THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

604-The People’s Choice-Do It Any Way You Wanna.

1975-Number 36 single.

Best Bit-At 0.40. It may not have taken a genius to write the lyrics, but it did take a genius to write the music.

The People’s Choice were a ‘Funk,’ and ‘Soul’ group, who were formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, in 1971, by Frankie Brunson (1929-2007) and David Thompson. Although many of their songs were instrumentals, five of the 11 members who came and went between 1971, until their retiring of the group in 1985, were vocalists. The four members at that time who played on this track, and it’s parent Album, were, Frankie Brunson, (lead vocals, and keyboards) David Thompson, (percussion) Roger Andrews,(bass) and Guy Fiske, (guitar) other musicians who played on the song were members of ‘MFSB,’ the studio band employed by ‘Philadelphia International’ records. in much the same way that ‘The Funk Brothers’ were attached to ‘Motown’ records.

The discography of The People’s Choice includes six studio Albums released between 1975-1984, and 20 singles released between 1971-1984, there are also three official compilation Albums available. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, two of their singles reached the top 40, their debut, ‘I Likes to Do It,’ (1971-Number 38) and ‘Do It Any Way You Wanna,’ (1975-Number 11) but they had more success on the Billboard ‘Best Selling Soul Singles’ chart, (now the ‘Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs’) where three of their tracks made the top 40, with ‘Do It Any Way You Wanna’ reaching Number 1. In the UK, The People’s Choice have charted on the top 40 twice, with ‘Jam, Jam, Jam (All Night Long’) being the other hit (1978-Number 40.)

The People’s Choice first came to the attention of Leon Huff, the co-founder of ‘Philadelphia International’ records, after Huff had seen the group perform in concert. The People’s Choice had just had a hit with their debut single ‘I Likes To Do It,’ (1971-Billboard Number 38) on the ‘Phil-L.A. of Soul Records’ label, and Leon Huff told Frankie Brunson, that he wished the group had recorded ‘I Likes To Do It’ for ‘Philadelphia International’ records. The People’s Choice signed to ‘Philadelphia International’ records in 1974, after their next five singles had all failed to chart, for their previous record label.

Leon Huff (see also best songs 1001-896-725-648-571-338-322 and 258) was born on April 8th, 1942, in Camden, New Jersey, United States, he is one half of the legendary song writing, and production duo ‘Gamble and Huff,’ with Kenny Gamble, who was born on August 11th, 1943, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, together they have worked on in excess of 3,000 songs. Leon Huff, and Kenny Gamble had already had success together prior to co-founding ‘Philadelphia International Records’ in 1971 as a rival to Berry Gordy, and ‘Motown’ records. Aided by the in house arrangers Thom Bell, (1943-2022) Bobby Martin, and Norman Harris, (1947-1987) they set up a distribution deal with ‘CBS’ records, headed at that time by Clive Davis. Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff’s ‘Philadelphia Soul’ sound evolved from the simpler arrangements of the late-1960’s, into a style featuring lush strings, thumping basslines, and sliding hi-hat rhythms, elements that soon became the distinguishing characteristics of a new style of music called ‘Disco.’ By 1975, ‘Philadelphia International,’ and the ‘Philadelphia Soul’ genre it helped define, had largely eclipsed ‘Motown’ and the ‘Motown Sound’ in popularity, and Gamble and Huff were now the worlds premier producers of ‘Soul’ music.

‘Do It Any Way You Wanna’ was written and produced by Leon Huff, and was the only single released from The People’s Choice debut studio Album ‘Boogie Down U.S.A.’ from 1975. The 10 tracks on the Album were written by the ‘A team’ of song writers at ‘Philadelphia International Records,’ which included Cary Gilbert, (1942-1993) (see also best songs 896) John Whitehead, (1948-2004) and Gene McFadden, (1949-2006) (see also best songs 258) with the in house studio band ‘MFSB’ providing backing. In 1976 the Jamaican Reggae singer ‘Dillinger’ sampled ‘Do It Any Way You Wanna,’ for his single ‘Cokane in My Brain, (see also best songs 817) which reached Number 1 in the Netherlands, and Number 2 in Belgium.

‘Do it any way you wanna do it, do it any way you wanna.’