What Two Can Do

Last updated
"What Two Can Do"
Deniece Williams What Two Can Do.jpg
Single by Deniece Williams
from the album My Melody
Released1981
Studio Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [1]
Length3:47
Label ARC/Columbia
Songwriter(s) Deniece Williams
Producer(s) Thom Bell
Deniece Williams singles chronology
"Time Heals Every Wound (with Michael Zager Band)"
(1981)
"What Two Can Do"
(1981)
"t's Your Conscience"
(1981)

"What Two Can Do" is a song written and recorded by American singer Deniece Williams for her 1981 album My Melody . It was produced by Thom Bell and released as a single in 1981 by ARC/Columbia Records. [1] It reached number 17 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart. [2]

Contents

Critical reception

The Philadelphia Inquirer called "What Two Can Do" an "appealing upbeat tune." [3]

Charts

Chart (1981)Peak
position
US Hot Soul Singles [2] 17

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deniece Williams</span> American R&B and soul singer (born 1950)

June Deniece Williams is an American singer. She has been described as "one of the great soul voices" by the BBC. She is best known for the songs "Free", "Silly", "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" and two Billboard Hot 100 No.1 singles "Let's Hear It for the Boy" and "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late". Williams has won four Grammys with twelve nominations altogether. She is also known for recording “Without Us”, the theme song of Family Ties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maurice White</span> American musician (1941–2016)

Maurice White was an American musician, best known as the founder, leader, main songwriter and chief producer of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, also serving as the band's co-lead singer with Philip Bailey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Bailey</span> American musician (born 1951)

Philip James Bailey is an American singer, songwriter and percussionist, best known as an early member and one of the two lead singers of the band Earth, Wind & Fire. Noted for his four-octave vocal range and distinctive falsetto register, Bailey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire. Bailey was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for his work with the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Hear It for the Boy</span> 1984 single by Deniece Williams

"Let's Hear It for the Boy" is a song by Deniece Williams that appeared on the soundtrack to the feature film Footloose. The song was released as a single from both the soundtrack and her album of the song's same name on February 14, 1984, by Columbia Records. It was written by Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford and produced by George Duke. The song became Williams' second number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on May 26, 1984, also topping the dance and R&B charts, and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart, behind "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham!. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, and was certified platinum in the US and gold in Canada and the UK by the Recording Industry Association of America, Music Canada and the British Phonographic Industry, respectively. The music video was released in mid-April 1984. The song features background vocals from George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, who would go on to form the duo Boy Meets Girl.

<i>This Is Niecy</i> 1976 studio album by Deniece Williams

This Is Niecy is the debut album of American R&B singer Deniece Williams released on August 13, 1976 by Columbia Records. The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 33 on the Billboard 200. The album has been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA and Silver in the UK by the BPI.

<i>Song Bird</i> (Deniece Williams album) 1977 studio album by Deniece Williams

Song Bird is the second studio album by American singer Deniece Williams. It was produced by Maurice White and released on October 28, 1977, by Columbia Records. The album peaked at No. 23 on the US Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 5 on the UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I've Got the Next Dance</span> 1979 single by Deniece Williams

"I've Got the Next Dance" is a song by Deniece Williams issued as a single in April 1979 on ARC/Columbia Records. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart and No. 26 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart.

<i>Thats What Friends Are For</i> (Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams album) 1978 studio album by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams

That's What Friends Are For is an album by American singers Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams, released in July 1978 by Columbia Records. The project was a continuation of the pairing of the artists that began on his previous LP, You Light Up My Life, which included "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late", the duet that was on its way to number one on three different charts in Billboard magazine as the recording sessions for this album got underway.

<i>My Melody</i> (Deniece Williams album) 1981 studio album by Deniece Williams

My Melody is the fifth studio album by American singer Deniece Williams, released in March 1981 by ARC/Columbia Records. The album reached No. 13 on the Billboard Top Soul LPs chart. My Melody was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

<i>Niecy</i> 1982 studio album by Deniece Williams

Niecy is an album by American singer Deniece Williams which was released in 1982 on ARC/Columbia Records. The album reached No. 5 on the Top Soul Albums chart and No. 20 on the Billboard 200.

"Silly" is a song written by Fritz Baskett, Clarence McDonald and Deniece Williams and performed by Williams. The soulful ballad was released off Williams' My Melody album in 1981 and became the most successful track off the album reaching as high as number fifty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming an even bigger success on the R&B chart where it peaked at number eleven. It has since gone on to become one of Williams' most requested songs over a career that has spanned over thirty years. The song featured production by Williams and respected Philly soul producer Thom Bell. The song was recorded at Philadelphia's acclaimed Sigma Sound Studios. The song would be later covered by singer Taral Hicks nearly two decades later in 1997 and was released as the second single off Hicks' debut album becoming a hit on the R&B chart.

<i>Lets Hear It for the Boy</i> (album) 1984 studio album by Deniece Williams

Let's Hear It for the Boy is the eighth studio album by American recording artist Deniece Williams, released on April 16, 1984, by Columbia Records. The album reached No. 26 on the US Billboard 200 Albums chart and No. 10 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hop-Hop Albums chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Butterfly (song)</span> 1984 single by Deniece Williams

"Black Butterfly" is a song written by the song-writing duo Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil in 1982, and most famously recorded by American recording artist Deniece Williams. The Williams recording was released in 1984 for Columbia Records and is on her 1984 album Let's Hear it for the Boy. The B-side of the single is the song "Blind Dating", also featured on the album.

<i>You Light Up My Life</i> (Johnny Mathis album) 1978 studio album by Johnny Mathis

You Light Up My Life is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis, released on March 13, 1978, by Columbia Records. While this LP includes three new songs, it doesn’t stray too far from the format of his albums of recent years in covering established material, including a standard, a country number, something from Broadway, and a few soundtrack tunes.

<i>The Best of Johnny Mathis 1975–1980</i> 1980 compilation album by Johnny Mathis

The Best of Johnny Mathis 1975–1980 is a compilation album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released in the fall of 1980 by Columbia Records. This collection is similar to his last major compilation, 1972's Johnny Mathis' All-Time Greatest Hits, in that it excludes many of his American radio hits of this period in favor of songs that made the UK singles chart or contemporary hits by other people.

<i>The First 25 Years – The Silver Anniversary Album</i> 1981 compilation album by Johnny Mathis

The First 25 Years – The Silver Anniversary Album is a compilation album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released in 1981 by Columbia Records. The back cover of the album notes that there are four new tracks. A cover of the Commodores hit "Three Times a Lady" had been released on the UK version of his 1980 album Different Kinda Different, which was retitled All for You, but the Mathis rendition of the song makes its US debut here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby, Baby My Love's All for You</span> 1977 single by Deniece Williams

"Baby, Baby My Love's All for You" is a song by Deniece Williams, released as a single in October 1977 by Columbia Records. The song reached No. 13 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart, No. 5 on the UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Singles chart and No. 32 on the UK Pop Singles chart.

<i>Im So Proud</i> 1983 studio album by Deniece Williams

I'm So Proud is an album by American singer Deniece Williams which was released in 1983 by Columbia Records. The album reached No. 10 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.

<i>From the Beginning</i> (Deniece Williams album) 1990 compilation album by Deniece Williams

From the Beginning is a gospel compilation album by American R&B singer Deniece Williams, released in 1990 on Sparrow Records. It is a collection of gospel songs Williams had recorded during her years at Columbia Records. Williams recorded one gospel song on each of her albums starting with 1976's "Watching Over" from This Is Niecy to her cover of the Michael Jackson Captain EO track "We Are Here to Change the World" from 1988's As Good As It Gets. The album also contains a live performance of "God Is Amazing" from the 27th Annual Grammy Awards, originally from her 1977 album Song Bird. From the Beginning debuted and peaked at number 35 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Do What You Feel</span> 1983 single by Deniece Williams

"Do What You Feel" is a song by American recording artist Deniece Williams released as a single in 1983 by Columbia Records. From her 1983 album I'm So Proud, "Do What You Feel" was produced by George Duke and composed by both Duke and Deniece Williams. The single reached number nine on the US Billboard Hot Black Singles chart.

References

  1. 1 2 Deniece Williams: What Two Can Do. Columbia Records. 1981.
  2. 1 2 "Deniece Williams Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  3. "Deniece Williams: My Melody". newspapers.com. Philadelphia Inquirer. May 29, 1981. p. 80.