As Heard On #1: Beyonce - Crazy in Love

     

OK, here's an interesting little thread idea - tracing where samples in recent pop and R&B hits come from. We start off with Beyonce's huge 2003 hit 'Crazy in Love'. The main sample came from an early single from the Chi-Lites, a 70s soul and R&B outfit from Chicago, entitled 'Are You My Woman?' Here they are side-by-side -

Beyonce 'Crazy in Love'

The Chi-Lites 'Are You My Woman?'

And then another interesting twist - Beyonce's hit (and the Chi-Lites' sample) was then mashed again by the Beatconductor with a reggae slant -

The Chi-Lites didn't get a penny from the success of Beyonce's hit. Not meaning to make an issue of it - that's a whole can of worms - but it's worth knowing. The Chi-Lites themselves had a lot of success in the 70s by pioneering the 'Philly Sound' - rather soft, harmonised soul. But they also dabbled in disco and this is one of their best, 'You Don't Have to Go', from 1976.

[Excuse the rather silly dancing girls - believe it or not, the top UK pop chart show back then, Top of the Pops, would use this group of curvaceous dancing girls (called Pan's People) whenever they couldn't invite the artists to perform in their show.]

Now you know . .