Brick House is a song from the Commodores' 1977 self-titled album (released as Zoom in the UK). The single peaked at #5 in the U.S. and #32 in the UK pop charts.
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In 1977, the Commodores were in the studio recording when there was a problem with the equipment. While the tapes were being repaired and replaced, the group took a break. Ronald LaPread, the group's bass player, began jamming. Bit by bit the rest of the band joined in until they came up with a track and bass line. Upon returning, James Carmichael, the Commodores' producer, heard and recognized that this could be a song worth recording. He asked everyone to see if they could use the riff to come up with a song. Taking the tapes home, William King played them for his wife, Shirley Hanna-King. While he slept she was inspired to write lyrics for the riff, modifying the expression "built like a brick shithouse" for the song.
The following day King sang the lyrics to "Brick House" to the band, allowing them to think he had written it. They loved it and decided that drummer Walter "Clyde" Orange had the funky voice to sing lead vocals, and the song went on the new album.
It took several years before the Commodores discovered that it was actually Shirley Hanna-King who had written the lyrics, and although not originally credited, the band has publicly acknowledged her as the song's writer.
This song always takes me back to my college days in 1977. This song was played at every single dance, and the band would get all the girls to stand up in front of the stage and "break it down" to this song.
ReplyDeleteLionel Ritchie was the lead singer for the Commodores at the time, BUT the lead vocalist on the song is their drummer, Walter Orange. Ritchie sang backup on it.
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