Brick House (song)

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This article is about the Commodores song. For other uses, see Brick House.
"Brick House"
Brick House by Commodores US 12-inch vinyl.png
US 12-inch vinyl single
Single by the Commodores
from the album Commodores
B-side"Captain Quick Draw"
ReleasedAugust 26, 1977
Recorded1977
GenreFunk
Length3:37
LabelMotown
Songwriter(s)Lionel Richie, Milan Williams, Walter Orange, Ronald LaPread, Thomas McClary, William King, Shirley Hanna-King [lyrics, uncredited]
Producer(s)James Anthony Carmichael and the Commodores

"Brick House" is a song from the Commodores' 1977 self-titled album (released as Zoom in the UK). The single peaked at number 5 in the U.S. and number 32 in the UK Singles Chart.[1]

Creation and recording[]

In 1977, the Commodores were in the studio recording, when there was a problem with the equipment. While the equipment was being repaired and replaced, the group took a break. Ronald LaPread, the group's bass player, began jamming. Bit by bit, the rest of the band joined in until they came up with a track and bass line. Upon returning, James Carmichael, the Commodores' producer, heard and recognized that this could be a song worth recording. He asked everyone to see if they could use the riff to come up with a song. Taking the tapes home, William King played them for his wife, Shirley Hanna-King. While he slept, she was inspired to write lyrics for the riff, modifying the expression "built like a brick shithouse" for the song.[2]

The following day King sang the lyrics to "Brick House" to the band, allowing them to think he had written it. They loved it and decided that drummer Walter "Clyde" Orange had the funky voice to sing lead vocals, (as opposed to Lionel Richie, who usually sang lead), and the song went on the new album.

It took several years before the other members of the group discovered that it was actually Shirley Hanna-King who had written the lyrics, and although she was not originally credited, the band has publicly acknowledged her as the song's writer.[3]

Charts[]

Chart (1977) Peak
position
Canada RPM Top Singles 24
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[4] 15
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[5] 2
UK Singles (OCC)[6] 32
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 5
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[8] 4

References[]

  1. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 116/7. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ^ Maria Granditsky (1996-11-28). "Miss Funkyflyy's Lionel Richie Interview". Hem.bredband.net. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  3. ^ Songfacts. "Brick House by Commodores - Songfacts". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  4. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Commodores – Brick House" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  5. ^ "Charts.nz – Commodores – Brick House". Top 40 Singles.
  6. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  7. ^ "Commodores Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. ^ "Commodores Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.

External links[]

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