Evil Roy
{{Infobox song
| name = Evil Roy
| cover = Evil Roy.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Earth, Wind & Fire
| album = Touch the World
| B-side = Evil Roy (Instrumental)
| released = 1988
| recorded = 1987
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = R&B
| length = 4:01 (single version)
4:54 (album version)
| label = Columbia
| writer =
- Philip Bailey
- Attala Zane Giles
- Allee Willis
| producer = Maurice White
| prev_title = Thinking of You
| prev_year = 1988
| next_title = Turn on (The Beat Box)
| next_year = 1988
}}
"Evil Roy" is a single by R&B/funk band Earth, Wind & Fire issued in 1988 by Columbia Records.{{cite work|title=Earth, Wind & Fire: Evil Roy|date=1988|publisher=Columbia Records}} The song rose to No. 22 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart and No. 38 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/earth-wind-fire/chart-history/bsi/|title=Earth, Wind & Fire: Evil Roy (Hot R&B Singles)|website=billboard.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/earth-wind-fire/chart-history/dsi/|title=Earth, Wind & Fire: Evil Roy (Dance Club Play Songs)|website=billboard.com}}
Overview
"Evil Roy" was produced by EWF bandleader Maurice White and composed by Philip Bailey, Attala Zane Giles and Allee Willis. The song came off the band's 1987 studio album Touch the World.
A music video was issued in 1988 to accompany the single.{{cite web|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0K1QdWHmJ-U|title=Earth, Wind & Fire: Evil Roy|website=youtube.com}}
Critical reception
David Emerson of The Boston Globe described "Evil Roy" as having "a menacing bass line".{{cite web|url= https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/437965438/#cid=32236497&cm=undefined|title=Earth, Wind & Fire: Touch The World|page=106|date=December 3, 1987|author=Emerson, David|publisher=Boston Globe|website=newspapers.com}} Harry Sumrall of the San Jose Mercury-News stated "Evil Roy, gets down, just as the title cut assumes a loftier tone, lyrically, while funking out."{{cite web |author=Sumrall, Harry |date=November 29, 1987 |title=Michael's heard above screams |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=EANX-K12&t=&sort=YMD_date%3AD&page=5&fld-nav-0=YMD_date&val-nav-0=1987%20-%201987&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&timeline_search=true&val-base-0=%22Earth%2C%20Wind%22&docref=image/v2%3A1126156B6E3010F0%40EANX-K12-18EE1917CA884CE3%402447129-18EE151766E53BF6%40176-18EE151766E53BF6%40 |website=newsbank.com}}
Personnel
- Maurice White: lead vocals, background vocals
- Philip Bailey: songwriter, lead vocals, background vocals
- Allee Willis: songwriter
- Attala Zane Giles: songwriter, producer, synthesized bass, synthesizer, synth arranger, guitar, percussion programming, background vocals
- Sheldon Reynolds: guitar
- Rhett Lawrence: Fairlight CMI programming, sequencing, drum programming
Chart positions
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (1988) !Peak |
| U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Earth, Wind & Fire}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Earth, Wind & Fire songs
Category:Songs written by Philip Bailey