"Betcha by Golly, Wow" | ||||
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Single by The Stylistics | ||||
from the album The Stylistics | ||||
B-side | "Ebony Eyes" | |||
Released | February 17, 1972 | |||
Format | 7" single | |||
Genre | Soul, Philly soul | |||
Length | 3:48 (album version) 3:17 (single edit) |
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Label | Avco | |||
Writer(s) | Thom Bell, Linda Creed | |||
Producer(s) | Thom Bell | |||
The Stylistics singles chronology | ||||
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"Betcha by Golly Wow!" | ||||
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UK CD single
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Single by Prince | ||||
from the album Emancipation | ||||
B-side | "Right Back Here in My Arms" | |||
Released | November 13, 1996 | |||
Format |
Cassette single CD single |
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Recorded | Paisley Park Studios, 1995 | |||
Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 3:30 | |||
Label | NPG/EMI | |||
Writer(s) | Linda Creed, Thom Bell | |||
Producer(s) | Prince | |||
Prince singles chronology | ||||
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"Betcha by Golly, Wow" is a song written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed that was originally recorded by Connie Stevens as "Keep Growing Strong" on the Bell Records label in 1970. The composition later scored a hit when it was released by the Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics in 1972.
An R&B ballad, it was the third track from The Stylistics' 1971 debut self-titled album and was released as a single in 1972 and reached number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.Billboard ranked it as the No. 18 song for 1972. In addition, it also climbed to number 2 on the Billboard R&B chart and reached number number 13 on the UK Singles Chart in July 1972. The Stylistics' recording sold over one million copies globally, earning the band a gold disc The award was presented by the RIAA on April 17, 1972. It was the band's second gold disc. There are two mixes of the song—the 3:17 version released as a single is the one most familiar to listeners, while the 3:48 album version has an instrumental break prior to the song's finale.
Another cover version was released by Prince (his stage name at that time being a symbol with no known pronunciation, see cover art) on his 1996 album Emancipation. Prince had stated that he always wanted to release a cover version but his record company, Warner Bros. Records, had not permitted it. The CD single was released in two formats in the UK, one with a picture sleeve and one with an orange cardboard sleeve that included a picture disc and a mini-poster. The song was also issued on cassette. All versions of the single had "Right Back Here in My Arms" as the B-side. Both tracks were the album version. The track was released as a promotional single in the US, a music video was also produced.