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Private Number (Judy Clay and William Bell song)
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Wikipedia article
"'Private Number'" is a song recorded by American soul singers Judy Clay and William Bell, and included on Bell's album 'Private Numbers' (1968). In the US, it was released as a single, where it peaked at number 17 on the Best Selling Rhythm and Blues chart and number 75 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100. Outside the US, "Private Number" went to number eight in the United Kingdom.
911 version
English boy band 911 covered "'Private Number'" for their third studio album, 'There It Is' (1999). There are two different versions of the song: one version featuring Natalie Jordan and one featuring Fann Wong. The song was released as the third and final single from the album on May 3, 1999, and peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. It was the last of their string of consecutive top 10 hit singles in the UK.
Music video
The music video features 911 performing the song in pouring rain in China. There are two different versions of the video, one featuring Natalie Jordan and one featuring Fann Wong. In Jordan's version, she can be seen singing her parts whilst on a television screen and in a dark room. In Wong's version, she is standing by herself in the rain as well.Charts
Release history
Other cover versions
* English rock band Babe Ruth covered this song in 1975. It featured on their 'Stealin' Home' album and was released as a single on the Harvest Records label.
* In 2000, Bell performed a live version of "Private Number" with Scottish rock band Texas on 'Later... with Jools Holland'.
* In 2011, Jon Stevens covered the song for his album 'Testify!'
* In 2014, Bell duetted with Joss Stone on 'Jools' Annual Hootenanny'.
* In 2016, Beverley Knight recorded a version with Jamie Cullum for her album 'Soulsville'. The following year, Knight performed the song with Bell at a Prom celebrating Stax Records.
Sampling
* The opening seconds and guitar riff of Clay and Bell's original version of the song were prominently sampled in Rappin' 4-Tay's hip-hop single, "Playaz Club", which reached #36 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart in 1994.
* The opening seconds were also sampled in Pretty Lights's "Finally Moving", which is featured on his 2006 album 'Taking Up Your Precious Time', Nightmares On Wax's "You Wish" from his 2006 album In a Space Outta Sound, and more recently by Purple Disco Machine on "Devil in Me", featured in his 2017 album Soulmatic.
References
Category:1968 singles
Category:1999 singles
Category:Virgin Records singles
Category:911 (English group) songs
Category:1968 songs
Category:Malefemale vocal duets
Category:Stax Records singles
Category:Songs written by William Bell (singer)
Category:Songs written by Booker T. Jones
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