"You Haven't Done Nothin" is a 1974 funk single by Stevie Wonder, taken from his album Fulfillingness' First Finale and featuring background vocals by the Jackson 5. The politically aware song became Wonder's fourth Number-1 pop hit and his tenth Number-1 soul hit.[2] It also reached Number 1 in Canada.[3] In the UK the single spent five weeks on the chart, peaking at Number 30.[4]
| "You Haven't Done Nothin'" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Front cover (Netherlands issue) | ||||
| Single by Stevie Wonder | ||||
| from the album Fulfillingness' First Finale | ||||
| B-side | "Big Brother" | |||
| Released | August 7, 1974 | |||
| Genre | Funk rock[1] | |||
| Length | 3:29 | |||
| Label | Tamla Motown | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Stevie Wonder | |||
| Stevie Wonder singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Official audio | ||||
| "You Haven't Done Nothin'" on YouTube | ||||
Background
editThe song was one of his angriest political statements and was aimed directly at President Richard Nixon, who resigned two days after the record's release. The Jackson Five provided backing vocals, singing the words "Doo da wop!" during the chorus after Wonder sings "Jackson 5, join along with me, say".[5] The song also features a thick clavinet track and an early appearance of the drum machine. The B-side "Big Brother", also a political statement, was taken from Wonder's 1972 album Talking Book.
Billboard described "You Haven't Done Nothin'" as being "exceptionally powerful" and more subtle than most protest songs, particularly praising the synthesiser arrangement and the vocal performance.[6] Cash Box called it a "super track filled with the memories of the great 'Superstition' a while back" and said that "musically, horns, keyboards, bass and guitar highlight and vocally, aside from Stevie's magic, the Jackson 5 is right in there on 'doo wops.'"[7] Record World called it "a message song to end them all" in which Wonder "deals directly with those who'd only promise their way to a better world."[8]
Personnel
edit- Stevie Wonder – lead vocal, Hohner clavinet, bass drum, hi-hat, cymbal
- Reggie McBride – electric bass
- The Jackson 5 – background vocals
- Robert Margouleff and Malcolm Cecil – synthesizers
- Horns, drum machine – uncredited
Covers
edit- Roger Daltrey covered the song on his 2018 album As Long as I Have You.[9]
References
edit- ^ Lewis, John (2005). "Stevie Wonder - Fulfillingness' First Finale". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 317.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 635.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1974-10-26. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
- ^ "You Have't Done Nothin': full Official Chart History". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
- ^ Bronson, Fred (October 1, 2003). Billboard Book of Number One Hits (5th ed.). Billboard Books. ISBN 978-0823-0767-72.
- ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. August 3, 1974. p. 54. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. August 10, 1974. p. 20. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. August 3, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
- ^ "As Long as I Have You - Roger Daltrey | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
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