"I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down" is a song written by Memphis-based songwriter Earl Randle, and first recorded in 1972 by soul singer Ann Peebles. The song was also a hit in 1984 for English singer Paul Young.
| "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Ann Peebles | ||||
| from the album I Can't Stand the Rain | ||||
| B-side | "One Way Street" | |||
| Released | January 1973 | |||
| Recorded | 1972 | |||
| Length | 2:55 | |||
| Label | Hi | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Earl Randle | |||
| Producer(s) | Willie Mitchell | |||
| Ann Peebles singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Paul Young | |
| from the album The Secret of Association | |
| B-side | "One Step Forward" |
| Released | October 1984 (UK) August 1985 (US) |
| Recorded | 1984 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 5:05 (album version) 4:39 (single version) |
| Label | Columbia |
| Songwriter(s) | Earl Randle |
| Producer(s) | Laurie Latham |
Ann Peebles version edit
Produced by Willie Mitchell and with performances by the Hi Rhythm Section, Ann Peebles' recording was made at the Royal Studios on South Lauderdale Avenue in Memphis.[1] It was issued as a single on the Hi label in January 1973.[2] It reached no.31 on the US R&B chart,[3] and "bubbled under" the Hot 100, reaching no.111.[4] The track was also included on her 1974 album I Can't Stand the Rain.
Writer Craig Werner said:[5]
Like the most powerful gospel soul from the early sixties, "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down" serves notice on a cheating lover (white America? the brothers in the Black Panther movement?) that the free ride has come to an end. It's a restatement of the revolutionary gospel anthem "Samson and Delilah," and the message, on every level, is the same: "If I had my way, I would tear this building down."
Later versions edit
- The song was later recorded by Graham Parker and the Rumour on their 1977 album Stick to Me.
- A cover version by Paul Young reached no. 9 on the UK singles chart in 1984, and no.13 on the Billboard Hot 100 when re-released the following year.[4][6] It was included on Young's album The Secret of Association (1985).
Samples edit
- The Ann Peebles' version of "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down" was sampled in the track "The Plan" by Wu-Tang Clan affiliated group Sunz of Man on their album The Last Shall Be First (1998).
Charts edit
Ann Peebles
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[7] | 11 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[8] | 31 |
Paul Young
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] | 25 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10] | 11 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[11] | 19 |
| France (IFOP)[12] | 28 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[13] | 8 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] | 12 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] | 17 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] | 18 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[17] | 9 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[18] | 14 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] | 13 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[20] | 9 |
| West Germany (Official German Charts)[21] | 37 |
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[22] | 16 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[20] | 88 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[23] | 13 |
| US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard)[24] | 12 |
| US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[25] | 8 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[26] | 60 |
References edit
- ^ Miss Funkyflyy, "Ann Peebles Bio (part 2)". Retrieved June 29, 2014
- ^ 45cat.com. Retrieved June 29, 2014
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995. Record Research. p. 344.
- ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles 1955-2002 (1st ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 783. ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
- ^ Werner, Craig (2006). A Change is Gonna Come: Music, Race & the Soul of America (1st ed.). p. 181. ISBN 9780472031474.
- ^ SecondhandSongs.com. Retrieved June 29, 2014
- ^ "Ann Peebles Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Ann Peebles Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Paul Young – I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
- ^ "InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque artiste commençant par Y". Infodisc.fr. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down". Irish Singles Chart.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Paul Young" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ "Paul Young – I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Paul Young – I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Paul Young – I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down". VG-lista.
- ^ "Paul Young – I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down". Singles Top 100.
- ^ "Paul Young – I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^ a b "Paul Young: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Paul Young – I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0596." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "Paul Young Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Paul Young Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ "Paul Young Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Paul Young Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
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