"Take Time to Know Her" is a song written by

Steve Davis Steve Davis (born 22 August 1957) is an English retired professional snooker player who is currently a Sports commentator, commentator, musician, DJ, and author. He is best known for dominating professional snooker during the 1980s, when he rea ...

and performed by

Percy Sledge Percy Tyrone Sledge (November 25, 1940 – April 14, 2015) was an American R&B, soul and gospel singer. He is best known for the song " When a Man Loves a Woman", a No. 1 hit on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and R&B singles charts in 196 ...

. It reached #5 on the Canadian pop chart, #6 on the U.S. R&B chart, and #11 on the U.S. pop chart in 1968. It was featured on his 1968 album '' Take Time to Know Her''. The song was produced by Marlin Greene and

Quin Ivy Quin Ivy (born 1937) is an American former disc jockey turned songwriter and record producer, crucial to the Muscle Shoals scene in the 1960s. Early life Ivy was born in Oxford, Mississippi, the son of a sharecropper.

. The song ranked #54 on ''Billboard'' magazine's Top 100 singles of 1968.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes. Origin Liner notes are desce ...

of ''The Muscle Shoals Sound: 3614 Jackson Highway''. *

Barry Beckett Barry Edward Beckett (February 4, 1943 – June 10, 2009) was an American keyboardist, session musician, record producer, and studio founder. He is best known for his work with David Hood, Jimmy Johnson, and Roger Hawkins, his bandmates in th ...

– piano *Jerry Eddleman – backing vocals *Jeannie Greene – backing vocals * Roger Hawkins – drums *

Eddie Hinton Eddie Hinton (15 June 1944 – 28 July 1995) was an American songwriter and session musician, best known for his work with soul music and R&B singers. He played lead guitar for Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section from 1969 to 1971 and after leaving th ...

– lead guitar *

David Hood David Hood (born September 21, 1943) is an American bassist from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He also plays the trombone. He is a member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Early life and education Hood was born in Sheffield, Alabama and attende ...

– bass guitar * Jimmy Johnson – rhythm guitar *

Spooner Oldham Dewey Lindon "Spooner" Oldham (born June 14, 1943) is an American songwriter and session musician. An organist, he recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, at FAME Studios as part of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section on such hit R&B songs as Percy ...

– organ *

Sandy Posey Sandy Posey (born Sandra Lou Posey, June 18, 1944) is an American popular singer who enjoyed success in the 1960s with singles such as her 1966 recording of Martha Sharp's compositions "Born a Woman" and "Single Girl". She is often described as a ...

– backing vocals *

– lead vocals *Hershel Wiggington – backing vocals

Other charting versions

Joe Stampley Joe Stampley (born June 6, 1943) is an American country music singer. He had success as the lead singer of a rock group, in a country duo with Moe Bandy and as a solo performer. Stampley has released over 20 albums and more than 60 singles in ...

released a version of the song as a single in 1971 which reached #74 on the U.S. country chart. *

David Allan Coe David Allan Coe (born September 6, 1939) is an American singer and songwriter. Coe took up music after spending much of his early life in reform schools and prisons, and first became notable for busking in Nashville. He initially played mostly i ...

released a version of the song as a single in 1982 which reached #58 on the U.S. country chart.

Other versions

* Ben Branch and Orchestra released a version of the song as the

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

to his 1968 single "The Big One". *Davis released a version of the song as a single in 1968, but it did not chart. *

O.C. Smith Ocie Lee Smith (June 21, 1932 – November 23, 2001), known professionally as O. C. Smith, was an American singer. His recording of "Little Green Apples" went to number 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1968 and sold over one million recor ...

released a version of the song on his 1968 album ''Hickory Holler Revisited''. *

Tommie Young Tommie Young (born January 14, 1949) is an American soul and gospel singer from Dallas, Texas, United States. Young started singing in Dallas nightclubs, and in 1972, producer Bobby Patterson heard one of her performances and signed her to the l ...

released a version of the song as a single in 1972, but it did not chart. *

Jody Miller Myrna Joy "Jody" Miller (November 29, 1941 – October 6, 2022) was an American country music singer. "Home of the Brave" and "Queen of the House" are her well-known albums. She is a recipient of the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal ...

released a version of the song on her 1976 album ''Will You Love Me Tomorrow''. * Harry Hippy released a version of the song on his 1977 album with

Dennis Brown Dennis Emmanuel Brown CD (1 February 1957 – 1 July 1999) was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of l ...

entitled ''Dennis Brown Meets Harry Hippy''. *

John Hiatt John Robert Hiatt (born August 20, 1952) is an American singer-songwriter. He has played a variety of musical styles on his albums, including new wave, blues, and country. Hiatt has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards and has been awarded ...

released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1982 single "I Look for Love". * John Mooney released a version of the song on his 1992 album ''Testimony''. * Zydeco Force released a version of the song on their 2001 album ''You Mean the World to Me''.

References

1968 songs 1968 singles 1971 singles 1972 singles 1982 singles Songs written by Stephen Allen Davis Percy Sledge songs Joe Stampley songs David Allan Coe songs Jody Miller songs John Hiatt songs Song recordings produced by Billy Sherrill Song recordings produced by Tony Visconti Atlantic Records singles Fontana Records singles {{1960s-song-stub