Who's Making Love

"Who's Making Love"
Single by Johnnie Taylor
from the album Who's Making Love...
STS-2005
B-side "I'm Trying"
Released October 1968 (1968)
Recorded 1968
Genre Memphis soul
Length 2:47
Label Stax
STA-0009
Writer(s) Homer Banks
Bettye Crutcher
Don Davis
Raymond Jackson
Producer(s) Don Davis

"Who's Making Love" is a song written by Stax Records staffers Homer Banks, Bettye Crutcher, Don Davis and Raymond Jackson and recorded by singer Johnnie Taylor.

Released on the Stax label in the late summer of 1968, it became Taylor's breakthrough single, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot R&B singles chart and number five on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] It became one of the few singles Taylor would become primarily known for in the mainstream. The song featured the Stax house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, and Isaac Hayes (on keyboards). It was Taylor's best-selling single before the release of "Disco Lady" almost a decade later.

According to Bettye Crutcher, the lyrics were inspired by the 1920s novelty song "Who Takes Care of the Caretaker's Daughter (While the Caretaker's Busy Taking Care)".[2]

Chart positions

Chart (1967-68) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 5
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B singles 1

Cover versions

Tony Joe White covered the song on his 1968 album Black and White. The Blues Brothers released a cover version as a single in 1980, which reached number 39 on the US charts. Latvian Blues Band released a cover version on their live album Live at the Dream Factory 2013.

References

  1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 568.
  2. Rob Bowman, Soulsville, U.S.A.: The Story of Stax Records, p.163
Preceded by
"Hey, Western Union Man" by Jerry Butler
Billboard Hot R&B Singles number-one single
November 23, 1968 – December 7, 1968 (three weeks)
Succeeded by
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye
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