'' Chirpin is an album by the American musical group
the Persuasions
The Persuasions are an American a cappella group that began singing together in Brooklyn, New York in the mid-1960s.
The Persuasions were formed in Brooklyn in 1962, singing a cappella under corner streetlights and in subway corridors. Their ...
, released in 1977. It was rereleased in 1990, following the success of the PBS documentary ''
Spike Lee & Company: Do It a Cappella''.
Production
The album was produced by David Dashev. After two albums that contained instrumental accompaniment, ''Chiripin was a return to an a capella style, albeit without member Jayotis Washington.
Critical reception
The ''
Richmond Times-Dispatch
The ''Richmond Times-Dispatch'' (''RTD'' or ''TD'' for short) is the primary daily newspaper in Richmond, Virginia, Richmond, the capital of Virginia, and the primary newspaper of record for the state of Virginia.
Circulation
The ''Times-Dispatc ...
'' praised the "rich, gutsy and romantic harmonies," and considered ''Chirpin the group's best album.
Greil Marcus, in ''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the crea ...
'', wrote of "Willie and Laura Mae Jones": "'That was another place, and another time,' runs the last line of Tony Joe White’s chorus; as the Persuasions sing it, it is full of dignity, close to bitter, and empty of regret. I don’t know that I have heard new black music this strong since the days that followed Sly Stone’s ''There’s a Riot Goin’ On''." He later listed the album as one of the ten best of the 1970s.
Track listing
;Side 1
# "
Papa Oom Mow Mow
"Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" is a novelty song, novelty Nonsense, nonsensical doo-wop song by the Rivingtons in 1962. It peaked at number 48 on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and number 35 on the ''Cashbox (magazine), Cashbox'' charts. The b ...
" (
Al Frazier, Carl White, Turner Wilson, John Harris) – 2:18
# "Willie and Laura Mae Jones" (
Tony Joe White) – 3:15
# "Moonlight and Music" (Leroy Fann) – 3:00
# "Johnny Porter" (Bobby Ray Appleberry, Bill Cuomo) – 4:34
#
"Looking for an Echo" (
Richard Reicheg
Richard Reicheg (May 26, 1937 – July 30, 2021) was an American television, stage, and film actor, musician and a Grammy-nominated songwriter. His career spanned a period of over sixty years.
Reicheg wrote the song “For The Sake Of The Chil ...
) – 4:11
;Side 2
#
"Women and Drinkin'" ( Jerry Lawson, David Dashev) – 6:53
# " Sixty Minute Man" (Billy Ward Billy Ward may refer to:
* Billy Ward (singer) (1921–2002), American singer with Billy Ward and His Dominoes
* Billy Ward (boxer)
William Ward (16 July 1993 – 4 August 2013) was an Australian amateur boxer selected for the 2012 Summer Olym ...
) – 2:00
# "Win Your Love (For Me)" (Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook (January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964), known professionally as Sam Cooke, was an American singer and songwriter. Considered to be a pioneer and one of the most influential soul artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred ...
) – 3:32
# "It's Gonna Rain Again" (Charles Johnson) – 2:22
# "To Be Loved" (Tyran Carlo
Roquel "Billy" Davis (July 11, 1932 – September 2, 2004), of Detroit, was an American songwriter, record producer, and singer. Davis was also known as a writer/producer of commercial jingles, mostly for Coca-Cola. He was also known as Tyran C ...
, Gwen Gordy Fuqua, Berry Gordy)– 2:32
Details
*Produced by David Dashev.
*Recorded and mixed at The Hit Factory, New York.
*Engineered by Michael Getlin.
*Released in 1977 by Elektra.
References
{{Authority control
The Persuasions albums
1977 albums
Elektra Records albums