Wild Cherry (album)

Wild Cherry
Studio album by Wild Cherry
Released	June 1976
Recorded	1975–1976
Studio	Cleveland Recording Company
Genre	Funk rock disco
Length	33:08
Label	Epic
Producer	Robert Parissi
Wild Cherry chronology
Wild Cherry (1976) Electrified Funk (1977)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Christgau's Record Guide	C [2]

Wild Cherry is the debut studio album by Wild Cherry, released in 1976. The album includes the group's only major single success, "Play That Funky Music".

Track listing

Song credits and lengths taken from original LP sticker. All songs written by Rob Parissi, except where noted.

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Play That Funky Music"		5:00
2.	"The Lady Wants Your Money"		4:14
3.	"99½"	Steve Cropper Eddie Floyd Wilson Pickett	3:00
4.	"Don't Go Near the Water"		3:15

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
5.	"Nowhere to Run"	Holland–Dozier–Holland	3:07
6.	"I Feel Sanctified"	The Commodores	3:45
7.	"Hold On"		4:11
8.	"Get It Up"		3:01
9.	"What in the Funk Do You See"		3:35

Personnel

Wild Cherry

• Robert Parissi – guitars, lead vocals
• Bryan Bassett – guitars, backing vocals
• Allen Wentz – bass, backing vocals, synthesizers
• Ronald Beitle – drums, backing vocals, percussion

Additional personnel

• Chuck Berginc, Jack Brndiar, Joe Eckert, Rick Singer – horns (tracks 1, 3, 6)
• Becky Goldstein, Tampa Lann – backing vocals (tracks 2, 7, 8)
• Mark Avsec – synthesizer (tracks 2, 5, 8, 9), piano (track 5)
• Gerald Paluck – vibes (track 7)

Production

• Executive producer: Carl Maduri
• Arranged by Wild Cherry
• Produced by Robert Parissi for Belkin/Maduri Productions
• Recorded by Ken Hamann
• Mixed by Carl Maduri, Robert Parissi and Ken Hamann

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for Wild Cherry Chart (1976) Peak position Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [3] 5 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [4] 12 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [5] 17 US Billboard 200 [6] 5 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [7] 1

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for Wild Cherry Chart (1976) Position Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [8] 41

Certifications

Certifications for Wild Cherry

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [9]	Platinum	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of number-one R&B albums of 1976 (U.S.)

References

1. https://www.allmusic.com/album/r21850
2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: W". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved March 22, 2019– via robertchristgau.com.
3. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5086A". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
4. "Dutchcharts.nl – Wild Cherry – Wild Cherry" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
5. "Norwegiancharts.com – Wild Cherry – Wild Cherry". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
6. "Wild Cherry Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
7. "Wild Cherry Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
8. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5175". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
9. "American album certifications – Wild Cherry – Wild Cherry". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved April 22, 2021.