Roots Mural Theme / Many Rains Ago (Oluwa)

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"Roots Mural Theme / Many Rains Ago (Oluwa)"
Song by Weapons of Peace
A-side "Roots Mural Theme / Many Rains Ago (Oluwa)"
B-side "Life's (About To Get Me Down)"
Released1977
Length3:50
Label Playboy P-6101
Composer(s) Gerald Fried, Quincy Jones, Caiphus Semenya
Producer(s) Bill Traut, Finis Henderson Jr.
Weapons of Peace singles chronology
"City"
(1976)		"Roots Mural Theme / Many Rains Ago (Oluwa)"
(1977)

"Roots Mural Theme / Many Rains Ago (Oluwa)" was a 1977 single for Chicago band Weapons of Peace. It became a chart hit for them that year.

Contents

Background

"Roots Mural Theme / Many Rains Ago (Oluwa)" was written by Caiphus Semenya, Gerald Fried and Quincy Jones. It recorded by Weapons of Peace and released on Playboy in 1977. It was their version of the TV series, Roots theme. [1] The A side was produced by Bill Traut and Finis Henderson Jr., and the strings were arranged by Richard Evans. [2] The B side "This Life's (About to Get Me Down)" was written by Charles Franklin and Finis Henderson. It was produced by Hillery Johnson. [3]

The single was the first Playboy single to get pushed by the CBS distribution network. [4]

While the single was in the chart, the Quincy Jones version was also in the same chart. [5] [6]

Reception

The single was an R&B Pick of the Week in the 19 March issue of Record World . Columnist Dede Dabney had it as a sleeper in one of her three picks of the week in the issue. She suggested that the song which Quincy Jones had a hand in writing should be listened to and it was destined to cause an explosive reaction. [7]

It was reported in the Chicago Chatter section of the 2 April issue of Cash Box that info provided by Singer One Stop For Ops' Gus Tartol had the single as one of the hot juke box singles of the week. [8]

The single was of one the Picks of the Week in the 9 April issue of Cash Box. At the time the single was already making itself known on the charts. The reviewer said that while preserving the quality of the theme, the release was a record for record's sake interpretation of the familiar theme . [9]

Along with "Just Can't Be That Way (Ruth's Song)", "Roots (Mural Theme / Many Rains Ago (Oluwa)" were the picks when the Weapons of Peace album was reissued on Playboy PZ 34747 in 1977 and reviewed in the 25 June issue of Billboard . [10] [11]

Airplay

For the week of 2 April, Cash Box reported that the single had been added to the playlist of WGIV in Charlotte. [12] It was reported by Cash Box in the 9 April issue that the single was added to the R&B playlist of WAMO in Pittsburgh, [13] and a new addition to the playlist of R&B station WSOK in Savannah. [14] For the week of 16 April as shown by Cash Box , the single had been added to the R&B playlist of KOWH in Omaha. [15]

Charts

The record debuted at no. 92 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart for the week of 9 April. [16] It peaked at no. 90 the following week, its last week of charting. [17]

For the week of 26 April, "Roots Mural Theme / Many Rains Ago (Oluwa)" made its debut at no. 86 in the Cash Box Top 100 R&B chart. [18] At week three on the week of 9 April, it peaked at no. 70 [19] and held that position for another week. [20] [21]

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References

  1. ↑ MusicVF.com - Roots Mural Theme/Many Rains Ago (Oluwa) By: Weapons of Peace
  2. ↑ Celebri - Weapons Of Peace Roots Mural Theme / Many Rains Ago (Oluwa) / This Life's (About To Get Me Down), Lieder, #1 Roots Mural Theme / Many Rains Ago (Oluwa)
  3. ↑ Celebri - Weapons Of Peace Roots Mural Theme / Many Rains Ago (Oluwa) / This Life's (About To Get Me Down), Lieder, #2 This Life's (About To Get Me Down)
  4. ↑ Cash Box, April 9, 1977 - Page 12 SINGLES REVIEWS, picks of the week, WEAPONS OF PEACE (Playboy/CBS 6101) Roots Mural Theme/Many Rains Ago (Oluwa)
  5. ↑ Cash Box, April 26, 1977 - Page 43 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B, March 26, 1977 86, "ROOTS" MURAL THEME/MANY RAINS AGO (OLUWA) WEAPONS OF PEACE (Playboy P6101), 3/19 _, Weeks On Chart 1
  6. ↑ Cash Box, April 26, 1977 - Page 43 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B, March 26, 1977 62 "ROOTS" MEDLEY QUINCY JONES (A&M 1909), 3/19 73, Weeks On Chart 3
  7. ↑ Record World, March 19, 1977 - Page 46 SOUL TRUTH By DEDE DABNEY, R&B PICKS OF THE WEEK, SLEEPER, WEAPONS OF PEACE, "ROOTS MURAL/MANY RAINS AGO (OLUWA)"
  8. ↑ Cash Box, April 2, 1977 - Page 54 CHICAGO CHATTER, ON THE SINGLES SCENE
  9. ↑ Cash Box, April 9, 1977 - Page 12 SINGLES REVIEWS, picks of the week, WEAPONS OF PEACE (Playboy/CBS 6101) Roots Mural Theme/Many Rains Ago (Oluwa)
  10. ↑ Discogs - Weapons Of Peace – Weapons Of Peace
  11. ↑ Billboard, June 25, 1977 - Page 74 Billboard LPs * Continued from page 72, soul, WEAPONS Of PEACE, Playboy P134747 (CBS)
  12. ↑ Cash Box, April 2, 1977 - Page 44 ADDITIONS TO R&B PLAYLISTS, WGIV — Charlotte — Manny Clark, Roots — Weapons of Peace - Playboy
  13. ↑ Cash Box, April 9, 1977 - Page 44 ADDITIONS TO R&B PLAYLISTS, WAMO — PITTSBURGH — Matt Leadbetter, Roots — Weapons of Peace — Playboy
  14. ↑ Cash Box, April 9, 1977 - Page 46 R&B Station New Additions, WSOK — SAVANNAH — Elliott Nealy, Roots — Weapons of Peace — Playboy
  15. ↑ Cash Box, April 16, 1977 - Page 44 ADDITIONS TO R&B PLAYLISTS, KOWH — OMAHA — Mike Jones, Roots — Weapons of Peace — Playboy
  16. ↑ Billboard, April 9, 1077 - Page 56 Billboard Hot Soul Singles, This Week 92, NEW SNTRY
  17. ↑ Records And Charts - Rhythm & Blues chart run Weapons Of Peace Roots Mural Theme / Many Rains Ago
  18. ↑ Cash Box, April 26, 1977 - Page 43 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B, March 26, 1977 86, 3/19 _, Weeks On Chart 1
  19. ↑ Cash Box, April 9, 1977 - Page 46 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B, April 9, 1977 70, 4/2 74, Weeks On Chart 3
  20. ↑ Cash Box, April 16, 1977 - Page 45 CASH BOX Top 100 R&B, April 16, 1977 70, 4/9 70, Weeks On Chart 4
  21. ↑ Cash Box, April 23, 1977 - Page 47 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B, April 23, 1977
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