Back Stabbers (song)

Last updated
"Back Stabbers"
Back Stabbers by O'Jays US vinyl single Side-A.png
Side A of US vinyl single
Single by the O'Jays
from the album Back Stabbers
B-side "Sunshine"
ReleasedAugust 1972 (1972-08)
Studio Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Genre
Length3:06
Label Philadelphia International
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The O'Jays singles chronology
"Looky Looky (Look at Me Girl)"
(1970)
"Back Stabbers"
(1972)
"992 Arguments"
(1972)
Music video
"Back Stabbers" on YouTube

"Back Stabbers" is a 1972 song by the O'Jays. Released from the hit album of the same name, it spent one week at number 1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. It was also successful on the pop chart, peaking at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1972. [1] The narrator in "Back Stabbers" warns men about their male "friends" who smile to their faces, but are secretly planning to steal their wives or girlfriends. [2] It was inspired by an earlier hit with a similar theme, the Undisputed Truth's "Smiling Faces Sometimes", the chorus of which is quoted at the end of this song. It was part of the soundtrack for the 1977 movie, Looking for Mr. Goodbar . In 2002, the song was sampled by R&B artist Angie Stone for her single "Wish I Didn't Miss You".

Contents

This was the O'Jays first release with Philadelphia International. [3]

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1972)Peak
position
Australia Kent Music Report [4] 92
Canada RPM [5] 39
UK Singles (OCC) [6] 14
US Billboard Hot 100 [7] 3
US Billboard R&B Singles 1
US Cash Box Top 100 [8] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1972)Rank
US Billboard Hot 100 [9] 35
US Cash Box Top 100 [10] 21

Stephen Cummings version

"Backstabbers"
Stephen Cummings - Backstabbers.jpg
7-inch single Australian cover
Single by Stephen Cummings
from the album Senso
B-side "Hardly Working"
ReleasedDecember 1983 [11]
Genre Rock, Pop
Length3:20
5:29 (Extended Dance mix)
Label Regular Records, Warner Music Group
Songwriter(s) Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, Leon Huff
Producer(s) Martin Armiger
Stephen Cummings singles chronology
"Stuck on Love"
(1982)
"Backstabbers"
(1983)
"Gymnasium"
(1984)
Backstabbers (Extended Dance Mix)
Stephen Cummings - Backstabbers (Extended Dance Mix).jpg
12 Inch Australian Single Cover

In 1983 Australian singer-songwriter Stephen Cummings released Backstabbers in December 1983 through the Regular Records label as the third single from the album Senso. Cummings version peaked at number 40 on the Kent Music Report.

Track listing

7"
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Backstabbers" Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, Leon Huff3:20
2."Hardly Working"Stephen Cummings, Ian Stephen3:32
12"
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Backstabbers" (Extended Dance Mix) Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, Leon Huff5:29
2."Backstabbers"Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, Leon Huff3:14
3."Hardly Working"Stephen Cummings, Ian Stephen3:32

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1983)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [12] 40

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References

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  2. Ankeny, Jason. "Back Stabbers" at AllMusic . Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  3. "The O'Jays | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame". Rockhall.com. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
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  11. Stephen Cummings - Backstabbers
  12. Kent, David (1984). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives: Australian Chart Book. p. 94. ISBN   0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 19 June 1988.