Yes We Can Can
Encyclopedia
"Yes We Can Can" is a 1973 funk
classic recorded by the American
R&B girl group
the Pointer Sisters
and released on the Blue Thumb record label
The song, written by Allen Toussaint
is a socially conscious one, featuring intricate background vocals by three of the sisters while Anita Pointer handled lead vocal duties.
Released in February 1973, the song became the Pointers' first hit single, reaching number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100
and number twelve on the Hot Soul Songs
chart.
on his album Yes We Can, released by Polydor in 1970.
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 recorded by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
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...
and released on the Blue Thumb record label
The song, written by Allen Toussaint
Allen Toussaint
Allen Toussaint is an American musician, composer, record producer, and influential figure in New Orleans R&B.Many of Toussaint's songs have become familiar through numerous cover versions, including "Working in the Coalmine", "Ride Your Pony", "Fortune Teller", "Play Something Sweet ", "Southern...
is a socially conscious one, featuring intricate background vocals by three of the sisters while Anita Pointer handled lead vocal duties.
Released in February 1973, the song became the Pointers' first hit single, reaching number eleven 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...
and number twelve on the Hot Soul Songs
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,...
chart.
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 Anita PointerAnita PointerAnita Pointer is an American R&B/soul singer-songwriter and a member of The Pointer Sisters.-Biography:...
, 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...
, Bonnie PointerBonnie PointerPatricia Eva "Bonnie" Pointer is an American R&B and disco singer, most notable for being the next-to-youngest member of the 1970s and 1980s family music group, The Pointer Sisters. She scored several moderate solo hits after leaving the Pointers in 1977, including a disco cover of The Elgins'...
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:... - Written by Allen ToussaintAllen ToussaintAllen Toussaint is an American musician, composer, record producer, and influential figure in New Orleans R&B.Many of Toussaint's songs have become familiar through numerous cover versions, including "Working in the Coalmine", "Ride Your Pony", "Fortune Teller", "Play Something Sweet ", "Southern...
- Produced by David Rubinson
- Instrumentation by various CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
musicians
Original Lee Dorsey version
The song was originally recorded as "Yes We Can", by Lee DorseyLee Dorsey
Lee Dorsey was an African American pop/R&B singer during the 1960s. Much of his work was produced by Allen Toussaint with instrumental backing provided by the Meters.-Career:...
on his album Yes We Can, released by Polydor in 1970.
Charts
| Chart (1973) | 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... |
11 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 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,... |
12 |
Other covers
- Mel & TimMel and TimMel and Tim were an American soul music duo active in the 1960s and early 1970s, and best known for the hit, "Backfield in Motion" . They are also well known for: "Hope, Life's Goal" and "Starting All Over Again" .-Career:...
, on the album Starting All Over Again in 1972. - José FelicianoJosé FelicianoJosé Feliciano is a Puerto Rican singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including the 1970 holiday single "Feliz Navidad".-Childhood:...
, on the album Compartments in 1973. - Rap group Treacherous ThreeTreacherous ThreeThe Treacherous Three was a pioneering hip hop group that was formed in 1978 and consisted of DJ Easy Lee, Kool Moe Dee, L.A. Sunshine, Special K and Spoonie Gee , with occasional contributions from DJ Dano B, DJ Reggie Reg and DJ Crazy Eddie...
as a single in 1982. - Alyson WilliamsAlyson Williams-Career:The daughter of bandleader / trumpeter Bobby Booker, she began her career by singing background vocals for various artists including, Curtis Hairston, Melba Moore , B. B. & Q. Band, Cashflow, Unlimited Touch, Bobby Brown and Barbara Mitchell before joining the group High Fashion, which also...
as a single (her first solo single after leaving Affair) in 1986. - Sly and RobbieSly and RobbieSly and Robbie is the prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production team of drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare who joined in the mid 1970s after having established themselves separately in Jamaica as professional musicians...
on the album Rhythm Killers in 1987. - Taral HicksTaral HicksTaral Hicks is an actress and musician.-Career:Hicks graduated in 1993 from Grace Dodge Vocational High School in Bronx, New York....
, Chantay SavageChantay SavageChantay Savage is an R&B/dance singer who found substantial success in the 1990s with "I Will Survive", in which she reworked the Gloria Gaynor disco anthem...
, LaShanda Reese and The Pointer Sisters recorded the song for the soundtrack The AssociateThe Associate (soundtrack)The Associate is the original motion picture soundtrack of the self-titled movie from 1996, starring Whoopi Goldberg, the winner of a Grammy, seven Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, a Tony, as well as an Oscar....
in 1996 - Allen ToussaintAllen ToussaintAllen Toussaint is an American musician, composer, record producer, and influential figure in New Orleans R&B.Many of Toussaint's songs have become familiar through numerous cover versions, including "Working in the Coalmine", "Ride Your Pony", "Fortune Teller", "Play Something Sweet ", "Southern...
, on the album Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album for the Gulf CoastOur New Orleans: A Benefit Album for the Gulf CoastOur New Orleans: A Benefit Album for the Gulf Coast is an album which presents songs recorded in September and October 2005, shortly after the failure of misdesigned levees flooded New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina With the destruction of their hometown fresh in their minds, New...
in 2005. - Harry Connick, Jr.Harry Connick, Jr.Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. is an American singer, big-band leader/conductor, pianist, actor, and composer. He has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top 60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with...
on the album Oh, My NOLAOh, My NOLAOh, My NOLA is an album from Harry Connick, Jr., with his big band. The album was released in 2007, and contains well-known songs associated with New Orleans, as well as 4 new songs composed by Connick, who sings and plays the piano, conducts, arranges and orchestrates the album.A portion of the...
in 2007. - Taylor HicksTaylor HicksTaylor Reuben Hicks is an American singer who achieved fame in 2006, when he won the fifth season of American Idol. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Southeastern United States for well over the span of a decade, during which he also released...
on the album The DistanceThe Distance (Taylor Hicks album)-Singles:*"What's Right Is Right" – peaked at No.24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks.*"Seven Mile Breakdown" - released May 4, 2009 to country radio.-Chart performance:...
in 2009. - Donnie McClurkinDonnie McClurkinDonald Andrew McClurkin, Jr. is an American gospel music singer and minister. He has won three Grammy awards, ten Stellar awards, two BET awards, two Soul Train awards, one Dove award and one NAACP Image award for his work....
on the album "Donnie McClurkin" in 1996. - Marc BroussardMarc BroussardMarc Broussard is an American singer/songwriter. His style is best described as "Bayou Soul," a mix of funk, blues, R&B, rock, and pop, matched with distinct Southern roots...
on the album "S.O.S.: Save Our Soul" in 2007. - Young-Holt UnlimitedYoung-Holt UnlimitedYoung-Holt Unlimited were an American soul and jazz instrumental musical ensemble from Chicago, Illinois.Drummer Isaac "Red" Holt and bassist Eldee Young, formerly members of Ramsey Lewis' jazz trio, formed a new outfit called the Young-Holt Trio with pianist Don Walker in 1966...
on the album Oh Girl in 1972.
External links
- [ Yes We Can Can - The Pointer Sisters] at Allmusic