Be Thankful for What You Got#Massive Attack version

{{Short description|Song by William DeVaughn}}

{{more citations needed|date=February 2021}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Be Thankful for What You Got

| cover = Be_Thankful_for_What_You_Got_-_William_DeVaughn.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = William DeVaughn

| album = Be Thankful for What You Got

| B-side = Be Thankful for What You Got, Part 2

| released = March 1974{{cite web|title=Record Details|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/brb00236|publisher=45cat|website=45cat.com|accessdate=30 November 2017}}

| recorded = 1972

| studio = Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

| venue =

| genre =

| length = {{ubl|{{Duration|m=7|s=12}} (album version)|{{Duration|m=3|s=25}} (single edit)

}}

| label = Roxbury Records

| writer = William DeVaughn

| producer = Frank Fioravanti, John Davis

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = Blood Is Thicker than Water

| next_year = 1974

}}

"Be Thankful for What You Got" (also noted in some publications as "Be Thankful for What You've Got") is a soul song written and first performed by William DeVaughn. The record sold nearly two million copies on its release in spring of 1974, reaching #1 on the U.S. R&B charts and #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2021, it was listed at No. 374 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".{{Cite magazine |date=2021-09-15 |title=The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-1224767/ |access-date=2022-07-05 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}

The song is noted for its repeated line: "Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin' the scene with a gangsta lean", which has been sampled and interpolated in many songs.

Background

DeVaughn wrote "A Cadillac Don't Come Easy", eventually re-written to become "Be Thankful for What You Got" in 1972, and spent $900 toward it under a development agreement, under which an artist will record a few initial demos or tracks where, if successfully approved, the company may reserve the right to extend the arrangement to Omega Sound, a Philadelphia production house, and release the song.

The session featured members of the MFSB group — guitarist Norman Harris, drummer Earl Young, bassist Rusty Jackman, vibist Vince Montana and conga player Larry Washington — secured by Allan Felder, who also developed the separate ad lib back-up chorus with his sister's vocal choir. John Davis provided the electric Keyboard. Frank Fioravanti then secured the song's release on the Roxbury Records record label, run by producer-songwriter Wes Farrell.

With a sound and content influenced by Curtis Mayfield (and often erroneously attributed to him),{{Citation|title=Curtis Mayfield - Diamond in the Back|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVANQheoRUw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/ZVANQheoRUw| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2021-07-19}}{{cbignore}} its simple and encouraging lyrics hit home, to the extent that it became featured on urban gospel radio stations. In the lyrics, DeVaughn sings that you may not have a Cadillac or any car at all. But you should still be "thankful for what you got."

The edited version, which is the first part of the song, became a hit. The other half of the song is a longer instrumental with the repeated chords and rhythm before the final chorus comes in. The song is seven minutes long and radio stations preferred the sung portions over the instrumental portions.

Chart history

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable"
Chart (1974)

!Peak
position

Canada RPM Adult Contemporary{{cite web|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5092&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5092.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5092|title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date=1974-07-27 |accessdate=2019-11-28}}

| style="text-align:center;"|3

Canada RPM Top Singles{{cite web|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5048a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5048a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5048a|title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date=1974-07-13 |accessdate=2019-11-28}}

| style="text-align:center;"|3

UK{{cite book

| first= David

| last= Roberts

| year= 2006

| title= British Hit Singles & Albums

| edition= 19th

| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited

| location= London

| isbn= 1-904994-10-5

| page= 152}}

| style="text-align:center;"|31

U.S. Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - {{ISBN|0-89820-089-X}}

| style="text-align:center;"|4

U.S. Billboard R&B

| style="text-align:center;"|1

U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary

| style="text-align:center;"|31

U.S. Cash Box Top 100[http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/19740706.html Cash Box Top 100 Singles, July 6, 1974]

|align="center"|3

class="wikitable"
Chart (1980) (Re-recording)

!Peak
position

UK

| style="text-align:center;"|44

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable"
Chart (1974)

! style="text-align:center;"|Rank

Canada {{cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.3893a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.3893a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.3893a|title=Image : RPM Weekly|first=Library and Archives|last=Canada|website=Library and Archives Canada |date=January 16, 2018|publisher=}}

| style="text-align:center;"|68

U.S. Billboard Hot 100[http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1974.htm Musicoutfitters.com]

| style="text-align:center;"|60

U.S. Cash Box [http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1974YESP.html Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 28, 1974]

| style="text-align:center;"|64

{{col-end}}

1980 remake

In 1980, DeVaughn recorded a remake, on his second album, Figures Can't Calculate, which reached #83 on the dance chart and #44 on the UK singles chart.{{Citation|title=The Life and Music of William DeVaughn|url=https://mentalitch.com/the-life-and-music-of-william-devaughn/ |access-date=2022-02-04}}

Later uses

The song is featured in the films Bug (2002), Be Cool (2005) and La Mission (2010).{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

The song's refrain "Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin' the scene with a gangsta lean" has been referenced, sampled and/or interpolated in the following songs:

  • "Keep Smiling" by Gabor Szabo (1976){{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
  • "Gangsta Gangsta" by N.W.A (1988){{cite web |title=N.W.A – Gangsta Gangsta Lyrics |url=https://genius.com/129855 |website=Genius |access-date=20 August 2021}}
  • "Keepin' the Faith" by De La Soul, from their 1991 album De La Soul Is Dead ("Diamond in the back, sunroof top, waiting for the credit card so she can go and shop")
  • "Brakes" by De La Soul on the 1996 album Stakes Is High
  • "West Savannah" by Outkast (1998) ("Nine in my hand, ounce in my crotch, diggin' the scene with a gangsta slouch")
  • "Diamond in the Back" by Ludacris (2004){{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
  • "Still Fly" by Big Tymers (2002) ("old-school Caddy with a diamond in the back"){{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
  • "Shut Up and Drive" by Rihanna (2007){{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
  • "Shootin' The Gift" by Hip Club Groove ("Moves is in the back, let the beat drop, diggin’ the scene, with Mackenzie and me").{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
  • "Sonate Pacifique" by L'Imperatrice (2014){{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

Covers

=Massive Attack version=

Massive Attack's cover version, retitled "Be Thankful for What You've Got", was featured on their 1991 debut album, Blue Lines. A music video was produced for the song; however, it was not released as a stand-alone commercial single. Instead, a remix by Paul Oakenfold was also included on their 1992 single release Massive Attack EP.[http://www.discogs.com/Massive-Attack-Massive-Attack-EP/master/32631 Massive Attack - Massive Attack E.P. at Discogs]

{{Infobox song

| name = Be Thankful for What You've Got

| cover =

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Lipbone Redding

| album = Science of Bootyism EP

| released = April 21, 2009

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 5:10
6:12 (long version)

| label =

| writer = William DeVaughn

| producer = Jeff Eyrich for Lipbone Redding

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

=Lipbone Redding version=

Lawrence "Lipbone" Redding's cover version, "Be Thankful for What You Got", appeared on his 2009 EP Lipbone Redding and the LipBone Orchestra: Science of Bootyism, Beautiful Flying Records. The EP contains two versions of the song.

=Other covers=

Other artists who have covered the song include:

Notes

Sources

  • Nathan, David. Notes for William DeVaughn: Be Thankful for What You Got: A Golden Classics Edition. Collectables [sic] CD COL-5271. Collectables [sic] Record Corp., 1994.