"When Will I See You Again" | ||||
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Single by The Three Degrees | ||||
from the album The Three Degrees | ||||
B-side | "I Didn't Know" | |||
Released | September 27, 1974 | |||
Recorded | 1973 | |||
Genre | Soul, R&B | |||
Length | 3:00 | |||
Label | Philadelphia International Records | |||
Writer(s) | Gamble and Huff | |||
Producer(s) | Gamble and Huff | |||
The Three Degrees singles chronology | ||||
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"When Will I See You Again" | ||||
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Single by Brother Beyond | ||||
from the album Trust | ||||
Released | 1989 | |||
Recorded | 1989 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:34 | |||
Label | Parlophone | |||
Brother Beyond singles chronology | ||||
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"When Will I See You Again" is a song released in 1974 by American soul group The Three Degrees, from their third album The Three Degrees. The song was written and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Sheila Ferguson sang the lead, accompanied by Fayette Pinkney and Valerie Holiday.
It was one of the most successful recordings of the "Philly Soul" era. In the U.S., the song reached number one on the adult contemporary chart, number two on the pop singles chart, and number four on the R&B chart in the autumn of 1974. In the UK, it fared even better, spending two weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart in August 1974. The Three Degrees performed the song at Prince Charles' 30th birthday party at Buckingham Palace in 1978.
Sheila Ferguson recalled that "the song was played to me by Kenny Gamble at the piano in 1973 and I threw a tantrum. I screamed and yelled and said I would never sing it. I thought it was ridiculously insulting to be given such a simple song and that it took no talent to sing it. We did do it and several million copies later, I realized that he knew more than me." She would later have a #60 hit with a solo remake of the track in 1994. The song is unique in that every sentence is a question, heightening the overall effect and emotion. In the film Kill Bill: Volume 2, Bill cites this song as his "favorite soul song of the 70s".