634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)
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"634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)" is a soul song written by Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper. It was first recorded by Wilson Pickett on December 20, 1965 [1] and included on his 1966 Atlantic Records album The Exciting Wilson Pickett with backing vocals by Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles. The single reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart and number 13 on the Hot 100 singles chart.[2]
Background[edit]
The phone number 634-5789 is a reference to the Marvelettes' 1962 hit "Beechwood 4-5789".[3]
Chart performance[edit]
| Chart (1966) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[4] | 36 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[5] | 13 |
| US Top Selling Rhythm & Blues Singles (Billboard)[6] | 1 |
Tina Turner version[edit]
| "634-5789" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Tina Turner - 6345-789.jpg | ||||
| Single by Tina Turner & Robert Cray | ||||
| from the album Tina Live in Europe | ||||
| B-side | "Help!" (Live) | |||
| Released | 1989 | |||
| Recorded | 1986 | |||
| Genre | Pop, Soul, Rock, R&B | |||
| Length | 3:05 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Eddie Floyd Steve Cropper | |||
| Producer(s) | John Hudson | |||
| Tina Turner singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Tina Turner recorded a live version of the track in 1986 as part of a segment in her Break Every Rule TV special, in which she interpreted classic soul songs with guitarist and singer Robert Cray, including "634-5789", Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and Wilson Pickett's "Land of a Thousand Dances" and "In the Midnight Hour". The four tracks were later included on her 1988 album Tina Live in Europe and "634-5789", sung as a duet with Cray, was also issued as a single in certain territories, reaching number 14 on the Dutch singles chart. The B-sides were "Private Dancer" and "Help!", both taken from the Tina Live in Europe album.
Chart performance[edit]
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] | 23 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] | 14 |
Other recordings[edit]
The song has also been recorded by: Otis Redding, Ry Cooder, Johnny Van Zant, Tower of Power, Trace Adkins, The Elgins and Rare Earth.
Popular culture[edit]
- Eddie Floyd, Wilson Pickett, and Jonny Lang appeared in the 1998 movie Blues Brothers 2000 and performed "634-5789". Floyd and Pickett played the proprietors of "Ed's Love Exchange" which, according to the storyline in the movie, could be reached at 1-900-634-5789 (a reference to phone sex lines).
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Second Hand Songs website
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 461.
- ^ "Single Stories: Wilson Pickett, "634-5789"". Rhino. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
- ^ "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 115.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 84.
- ^ "Tina Turner & Robert Cray – 634-5789" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- ^ "Tina Turner & Robert Cray – 634-5789" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
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