Lowdown (Boz Scaggs song)
| "Lowdown" | |
|---|---|
 A US vinyl reissue | |
| Single by Boz Scaggs | |
| from the album Silk Degrees | |
| B-side | "Harbor Lights" |
| Released | June 1976 |
| Genre | |
| Length |
|
| Label | Columbia |
| Songwriter(s) | |
YouTube | |
"Lowdown" is a song originally recorded in 1976 by Boz Scaggs from his album Silk Degrees. The song was co-written by Scaggs and keyboardist David Paich. Paich, along with fellow "Lowdown" session musicians bassist David Hungate and drummer Jeff Porcaro, would later go on to form the band Toto.
Release and reaction
Initially, Columbia, sent the song to other R&B-oriented radio stations for airplay.
It broke big on
R&B
and disco charts, peaking at number five on both. The song was also a major hit in Canada, peaking at number two. It was a minor hit in the UK, topping out at #28.
Scaggs is quoted as saying that the success of "Lowdown" was "an accident" and that, even though it was their favorite from Silk Degrees, he and the others involved in the making of the song thought there "wasn't a chance in hell" that it would be released as a single.RIAA for sales of one million copies and would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song at the 19th Annual Grammy Awards.
Renditions
- In 1996 Scaggs recorded an unplugged jazz version for his Fade into Light album.[6]
- In 2001 saxophonist Jimmy Sommers recorded a smooth jazz arrangement with rapper Coolio on background vocals. The song was released on his album 360 Urban Groove.[7][8]
- In 2020, the English band Disclosure has sampled Lowdown in their track Expressing What Matters.[9]
Usage in film
- "Lowdown" plays in a singles bar in the 1977 American crime drama film Looking for Mr. Goodbar.
- "Lowdown" is heard in the David Fincher 2007 American mystery thriller movie Zodiac, in the diner scene depicting real life character Robert "Bob" Graysmith telling Inspector Dave Toschi what he knew about the Zodiac Killer.[10]
- "Lowdown" plays out the end credits to William Friedkin's 2023 adaptation of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.
Chart performance
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Personnel
 |
- Boz Scaggs – lead vocals, guitar
- ARP synthesizer, Minimoog, Hammond organ
- Fred Tackett – guitar
- Louis Shelton – guitar
- David Hungate – bass
- Jeff Porcaro – drums
- Carolyn Willis– backing vocals
- Marty McCall – backing vocals
- Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals
- Augie Johnson – backing vocals
- Joe Wissert – producer
References
- ^ Pearson, Paul (June 7, 2007). "Boz Scaggs, Silk Degrees (1976)". PopMatters. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
- About.com. 2013-07-16. Archived from the originalon 2012-01-21. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
- ^ "Yachtski Sacle".
- ^ Molanphy, Chris (July 31, 2021). "What a Fool Believes Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
- ^ a b Stoute, Lenny. "Lucky numbers". The Star. Toronto.
- ^ "Boz Scaggs - Fade into Light Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- Allmusic.com.
- ^ "Jimmy Sommers Bio". JimmySommers.com. Archived from the original on 2010-05-02. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
- ^ "Disclosure Sample Boz Scaggs on 'Expressing What Matters'". Rolling Stone. 26 February 2020.
- ^ "Lowdown by Boz Scaggs Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Archived from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Forum - 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2016-06-02. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1976-10-02. Retrieved 2018-11-24.
- ^ "Flavour of New Zealand, 22 October 1976". Archived from the original on 23 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
- ^ "Adult Contemporary Music Chart". Billboard. 1976-09-18. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 10/02/76". 2 April 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
- ^ "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on March 19, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
External links
- "Lowdown" (1996 re-recording) on YouTube
- "Lowdown" (live, 1977) on YouTube
