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Lowdown (Boz Scaggs song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Lowdown
| cover = Boz-scaggs-lowdown-cbs-2.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Artwork for Dutch vinyl single
| type = single
| artist = Boz Scaggs
| album = Silk Degrees
| B-side = Harbor Lights
| released = June 1976
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = * Disco
* soft rock
* blue-eyed soul
* yacht rock
*blues
| length = * 3:14 (single version)
* 5:16 (album version)
| label = Columbia
| writer = * Boz Scaggs
* David Paich
| producer = Joe Wissert
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc =
}}
"'Lowdown'" is a song originally recorded in 1976 by Boz Scaggs for his album 'Silk Degrees'. The song was co-written by Scaggs and keyboardist David Paich. Paich, along with fellow "Lowdown" session musicians bassist David Hungate and drummer Jeff Porcaro, would later go on to form the band Toto.
Release and reaction
Initially, 'Silk Degrees' received a lukewarm commercial response and, similarly, the first single released from the album, "It's Over" barely cracked the top 40 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, peaking at #38. One day, however, a Cleveland R&B radio DJ began playing "Lowdown" straight off the album. That was at a time when DJs had much more say in what was played on their programs. Public response was very positive and soon Scaggs' record label, Columbia, sent the song to other R&B-oriented radio stations for airplay.
It broke big on Top 40 Pop stations as well, and when it was officially released as a single, it became Scaggs' first major hit, reaching #1 on the Cash Box Top 100 and number three on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. It was also successful on the R&B and Disco Singles charts, peaking at number five on both. The song was also a major hit in Canada, peaking at number two. It was a minor hit in the UK, topping out at #28.
Scaggs is quoted as saying that the success of "Lowdown" was "an accident" and that, even though it was their favorite from 'Silk Degrees', he and the others involved in the making of the song thought there "wasn't a chance in hell" that it would be released as a single. The single was certified gold by the RIAA for sales of one million copies and would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song at the 19th Annual Grammy Awards.
Renditions
* In 1996 Scaggs recorded an unplugged jazz version for his 'Fade into Light' album.
* In 2001 saxophonist Jimmy Sommers recorded a smooth jazz arrangement with rapper Coolio on background vocals. The song was released on his album '360 Urban Groove'.
* In 2020, the English band Disclosure has sampled 'Lowdown' in their track 'Expressing What Matters'.
Usage in film
* "Lowdown" plays in a singles bar in 'Looking for Mr. Goodbar'.
* "Lowdown" was heard in the David Fincher movie 'Zodiac' in the diner scene depicting real life character Robert "Bob" Graysmith telling Inspector Dave Toschi what he knew about the Zodiac Killer.
Chart performance
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Personnel
* Boz Scaggs lead vocals
* David Paich keyboards
* Fred Tackett guitar
* Louis Shelton guitar
* David Hungate bass
* Jeff Porcaro drums
* Carolyn Willis background vocals
* Marty McCall background vocals
* Jim Gilstrap background vocals
* Augie Johnson background vocals
* Joe Wissert producer
References
Buy Lowdown (Boz Scaggs song) now from Amazon
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