Survival is a 1975 album by American R&B group The O'Jays, released on the Philadelphia International Records label.
| Survival | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 1975 | |||
| Recorded | 1974 | |||
| Studio | Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |||
| Genre | Philadelphia soul, R&B, funk | |||
| Length | 32:52 | |||
| Label | Philadelphia International Records | |||
| Producer | Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff | |||
| The O'Jays chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Survival | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | C+[2] |
Reception
editRecorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Survival includes the R&B chart-topping single "Give the People What They Want" and "Let Me Make Love to You", which reached #10 on the same chart. Survival matched exactly the chart performance of its predecessor Ship Ahoy, topping the R&B chart and peaking at #11 on the pop chart.[citation needed]
According to AllMusic's Ron Wynn, Survival "followed the spectacular Back Stabbers and Ship Ahoy" as a "good, but not on the same level" album featuring "many strong ballads and good message tracks". Wynn adds that, "while it may not have been as epic in its performances and compositions, it was certainly the other albums' equal in sales strength."[1] The Village Voice critic Robert Christgau wrote more harshly of the LP: "Except for the astonishing 'Rich Get Richer,' based on a text by Ferdinand Lundberg, this is the drabbest studio album this group has made since joining Gamble-Huff. Unfortunately, 'Rich Get Richer' is not the single."[2] The jazz writer Rob Backus cites the song as a politically charged work in progressive soul.[3]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Gamble and Huff, except where noted [4]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Give the People What They Want" | 4:14 | |
| 2. | "Let Me Make Love to You" | Bunny Sigler, Allan Felder | 4:21 |
| 3. | "Survival" | 3:44 | |
| 4. | "Where Did We Go Wrong" | 3:40 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "Rich Get Richer" | 4:24 | |
| 6. | "How Time Flies" | 5:15 | |
| 7. | "What Am I Waiting For" | Bunny Sigler, Ron Tyson | 3:56 |
| 8. | "Never Break Us Up" | Leon Huff | 3:18 |
Charts
editAlbum
| Chart (1975) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] | 91 |
| Billboard Pop Albums[6] | 11 |
| Billboard Top Soul Albums[6] | 1 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions[7] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | US R&B | ||
| 1975 | "Give the People What They Want" | 45 | 1 |
| "Let Me Make Love to You" (A-side) | 75 | 10 | |
| "Survival" (B-side) | — | ||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Wynn, Ron (n.d.). "Survival – The O'Jays". AllMusic. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: O". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 10, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Backus, Rob (1976). Fire Music: A Political History of Jazz (2nd ed.). Vanguard Books. p. vi. ISBN 091770200X.
- ^ allmusic ((( Survival > Overview ))). All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved on 2011-10-13.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 222. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ a b "US Albums Charts > The O'Jays". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
- ^ "US Singles Charts > The O'Jays". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-08-31.