Slow Hand
Encyclopedia
Slow Hand is a ballad written by John Bettis
and Michael Clark and recorded by the Pointer Sisters. It was first released in the spring of 1981 as the advance single for Black & White
.
on lead - "Slow Hand" peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100
for 3 weeks, behind "Endless Love
" by Diana Ross
and Lionel Richie
. "Slow Hand" reached that position in August 1981 when it also reached #7 on the R&B chart. The Pointer Sisters' best Hot 100 showing would remain #2 throughout their career.
"Slow Hand" also afforded the Pointer Sisters international success, including the first appearance by the group in the UK Top 30 with a #10 peak.
The track was ranked in the top 25 best singles of the year by the prestigious Village Voice jazz & pop poll, demonstrating music critics' appreciation of the track.
, whose version peaked at #53 on the Hot Country Singles
chart.
. His version, on Elektra Records
, topped the Billboard
Hot Country Singles
chart for two weeks that June, and was his last multi-week number-one song.
John Bettis
John Bettis is an American lyricist who has co-written many famous popular songs over the years. In 2011, John was inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame....
and Michael Clark and recorded by the Pointer Sisters. It was first released in the spring of 1981 as the advance single for Black & White
Black & White (Pointer Sisters album)
Black & White is the eighth studio album by the Pointer Sisters, released in 1981 on the Planet label.-History:Black & White was their fourth record with producer Richard Perry and yielded the #2 pop hit "Slow Hand"...
.
Background/ Impact
Although its sultry style recalls the Pointer Sisters' first Top Ten hit: the 1978 #2 hit "Fire", "Slow Hand" was not written for the group; in fact John Bettis would state "the Pointer Sisters were the furthest [act] from [the composers'] minds." Like "Fire" - which also featured Anita PointerAnita Pointer
Anita Pointer is an American R&B/soul singer-songwriter and a member of The Pointer Sisters.-Biography:...
on lead - "Slow Hand" peaked at #2 on the 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...
for 3 weeks, behind "Endless Love
Endless Love (song)
"Endless Love" is a song written by Lionel Richie and originally recorded as a duet between Richie and fellow soul singer Diana Ross. In this ballad, the singers declare their "endless love" for one another. It was covered by soul singer Luther Vandross with R&B singer Mariah Carey and also by...
" by Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
and Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
. "Slow Hand" reached that position in August 1981 when it also reached #7 on the R&B chart. The Pointer Sisters' best Hot 100 showing would remain #2 throughout their career.
"Slow Hand" also afforded the Pointer Sisters international success, including the first appearance by the group in the UK Top 30 with a #10 peak.
The track was ranked in the top 25 best singles of the year by the prestigious Village Voice jazz & pop poll, demonstrating music critics' appreciation of the track.
Chart performance
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Music Report Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... |
5 |
| Canadian RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... Top Singles |
2 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
33 |
| French singles chart | 55 |
| Irish singles chart | 2 |
| New Zealand RIANZ singles | 6 |
| UK singles chart | 10 |
| US 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... |
2 |
| US Billboard R&B chart Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
7 |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary | 6 |
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Anita PointerAnita PointerAnita Pointer is an American R&B/soul singer-songwriter and a member of The Pointer Sisters.-Biography:...
- Background vocals by Ruth PointerRuth PointerRuth Pointer is an American R&B singer, best known for being the eldest member of The Pointer Sisters.-Early life:Pointer was born in Oakland, California. She began her vocal training as a director of a junior choir in her father's church.-The Pointer Sisters:Joining her sisters in 1972, the...
and June PointerJune PointerJune Antoinette Pointer Whitmore was an American Pop/R&B singer and was a founding member/and lead vocalist of the vocal group The Pointer Sisters.-Early life and career:... - Produced by Richard PerryRichard PerryRichard Perry is an American music producer. Perry began as a performer in his adolescence, but shifted gears after graduating college and rose through the late 1960s and early 1970s to become a highly successful and popular record producer with over a dozen gold records to his credit by 1982...
- Written by John BettisJohn BettisJohn Bettis is an American lyricist who has co-written many famous popular songs over the years. In 2011, John was inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame....
& James Bruce Clark (ASCAP listing)
Del Reeves version
The song was covered in 1981 by country singer Del ReevesDel Reeves
Franklin Delano Reeves , better known as Del Reeves, was an American country music singer, best known for his "girl-watching" novelty songs of the 1960s including "Girl on the Billboard" and "The Belles of Southern Bell"...
, whose version peaked at #53 on the Hot Country Singles
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart.
Conway Twitty version
The song was covered in 1982 by country singer Conway TwittyConway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
. His version, on Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
, topped the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Singles
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart for two weeks that June, and was his last multi-week number-one song.
Chart performance
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 6 |