336 Hello Chaka Khan - I'm Every Woman

Chart  entered : 2  December  1978

Chart  peak : 11  ( 8  in  remixed  form  in  1989 )

Number  of  hits : 13

Ms  Khan  was  born   Yvette  Stevens  to  a  Catholic  family  in  Chicago  in  1953. She  became  Chaka  Karifi  during  a  teenage  flirtation  with  the  Black  Panthers. After  dropping  out  of  school  she  did  some  singing  with  a  group  called  Lyfe  that  included  her  future  husband  Hassan  Khan. She  also  had  a  brief  spell  as  part  of  a  group  called  Goliath  , formed  from  the  remnants  of Baby  Huey  and  the  Babysitters  in  1970. She  was  rescued  from  local  obscurity  by  her  friend  Paulette  McWilliams  the  singer  with  a  soul  band  called  Rufus  who  had  decided  to  quit  and  recommended  that  Chaka  replace  her  in  1972.

Her  first  recording  with  the  group  was  the  single  "Slip'n'Slide" in  March  1973  , a  frantic  gospel  soul  number  written  by  keyboard  player  Rob  Stockert  ( hence  the  bonkers  piano break ). Chaka  is  restricted  to  the  gospel  backing  vocals. She  took  the  lead  on  the  next  two  singles   "Whoever's  Thrilling  You"  , a  slow  brewing   sultry  number  written  by  Allen  Toussaint  and "Feel  Good "  a  Stevie  Wonder-ish  funk  number. Both  made  an  impression  on  the  R &B  chart  but  didn't  help  sales  of  the  parent  album "Rufus".

Their  breakthrough came  with  the  next  single  "Tell  Me  Something  Good", a  Stevie  Wonder  song  released  in  May  1974. The  backing  sounds  like  Nutbush  City  Limits   played  at  half-speed   with  added  Heil  talk  box  interjections  but  Chaka  works  up  a  steam  with  her  Arethra  Franklin  like  vocal. It  reached  number  3  in  the  charts   and  won  a  Grammy.  Chaka  was  now  a  star  and  the  next  single  "You  Got  The  Love" was  credited  to "Rufus  featuring  Chaka  Khan".  It  was  written  by  Chaka  herself  in  partnership  with  Ray  Parker  Junior  and  is  a  gritty  urban  funk  number. It  reached  number  11 and  the  success  of  these  two  singles  helped  the  parent  album "Rags  To  Rufus"  become  their  highest  charting  LP.

Their  next  single  in  February  1975  was  "Once  You  Get  Started"  written  by  Gavin  Christopher, another  funk  number  with  frantic  guitar  and  Chaka  given  herself  free  range  to  wail  all  over  the  track. It  reached  number  10.  The  softer  Philly-flavoured  "Please  Pardon  Me"  written  by  Brenda  Russell   reached  number  48. The  album  "Rufusized"  reached  number  7. In December  1975  the  mellow  soul  of  "Sweet  Thing"  written  by  Chaka  and  guitarist  Tony  Malden  got  to  number  five  .

Thereafter  their  chart  positions  fell  away  somewhat. Although  their  next  album  "Rufus  featuring  Chaka  Khan" also  reached  number  7  the  tuneless  funk  number  "Dance  Wit  Me "  stalled  at  number  39  and  their  stodgy  version  of  "Jive  Talkin"  missed  out  altogether.   The  first  single  from  the  next  album  ("Ask  Rufus "which  reached  number  12 )  the  not  particularly  commercial  loose  funk  number  "At  Midnight"  got  to  number  30.  The  mellow  jazzy  "Hollywood"  reached  number  32  but  the  spiky  "Everlasting  Love  " missed  out.

By  this  time  tension  between  the  group  and  their  star  frontwoman  was  escalating . Drummer  Andreas  Fischer  had  been  involved  in  a  physical  fight  with  Chaka's  new  husband  Richard  Holland  during  the  album  sessions  and  he  quit  the  group  at  the  end  of  the  tour.   The  first  single  from  the  next  album  ( "Street  Player" , number  14  )  the  thoughtful  soul  of  "Stay"  which  Chaka  sings  in  a  lower  register  for  the  most  part  got  to  number  38  but  the rather  bland  "Blue  Love"  didn't  make  the  Top  100.

Chaka  then  announced  that  she  had  a  solo  deal  with  Warner  Brothers  although  she  had  no  intention  of  quitting  the  group.  Her  first  solo activity  was  providing  some  uncredited  vocals  on  Quincy  Jones's  single  "Stuff  Like  That   ( a  UK  number  34  hit  in  July  1978 ). Also  singing  on  the  single  were  Ashford  and  Simpson  who  provided  Chaka  with  this  song  for  her  debut  LP.

"I'm  Every  Woman"  heralded  a  more  disco  direction  for  the  solo  Chaka  with  a  dramatic  string  arrangement from  Arif  Mardin  and  up  front  Chic  dance  beat. Chaka  declares  herself  a  Superwoman  with  a  vocal  performance  to  match,  aided  by  Cissy  Houston  whose  daughter  would  later  cover  the  song. Its  success was  helped  by  a  memorable  video  featuring  five  distinctively  dressed  Chakas  grooving   together , one  of   them  locked  in a  desperate  battle  to  stop  her  left boob  escaping.  Despite her  track  record  it  was  a  smaller  hit  in  the  US  peaking  at  21.