Somebody's Watching You
{{Infobox song
| name = Somebody's Watching You
| cover =
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| alt =
| border =
| caption =
| type =
| artist = Little Sister
| album =
| EP =
| language =
| English_title =
| A-side = Somebody's Watching You
| B-side = Stanga
| written =
| published =
| released = 1970
| recorded =
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| label = Stone Flower 45-9001
| writer =
| composer = Sylvester Stewart
| lyricist =
| producer = Sly Stone
| chronology =
| prev_title = You're The One-Part I & II
| prev_year = 1970
| next_title = Stanga
| next_year = 1970
| tracks =
| misc =
}}
{{distinguish|Somebody's Watching Me|Somebody's Watching Me (album)}}
"Somebody's Watching You" is a song by Sly and the Family Stone. It was a single for Little Sister in 1970. It became a hit for the group and registered in the Billboard and Cash Box charts.
Background
This single was a follow up to Little Sister's previous single, "You're the One".Record World, November 7, 1970 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-11-07.pdf Page 8 record world Single Reviews, FOUR STAR **** PICKS] Composed by Sylvester Stewart,MusicGuru - [https://musikguru.de/little-sister/songtext-somebody-s-watching-you-1819290.html Somebody's Watching You Songtext von Little Sister] it was previously recorded by Sly and the Family Stone and appeared on the group's 1969 Stand! albumPop Vortex - [https://www.popvortex.com/music/100-greatest-albums/stand.php #90 Stand! by Sly and the Family Stone]
The recording by Little Sister was reviewed in the November 7, 1970 issue of Record World where it was a four star pick with the reviewer calling it "perfect".Record World, November 7, 1970 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-11-07.pdf Page 8 record world Single Reviews, FOUR STAR **** PICKS] It was also at no. 26 in the magazine's Singles Coming Up chart that week.Record World, November 7, 1970 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-11-07.pdf Page 15 record world Singles Coming Up]
The song made number 16 on the Cash Box Top Hits of the Year list.Cash Box, March 6, 1971 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1971/Cash-Box-1971-03-06.pdf Page 12 TOP HITS OF THE YEAR, PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR'S BIGGEST HITS TO DATE]
"Stanga" charted as well and made it to no. 44 on the Billboard Soul chart.MusicVF.com - [https://www.musicvf.com/Little+Sister.art Little Sister Top Songs, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography, 1972]
Airplay
The November 14 issue of Record World reported that the record was getting played on KATZ in St. Louis.Record World, November 14, 1970 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-11-14.pdf Page 36 R & B Beat (Continued from page 34)]
On the week of January 23, 1971, Record World reported the song at #13 on WAYS; #14 on WQXI; #8 on WBBQ ; #10 on KXOK ; #14 on WSAI; #24 on WRKO; and #11 on WHBQ. It was also on CKLW, WLS, KRLA, KHJ.Record World, January 23, 1971 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/71/RW-1971-01-23.pdf RECORD WORLD MONEY MUSIC By KAL RUDMAN Little Sister:]
Charts
=''Record world''=
For the week of October 31, 1970, the single debuted at no. 34 on the Record World Singles Coming Up chart.Record World, October 24, 1970 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-10-24.pdf Page 22 record world Singles Coming Up]Record World, October 31, 1970 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-10-31.pdf Page 26 record world Singles Coming Up, 34. SOMEBODY'S WATCHING YOU] On November 14, the single was at no. 7 on the Record World One Stop Top Ten chart, Nor Cal section.Record World, November 14, 1970 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-11-14.pdf Page 23 record world ONE STOP Top Ten, NOR CAL ONE STOP (San Francisco)] It also peaked at no. 7 on the Record World R&B chart on January 23, 1971.Record World, January 23, 1971 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/71/RW-1971-01-23.pdf Page 44 RECORD WORLD THE R&B SINGLES CHART, JANUARY 23. 1971, THIS WK. 7, LAST WK. 18]Record World, January 30, 1971 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/71/RW-1971-01-30.pdf Page 42 RECORD WORLD THE R&B SINGLES CHART, JANUARY 30, 1971, THIS WK. 13, LAST WK. 7]
=''Cash Box''=
On the week of November 28, the single made its debut in the Cash Box Looking Ahead chart at no. 28.Cash Box, November 22, 1970 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1970/CB-1970-11-21.pdf Page 20 Cash Box LOOKING AHEAD]Cash Box, November 28, 1970 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1970/CB-1970-11-28.pdf Page 34 Cash Box LOOKING AHEAD 28] It also debuted that week at no. 54 in the Cash Box Top 60 in R and B Locations chart.Cash Box, November 28, 1970 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1970/CB-1970-11-28.pdf Page 50 Cash Box Top 60 In R and B Locations, 54]
On the week of December 5, and at is second week in the Looking Ahead chart, it got to no. 21.Cash Box, December 5, 1970 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1970/CB-1970-12-05.pdf Page 14 Cash Box LOOKING AHEAD 21] On the week of December 12, it made its debut at no. 78 in the Cash Box Top 100.Cash Box, December 12, 1970 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1970/CB-1970-12-12.pdf Page 4 Cash Box Top 100 78, _, _]
On the week of January 23, 1971, it peaked at no. 19 in the Top 60 in R and B Locations chart.Cash Box, January 16, 1971 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1971/Cash-Box-1971-01-16.pdf Page 32 Cash Box Top 60 In R and B Locations, 22]Cash Box, January 23, 1971 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1971/Cash-Box-1971-01-23.pdf Page 39 Cash Box Top 60 In R and B Locations, 19]Cash Box, January 30, 1971 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1971/Cash-Box-1971-01-30.pdf Page 30 Cash Box Top 60 In R and B Locations, 25] On the week of February 13, 1971 it peaked at no. 22 in the Cash Box Top 100.Cash Box, February 13, 1971 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1971/Cash-Box-1971-02-13.pdf Page 4 Cash Box Top 100 22, 24, 25]Cash Box, February 20, 1971 - [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1971/Cash-Box-1971-02-20.pdf Page 4 Cash Box Top 100 25, 22, 24]
=''Billboard''=
On the Billboard Hot 100, it reached no. 32 and peaked at no. 8 on the Billboard soul singles chart.MusicVF.com - [https://www.musicvf.com/song.php?title=Somebody%27s+Watching+You+by+Little+Sister&id=26126 Somebody's Watching You By: Little Sister]
Other versions
A version was recorded by U.F.O. and released on the Semp label.Popsike - [https://www.popsike.com/UFO-Somebodys-Watching-You-Gotta-Nice-Buzz-RARE-DEEP-FUNK-GRAIL-TRINIDAD/142726506817.html U.F.O - Somebodys Watching You / Gotta Nice Buzz RARE DEEP FUNK GRAIL TRINIDAD] Al Jarreau recorded a version which appeared on a release in 1976. Black Uhuru recorded a version that was released in 1984. Eternity's Children recorded a version that was released in 2003.Second Hand Songs - [https://secondhandsongs.com/work/68861/versions SONG, Somebody's Watching You VERSIONS] Clarence Burke recorded a live version that was released in 2011,JioSaavn - [https://www.jiosaavn.com/song/somebodys-watching-you-live/QVlGdkQGVWI Somebody's Watching You (Live), Somebody's Watching You (Live) by Clarence Burke] and Marcus Shelby had a version that was released in 2014.Second Hand Songs - [https://secondhandsongs.com/work/68861/versions SONG, Somebody's Watching You VERSIONS] The song also appeared on a 1979 compilation by Climax. Reissued in 2014 on another compilation. Discogs - [https://www.discogs.com/release/15169577-Climax-6-Featuring-Sonny-Geraci-Best-Of-Climax-Featuring-Sonny-Geraci Climax (6) Featuring Sonny Geraci – Best Of Climax Featuring Sonny Geraci]muziekweb - [https://www.muziekweb.nl/en/Link/JK193563/Best-of-Climax-featuring-Sonny-Geraci-Precious-and-few Best of Climax featuring Sonny Geraci : Precious and few Climax (US)] SFJazz Collective had a live version that appeared on a release in 2020.Second Hand Songs - [https://secondhandsongs.com/work/68861/versions SONG, Somebody's Watching You VERSIONS]