies.

Contents

On the series A Different World , Whitley, Jaleesa and another classmate perform the song to audition to sing backup for Gladys Knight (who made a special guest appearance on the show).

The song has been covered by such artists as Joan Osborne, Professor RJ Ross, Bobby Bland, Joe Cocker and The Rides. Ian Moss recorded a version for his sixth studio album, Soul on West 53rd (2009).

Charts

Chart (1974)Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 4
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles 1

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References

  1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 330.