Friday, February 1, 2019

"Do Your Thing" by the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending February 1, 1969


Making their 2nd appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, Charles Wright and the 103rd Watts Street Rhythm Band just missed the top 10 with "Do Your Thing", peaking at #11.  The band had two other two 20 hits:  "Love Land" in the spring of 1970 and "Express Yourself" later the same year.

In other chart action, Tommy Roe was the big winner with "Dizzy", which spent 4 weeks at #1.  Roe's first single, "Sheila" spent two weeks at the top in the fall of 1962.

"Soul Shake" burst onto the chart at #46, but pretty much stopped in its tracks after that, peaking at #37 and falling off the chart after just 6 weeks.  Surprisingly, it didn't even crack the top 10 of Billboard's R&B chart.  Delaney and Bonnie released a cover version as a single, from their To Delaney from Bonnie album, with similar results.  (Peaked at #43, spent 8 weeks on the chart.)





Related article:
Charles Wright is still expressing himself.  (Philadelphia Tribune, 5/5/2017)
Wright noted that Philadelphia played a major role in the group’s success when a popular regional radio personality and promoter requested the Watts Band to headline a local concert. “‘Do Your Thing’ was out eight months and I got a call from Georgie Woods, who wanted me to come star on his show with Ruth Brown, Chuck Jackson and all my heroes,” said Wright. “[Someone told me] I was number three in Philadelphia. I called the record company and the guy said, ‘Man, we stopped tracking that record three months ago. That guy is pulling your leg.’ So, he called Philadelphia and five minutes later he was on my phone: ‘You wouldn’t believe it! You’ve sold 93,000 records in Philadelphia, alone.’ That’s how my first hit million-selling record started right at WDAS in Philadelphia.”

Related posts:
August 1968
"I Say a Little Prayer" by Aretha Franklin
"In-a-gadda-da-vida: by Iron Butterfly
"Piece of My Heart" by Brother and the Holding Company 

September 1968
"Fire!" by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
"Hey Jude" by the Beatles
"All Along the Watchtower" by the Jimi Hendrix Experience
"Bang-shang-a-lang" by the Archies

October 1968
"White Room" by Cream 
"Ride My See-Saw" by the Moody Blues
"Love Child" by Diana Ross and the Supremes
"Abraham, Martin & John" by Dion

November 1968
"For Once in my Life" by Stevie Wonder 
"Hang 'em High" by Booker T. & the MG's
"Hooked on a Feeling" by B. J. Thomas 
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye
"Everyday People" by Sly and the Family Stone

December 1968
"Going Up The Country" by Canned Heat
"Crimson and Clover" by Tommy James and the Shondells
"Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" by Bob Seger
"Touch Me" by the Doors

January 1969
"Build Me Up Buttercup" by the Foundations
"Games People Play" by Joe South
"I Got a Line on You" by Spirit
"Proud Mary" by  Credence Clearwater Revival

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