Be Thankful for What You Got
| "Be Thankful for What You Got" | |
|---|---|
| Single by William DeVaughn | |
| from the album Be Thankful for What You Got | |
| Released | 1974 |
| Recorded | 1972 |
| Genre | Soul |
| Length | 7:12 |
| Label | Roxbury Records |
| Writer(s) | William DeVaughn |
| Producer(s) | Frank Fioravanti, John Davis |
| "Be Thankful for What You've Got" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Lipbone Redding | |
| from the album Science of Bootyism EP | |
| Released | April 21, 2009 |
| Format | CD |
| Genre | Soul |
| Length | 5:10 6:12 (long version) |
| Writer(s) | William DeVaughn |
| Producer(s) | Jeff Eyrich for Lipbone Redding |
"Be Thankful for What You Got" is a soul song written and first performed by William DeVaughn.
DeVaughn wrote "A Cadillac Don't Come Easy" eventually re-written to become "Be Thankful for What You Got" in 1972, and spent $900 toward its development to Omega Sound (a Philadelphia production house). The producers at Omega (Frank Fioravanti and sax player/ MFSB session group member, John Davis) decided to go for a strong groove with a smooth, almost jazzy arrangement, eventually booking time to record at Sigma Sound Studio in Philadelphia.
The session featured members of the MFSB group — guitarist Norman Harris, drummer Earl Young, bassist Ron Baker, and vibist Vince Montana — secured by Allan Felder, who also developed the separate ad lib back-up chorus with his sister's vocal choir.[The B-Side of the single entitled "Diamond in the Back" was the same title adopted by Ludacris 2004] Frank Fioravanti could have released the record on the company's own label Sound Gems, but it was just starting out and instead secured its release on the Roxbury Records record label, run by producer-songwriter Wes Farrell.
The record sold nearly two million copies on its release in spring 1974, reaching #1 on the U.S. R&B charts and #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. With a sound and content influenced by Curtis Mayfield (and often erroneously attributed to him), its simple and encouraging lyrics hit home, to the extent that it became featured on gospel radio stations.
The edited version, which is the first part of the song, became a hit. The other half of the song is a longer instrumental with the repeated chords and rhythm before the final chorus comes in. The song is seven minutes long and radio stations preferred the sung portions over the instrumental portions.
DeVaughn's second album Figures Can't Calculate (TEC, 1980) included a remake.
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Wikipedia