Shakey Ground
| "Shakey Ground" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
German release picture sleeve | ||||
| Single by the Temptations | ||||
| from the album A Song for You | ||||
| B-side | "I'm a Bachelor" | |||
| Released | February 1975 | |||
| Recorded | 1974 | |||
| Studio | Motown Recording Studios in Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Length | 3:11 | |||
| Label | Gordy | |||
| Songwriters | Jeffrey Bowen Alphonso Boyd Eddie Hazel | |||
| Producers | Jeffrey Bowen, Berry Gordy | |||
| The Temptations singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Shakey Ground" is a 1975 R&B single by the Temptations. It was co-written by Funkadelic guitarist Eddie Hazel, who plays lead guitar on the song. Funkadelic bassist Billy "Bass" Nelson also plays on the song.
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Dennis Edwards
- Background vocals by Damon Harris, Richard Street, Melvin Franklin and Otis Williams
- Guitar by Eddie Hazel
- Bass by Billy Bass Nelson
- Soprano saxophone by Donald Charles Baldwin
- Instrumentation by various Los Angeles studio musicians
Chart history
"Shakey Ground" was the last by the group to reach the number-one spot on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart: the song also crossed over to the pop chart, reaching number twenty-six on the Billboard Hot 100.[1]
| Chart (1975) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 26 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 1 |
Notable cover versions
The song has been covered by many artists. Among the most famous versions are ones by Phoebe Snow who recorded a "rousing" version of it for her 1976 album It Looks Like Snow,[2] and Etta James who recorded it for her 1988 album Seven Year Itch. The Red Hot Chili Peppers released it as a single in 2000.
References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 572.
- ^ "Talent in Action". Billboard. December 3, 1977. p. 40.