George McCrae "I Get Lifted"

I never remember it in stereo, Andy. To be certain, I just pulled out my original 1974 "Rock Your Baby" LP, with "Stereo" largely declared over "501", the LP number, and the T.K. full logo, as well as appearing on the LP label itself. At best, it sounds like the percussion has a bit of an "E" delayed fake stereo. I saw a K.C. interview (VH1 Classic?) a while back - he said he and his close friend/writing partner, Richard Finch, had put together and had layed down a virtual "storehouse" full of music tracks, and then tried to match their vision for the lead vocal with a suitable candidate from within the local T.K/Glades/etc. "stable." That's how George McCrae got to sing lead on "Rock Your Baby" - his high, falsetto voice fit the tune perfectly, they thought. I don't believe George was even SIGNED to T.K. Records at this time - but his wife Gwen was, though, albeit to their "Cat" subsidary; they'd both recorded for other labels previously, both solo and as a duo, including Columbia. Talent-wise, everybody in the area knew everybody. When George's 45 exploded Top 40, the T.K. label had their first hit. Label owner Henry Stone ordered both K.C & Finch to RUSH a George McCrae LP out, by TOMORROW if possible, to cash in on the label's unexpected, out-of-nowhere national #1 record. The two, no doubt, went to their music tracks "reservoir", some tracks no doubt being more "ready" than others, and quickly got 'em presentable enough for George to lay a vocal track over. Upon releasing the LP, T.K. had already determined that "I Can't Leave You Alone" would be the follow-up single, b/w "I Get Lifted." It debuted on BB the 2nd wk of 10/74, with the former peaking at a disappointing #50 on BB, the 1st wk of 11/74. But the intended "throwaway" flip side, "I Get Lifted" was unexpectedly receiving significant R&B/Soul station airplay. T.K. changed gears, and started "working" the former B-side to radio instead. It never did get a ton of Top 40 airplay, but K.C. said that it was pretty big wherever it DID get played, was big R&B, and that T.K. sold a fair amount of 45s on it. It didn't peak until the first week of 3/75, nearly 4 months after the "A" side flopped. Andy, the huge time crunch Casey and Finch were working under, to get an LP out, probably explains the lack of true stereo separation on the "I Get Lifted" track. Stone, in appreciation for K.C.'s and Finch's diligent efforts, decided to sign, as recording artists, T.K.'s "house band." The core was K.C. (a/k/a Harry Wayne Casey) on keyboards, Finch on bass, Robert Johnson on drums, and Jerome Smith & Phillip Wright on guitars. They were dubbed "The Sunshine Band." K.C., long-convinced his voice was suitable for "guide, demo" recording only, planned to release instrumentals only - to his mind, they had no singer. Their first 45, early '75's stiff single "Shotgun Shuffle", reflects this. A couple of months later, Stone happened to overhear K.C.'s "guide vocal" for a newly-written tune by he and Finch, called "Get Down Tonight." Stone thought K.C.'s vocals were both very soulful, and easily good enough to put out as a single, just as it was. The group was then immediately "re-vamped", were now led vocally by the surprised and reluctant Harry Casey, and were re-named "K.C. & The Sunshine Band." Early on, when they performed, K.C. didn't fit the visual expectations of the crowds, but he quickly won them over with several great, upbeat songs. Five #1 hits later, the rest is 70's Top 40 history.

Edited by jimct

Although not in the database, this song did peak at #37 in Billboard, in 3/75. My commercial 45 has a listed time of (2:50), but an actual time of (2:45).

So is the 45 and LP version of "I Get Lifted" one in the same?

The LP version actual time is 2:46 (2:50 listed) and is in (E) audio.