How Long (Betcha Got a Chick on the Side)
Encyclopedia
"How Long" is a funk
classic by American
family girl group the Pointer Sisters
, released as the first single
from their Steppin'
album in 1975. The song's mixture of funky R&B
with the sisters' soulful
harmonies and melodies helped make this song a standout early song in the group's catalog. The song was a huge hit for the group, reaching number twenty on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
chart and becoming their first and only number-one single on the U.S. Hot Soul Singles chart, where it stayed for two weeks.
recorded a version of the song for his 1976 album Speak No Evil. The song's chorus would be sampled
famously by the hip hop
trio Salt-n-Pepa
a decade later on their 1986 song "Chick on the Side". Moreover, Queen Latifah
covered
the song for her 2007 album Trav'lin' Light
.
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
classic by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
family girl group the Pointer Sisters
Pointer Sisters
The Pointer Sisters are an American pop/R&B recording act from Oakland, California that achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. Spanning over three decades, their repertoire has included such diverse genres as pop, disco, jazz, bebop, blues, soul, funk, dance, country and rock.The...
, released as the first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from their Steppin'
Steppin'
Steppin' is the third studio album by the Pointer Sisters, released in 1975 on the ABC/Blue Thumb label.-History:Steppin, which was more R&B heavy than the sister quartet's previous albums, generated a number one R&B hit with its first single, "How Long ". It also peaked at #20 on the Billboard...
album in 1975. The song's mixture of funky R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
with the sisters' soulful
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
harmonies and melodies helped make this song a standout early song in the group's catalog. The song was a huge hit for the group, reaching number twenty on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart and becoming their first and only number-one single on the U.S. Hot Soul Singles chart, where it stayed for two weeks.
Cover versions
Buddy RichBuddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
recorded a version of the song for his 1976 album Speak No Evil. The song's chorus would be sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
famously by the hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
trio Salt-n-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa is an American hip hop trio from Queens and Brooklyn, New York, that was formed in 1985. The group, consisting of Cheryl "Salt" Renee James, Sandra "Pepa" Denton, and Deidra "DJ Spinderella" Roper, was one of the first all-female rap crews....
a decade later on their 1986 song "Chick on the Side". Moreover, Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
the song for her 2007 album Trav'lin' Light
Trav'lin' Light (Queen Latifah album)
Trav'lin' Light is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Queen Latifah, released in the United States on September 25, 2007 by Verve Records...
.
Chart positions
| Charts | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
20 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 1 (2) |