Back Stabbers

Infobox Album | Name = Back Stabbers
Type = studio
Artist = The O'Jays


Released = August 1972
Recorded = 1972
Sigma Sound Studios
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Genre = Soul, Philadelphia soul
Length = 39:54
Label = Philadelphia International
KZ-31712
Producer = Gamble & Huff
Bunny Sigler
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:6jdovwmva9yk link]
*Robert Christgau (B+) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=the+o%27jays link]
*The Daily Vault (A) [http://www.dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=5381 link]
*"MusicHound" Rating|5|5 [http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/Current/A256.htm link]
*"Rolling Stone" (favorable) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theojays/albums/album/284045/review/5946350/back_stabbers 1972]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|4.5|5 [http://books.google.com/books?id=lRgtYCC6OUwC&pg=PA601&dq=rolling+stone+back+stabbers&sig=ACfU3U2ynqvbMcN8_Kzq9SbFcOnV7DjsfA 2004]
*Yahoo! Music (favorable) [http://music.yahoo.com/read/review/12030124 link]
Last album = "The O'Jays in Philadelphia"
(1969)
This album = "Back Stabbers"
(1972)
Next album = "Ship Ahoy"
(1973)

"Back Stabbers" is a studio album by Philadelphia soul group The O'Jays, released in August of 1972 on Philadelphia International Records. [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/436121 Discogs.com: O'Jays, The - Back Stabbers] . Discogs. Retrieved on 2008-08-23.] Recording sessions for the album took place at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1972. [ [http://www.tower.com/details/details.cfm?wapi=106693942 Tower.com: Back Stabbers (CD) by The O'Jays (Artist) Music: CD] . Tower.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-23.] "Back Stabbers" was a breakthrough album for the group, reaching the top 10 of the Billboard Pop Albums chart and selling over 500,000 copies within a year of release. It also featured two of their most successful singles, "Back Stabbers" and "Love Train", which hit number one on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. On September 1, 1972, the title track was certified as a gold single by the Recording Industry Association of America. The following year, on May 8, "Back Stabbers" was also certified gold in sales by the RIAA. [ [http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS RIAA Searchable Database: Back Stabbers] . Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved on 2008-08-23.] It has gained the reputation as a landmark album of early 1970s soul and has been cited by critics as "the pinnacle of Philly soul." [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=lRgtYCC6OUwC&pg=PA601&dq=rolling+stone+back+stabbers&sig=ACfU3U2ynqvbMcN8_Kzq9SbFcOnV7DjsfA The New Rolling Stone Album Guide ... - Google Book Search: Back Stabbers p. 601] . Simon and Schuster. Retrieved on 2008-08-23.] RS500|318 [ [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6599210/318_back_stabbers 318) Back Stabbers - The O'Jays] . Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2008-08-23.]

Track listing

"All songs written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, except where noted." [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:6jdovwmva9yk allmusic ((( Back Stabbers > Overview )))] . All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved on 2008-08-23.]

ide one

# "When the World's at Peace" (Gamble, Hurtt, Sigler) – 5:18
# "Back Stabbers" (Huff, McFadden, Whitehead) – 3:06
# "Who Am I " (Hurtt, Sigler) – 5:11
# "(They Call Me) Mr. Lucky" – 3:19
# "Time to Get Down" – 2:52

ide two

# "992 Arguments" (Gamble, Huff, McFadden) – 6:06
# "Listen to the Clock on the Wall" (Gamble, Huff, McFadden) – 3:46
# "Shiftless, Shady, Jealous Kind of People" (Gamble, Huff, McFadden) – 3:36
# "Sunshine" (Hurtt, Sigler) – 3:42
# "Love Train" – 2:58

Chart history

Album

ingles

Personnel

Musicians

*The O'Jays - Vocals
*Dennis Harris - Guitar
*Bobby Eli - Guitar
*Roland Chambers - Guitar
*Bunny Sigler - Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Producer
*Norman Harris - Arranger, Guitar
*Ron Baker - Bass
*Eddie LeVert - Vocals
*William Powell - Vocals
*Walter Williams - Vocals
*Lenny Pakula - Keyboards
*Leon Huff - Keyboards, Producer, Piano
*Earl Young - Drums
*Don Renaldo - Conductor, Horn, Strings
*Thom Bell - Arranger, Strings, Producer
*Larry Washington - Bongos, Percussion
*Vincent Montana Jr - Percussion, Vibraphone

Additional personnel

*Kenneth Gamble - Producer
*Tony Martell - Executive Producer
*Adam Block - Director
*Joe Tarsia - Engineer
*Leo Sacks - Reissue Producer
*Tony Sellari - Art Direction
*Bobby Martin - Arranger

References

External links

* [http://oldies.about.com/od/70spopandsoul/p/ojays.htm The O'Jays Profile] at About.com
* [http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/Current/A256.htm Acclaimed Music profile - Back Stabbers: Ratings, Best of All-time Lists, Best of Decade Lists, etc.]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVC2j_Kdw8c The O'Jays "Back Stabbers" on Soul Train] at YouTube